Choosing Plants For Your Koi Water Garden

 Backyard Pond  No Responses »
Mar 162009
 

Your Koi water garden is finished and now the fun begins as you select garden features and water plants. Water plants help to create a relaxing feel and look to your water garden and turn it into a beautiful backyard oasis. Koi
Creative Commons License photo credit: shoe the Linux Librarian

Water plants add a final decorative touch to your water garden but they also help maintain the biological balance your garden needs to thrive and stay healthy. Plants help to control the balance of the water and keep the water cleaner.

Your water plant selection will be based on your likes and dislikes and also on the climate conditions you live in. When choosing your plants your local pet store, garden center or Koi dealer should be able to answer your questions about water plants. The internet and library will also have available information to help you.

Lotus Plants

Lotus plants are beautiful plants that give a tropical look to areas where they grow. For this reason they are very popular in Koi water gardens. Lotus plants have beautiful blooms, an artistic to the way they grown and move in the wind and a fragrance that adds another dimension the backyard oasis. For those of you who live in areas that have temperatures lower than 65 degrees will have to make arrangements to over winter the lotus if you decide the grow the plant.  Lotus life
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I move my lotus plants into the house in the winter. I group them with my other tropical plants and get to enjoy their beauty in my zone 5 climate all year long. You may want to consider moving them to a greenhouse if you don’t have room in your house.

The lotus plants do require soil but grow semi submerged in water. They will also require a large amount of sunlight so may not be a good selection for a shady water garden.

Water Hyacinths

Water hyacinths have become very popular in the last few years because of their simplicity and ease to maintain. They do not require any type of soil or planting. After you bring them home you just place them in the water and lightly anchor them so that they do not float all over the pond. Water Hyacinths are extremely pretty and help to control both algae and blanket weeds.

Water Hyacinths are very invasive and will take over your pond and possible your yard if you allow them. They have been known to cross over fences and take over the neighbors yard, so proper control and care must be taken with these plants.

There are also plants that you add to your water pond by sitting just under the water but leave in pots. This gives you more control over adding and removing the plants and they usually are focal plants that add beauty to you garden oasis area. Your Koi dealer or garden center will be able to help you select these water plants.  Morning Glory
Creative Commons License photo credit: sherrattsam

Underwater Plants

Underwater plants live below the water line and often go unnoticed. They help battle algae, put oxygen back into the water, feed your fish for you and offer a place for you fish to hide and relax during the hot summer days.

These plants can be found in bundles at your Koi dealer or local pet store. Most underwater plants will not need additional support during the winter. Once placed in the water garden you may not think twice about them again. But check the growing needs of the plants when purchasing them

Although these water plants are rarely seen the benefits they add to your water garden and for the fish make them well worth purchasing.

Water plants will add that final tropical feeling to your backyard oasis paradise and your Koi fish will enjoy them. Just remember to let you plants adjust to their new home for two to three weeks before adding your Koi.

Posted by Denise at 9:34 pm  Tagged with: , , ,

How to Make a Self-cleaning Pond

 Backyard Pond  2 Responses »
Feb 182009
 

A Backyard pond adds beauty and a feel of relaxation to your backyard oasis. The pond itself is not that difficult to put in, but sometimes the pond can be a challenge to keep clean. The best solution to pond cleanliness is to set your pond up to clean itself.

If you follow these few simple steps when setting up your backyard pond you will cut down on maintenance. And if your pond is already installed and you have problems with cleaning, these steps will not take that much effort to apply.

Setting up a self cleaning pond

Start by using organic materials. This will to keep your pond safe for your fish and small children who like to play near the pond. First, add a pound of pond gravel for every gallon of water your pond holds. Next, level out the pond gravel. The gravel will help to absorb many of the toxins and waste products produced in your pond fish. An additional benefit is that pond gravel makes a great base for water plants.

It’s wise to install a filtration system. The system will remove large pieces of algae and debris. It will also regulate the toxic substances in the water. And water movement helps with keeping the pond cleaner.

To install a filtration system you will need a pump, rubber hose and a pond filter. Often times these items can be purchased in one set and will come with instructions. If you buy separately unwrap the biological filters and place them in the filtration housing and clamp down the lid. Attach the in valve to your pump using a rubber or plastic hose. Then attach a rubber or plastic hose to the out valve. Place the filtration housing behind pond art or rocks to hide it and give your pond a natural look. The water pump is placed in your pond.  Take the time to hide the pump in a corner or behind plants.  Check to make sure the out hose flows back into your pond. This is what will aerate the pond water for your fish and provide the pond with filtered, clean water.

If you don’t want to add a filtration system, a fountain or waterfall is almost as good. Both will keep the water moving and add fresh air to the pond. They just won’t remove debris.

Every pond should have water plants. Besides adding beauty to your pond setting and supplying your fish with a place to rest and hide, the water plants absorb some of the carbon dioxide produced by your fish. This helps to maintain the balance in the water. Plants will also utilize the waste material your fish produce.

Fish don’t require much time and add to the fun of a pond. Watching the fish play and hide in the water plants will entertain the entire family and your friends. Koi fish are very popular backyard pond fish and come in a wide variety of colors.

Snails and crustaceans eat algae that form on the sides and bottom of your pond. These little creatures take care of themselves and clean you pond.

The addition of fish and water plants enhance your pond area and dramatically cut down on pond maintenance. These few steps will simplify any cleaning you may have with a pond and only add to the beauty of your backyard pond oasis. And a cleaner pond with moving water will not have as many mosquitoes, possibly no mosquitoes.

Now its time to set back and enjoy your pond!

Posted by Denise at 11:37 pm  Tagged with: , ,

Backyard Oasis Paradise

 backyard oasis  6 Responses »
Jan 102009
 

Everyone has their own idea of what a Backyard Oasis would be but to me it’s my own private paradise that is a few steps away at all times. It’s so relaxing to head out the door in the morning and take in the fresh air and listen to the wildlife that also enjoys my yard.

One area that my backyard is lacking in would be a water garden, ponds and a miniature backyard waterfall. These features will be added to my backyard design this spring. Until them I can only look at gardening catalogs and dream of creating a backyard oasis filled with the sounds of running water and backyardfish.

This you tube about a Backyard Oasis Paradise that features ponds, beautiful water garden plants and a backyard waterfall caught my attention. Between its beauty and relaxing music it’s like being out in your own backyard oasis. It gave me ideas for my garden plans while I am waiting for the snow to melt.

At this time I am leaning towards adding a small water garden with Koi Fish and water plants, particularly water lilies and lotus plants. I can grow lotus plants in my zone 5 growing zone but I place them in a wire basket and move them in the winter. It’s a little more work but there is something about lotus plants and their striking beauty.

As spring approaches for many of us it the perfect time to make plans to add a water garden to your backyard garden oasis. The entire family and your friends will find your yard the perfect place to relax.

Posted by Denise at 11:56 pm  Tagged with: , , , , , , , ,
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