Pond lilies add beauty and grace to a pond that cannot be matched by other water plants. They also help keep the pond water healthy and give fish and other aquatic animals a place to hide or cool down on hot days.

photo credit: dtsomp

Pond lilies are easy to care for and reproduce freely. By dividing the plants you will have a constant supply of new plants that are quick and easy to transplant into new holding pots. And if you have too many it’s the perfect excuse to trade plants with the neighbors.

How to divide water lilies

If you’re not that familiar with water lilies you may not know they are planted in water baskets. Begin by lifting the entire basket of water lilies from your pond in the early spring. You will want to do this before they flower, but after new leaves have developed.

Set the basket on a tarp, plastic or the grass. This can get messy so I prefer a tarp to make cleaning up easier and the lawn or work area clean.

Begin by pulling the plant out of the holding basket by the base of the stalk. You will need to be careful not to damage any young shoots when removing the plant. Provide support to the plant with your free hand.

Next cut through the root ball with a large sharp knife. When you make a cut check first to make sure each section has new growing tips attached. Make as many cuts as necessary to return the lily root ball to the original size.

Each section can now be replanted to create a new lily.

How to plant the new water lily plant

1. Line the new basket or pot with hessian to prevent the soil from being washed away.
2. Fill the pot with aquatic soil mixture and insert the new lily plant.
3. Carefully cover the rootball with soil and fold the hessian over the top of the pot. Make sure you allow the stem and leaves to emerge from the top.
4. Add a layer of gravel on top of the hessian to prevent it from floating. Pack the soil and gravel in place.
5. Submerge the pot or basket in shallow water. The new shoots on the pond lily should rest at the surface of the water.

You will want to move the potted plant to a deeper section of the pond once the leaves and stems have grown long enough to reach the surface.

Your new lily plant should begin blooming in June. To keep you pond healthy and clean check the plant and remove deep leaves to prevent debris in your pond. This step will save you time later on.

Stunning shows of color floating on the water in you pond will add peace and tranquility to your own backyard. And the varieties of lilies available will give you a wide choice of color to add to you lawn and pond garden area.

Note: Do not use regular potting soil in the baskets for aquatic plants. The nutrients in the soil will cause algae to grow in your pond. This will cause you problems later on and also expense of trying to rid the pond of algae.

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Water features are a wonderful addition to any backyard, garden or indoor living space.  The sound and flow of water adds instant relaxation to any area, particularly a small space design area. Mini gardens or apartment dwellers that have a small porch deck or balcony can easily create a backyard oasis feeling with the addition of a small water pond created in a garden pot.
photo credit: SuperFantastic

First select a glazed ceramic pot without a hole in the bottom. You can purchase one at a store or add to the fun and challenge by picking one up at an auction or garage sale. Select a style that will fit with your home design or go for a natural garden look.

Wash the pot well with a natural soap without perfume or chemicals and fill the pit with water. Select a few varieties of aquatic plants and perhaps a dwarf water lily. Your selection of water plants will be based on the size of the pot and whether you plan to add dirt to the pot. Your local pet store or garden center will be able to help you with your selection.

A quick guide for water plant selection is that some plants do well planted in a plastic plant basket filled with compost and topped with gravel. Others float freely on the surface of the water and are known as floaters. If you choose a water lily, which needs soil, place the basket on the bottom of the pot and the leaves will naturally float to the surface. Water lilies are one of the more popular water plants because of their beauty.

If your planter is large enough you might want to add a few small fish, but due to the size of the mini water pond you are creating the fish must be small and only purchase a few. The plants will keep the water clear in your mini water garden and give the fish oxygen and shade.

If you add fish, remember to feed them according to directions on the food container, check the water regularly and don’t purchase Koi fish for a small mini pond. They can grow quite large and will outgrow their home very quickly.

If you live in a cold area you will need to protect your mini water garden from freezing during the winter, especially if you have fish in the container. If you have room in your home you may want to bring the mini water pond indoors. It will definitely add to the atmosphere. If you leave the pond outdoors, cover it and in cold areas find an indoor home for the fish.

Each spring you will need to clean the pot thoroughly and prune the plants to a manageable size. During the seasons keep the plants groomed by removing any sad looking leaves and dead blooms. This will keep your mini water pond healthier and your plants blooming all season long.

One final note, place your water pond in an area that gets about 8 hours of sun and remove any leaves that blow into the pond.

This small mini water pond will add to any patio, balcony garden or even the indoor living area. With proper care and cleaning it will be productive for many years.

Technorati Tags: backyard design, mini water pond, small backyard designs, small balcony design, small deck design, small space design, Small Space Garden, water plants

A water plant, also known as an aquatic plant, is a type of foliage that either grows in the water rooted in mud or the marshy bog area of a pond. It also can grow in the water with the root in soil but the top of the plant floating above the water line.
photo credit: La Citta Vita

There are many varieties of water plants. A few of them include the water lily, lotus, duckweed, water iris, hornwort, golden club and water pimpernel. Each water plant has its own specific growing needs and preferred climate, but one thing they all have in common is that they must grow in water. Water plants grow in lakes and streams, shallow ponds, swamps or bogs or just near a river where the soil remains damp and wet.

There are also floating water plants and underwater plants. The floating plants add beauty to a pond and offer shade and food to fish and other aquatic animals. Underwater plants clean and purify the air keeping a pond healthier.

To add plants to your backyard pond or water area, prepare a loamy soil by mixing up a blend of 1 part manure, 1 part sand and 1 part ground clay. You can use clean kitty litter if clay is not available. Use plastic basket to plant the water plants in. A 4-inch by 4-inch basket is a good size, but the plants may determine if you want a larger basket.

Once the plants are planted in the basket it will be time to submerge them in the pond or water. Depending on the plant you may want to sit the plants on cement blocks or rocks to vary the height of the plants.

To choose water plants its best to go to a greenhouse or business that supplies water plants. They will give you the necessary information and advice for what plants will grow in your area. Some water plants will over-winter in cold climates, some only grow to a zone 6 or seven and some will require that you bring them in for the winter. If you don’t want to remove and store plants its best to make sure you plants will survive you coldest months.

Water lilies

Water lilies are one of the more popular and well know water plants. To prepare the water lily, plant in a plastic basket filled with loamy soil. Bury the roots in the soil but make sure to leave the flower uncovered. Next cover the soil with pea gravel. Soak the soil with water to prepare the plant for its new home and to settle the plant and soil mix.

Place the basket in a sunny pond 18 inches deep. You will want to bury the plastic basket under the mud to hold the plant down. Water lilies grow well in freezing temperatures making this a plant that is adaptable to most climates.
photo credit: hot_bake

Water fringe

Water fringe or water snowflake lily-like flower are an example of a plant that should be removed from a pond during cold winters. Plant the water fringe in 6-inch-deep mud after planting the roots in a loamy soil-filled basket.

There are many water plants that you can choose from and they all have their own beauty, purpose and needs. With careful selection you can add plants to you pond area that enhance the water garden area but match you needs for pond care and maintenance.

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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.
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. 
photo credit: tanakawho

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. 
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.

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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. 
photo credit: krossbow

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!

Technorati Tags: Backyard Pond, koi fish, water plants