Create Your Own Water Garden at Home
There’s nothing more beautiful than having a water garden at home! Believe it or not, there are a large number of plants that grow optimally in water, giving you the opportunity to do without substrates such as soil. Equally, this type of fauna is much easier to take care of, since it always has the vital resource for life at its disposal: water.
The biggest job of having a water garden at home has to do with how consistently you need to change the water. It’s recommendable to do this once a week, although some plants are quite resistant, so from time to time, it’s ok if you forget.
However, you should know that in hot climates it’s necessary to comply with this time frame. Not only for the well-being of your plants but to prevent the proliferation of mosquitoes. If you want to know more about water gardens, read on.
Have your own water garden at home!
Explore the world of aquatic plants, set aside a space at home, (no matter if it’s small or large), and fall in love with them. These types of plants adapt well and it’ll be a lot of fun for you to carry out a new project. Equally, creating a water garden doesn’t require you to have professional skills to achieve something wonderful.
below, we’ll explain which plants are ideal and how to “plant” this type of garden.
Types of aquatic plants
Aquatic plants are divided into three large groups, depending on the way they grow. We have emergent plants, which take root in the ground and produce foliage on or above the surface of the water. In that category, we have plants such as potus.
The second group is made up of submerged plants that grow completely below the surface of the water, although they’re well-rooted in the ground. Among them we find the sword plant or the elodea. Finally, there are the floating plants, which are characterized by freely floating in the water. Some of these are blue algae and the sacred lotus.
Keep in mind that the choice should consider aspects such as the climate of the city where you live. Although don’t worry too much–there are so many aquatic plants to choose from that enjoy warm and tropical climates. These include sword plants and some aquatic ferns.
Considering climate conditions is important because some plants require constant sources of heat or completely cold water such as parrot feathers.
How to “plant” a water garden
Generally, planting a water garden is very easy and it’s a lot of fun to do. To plant there are two options, the first requires placing the chosen plants at the bottom of the chosen water container. This is usually made of transparent glass so that you can admire the natural process. Then, you have to add water according to the requirements of the chosen species.
The second way requires pots and you can plant your plants there, and then put them all into a larger water container. Although it must be said that this is a technique that works well when it comes to ponds or plants such as water lily.
What requirements must the soil meet for a water garden?
Now that you’ve planted your water garden, it’s time to find out how to care for it. Aquatic plants that grow in streams, ponds, and natural swamps acquire the nutrients they need to grow from the water and their environment. These places are usually full of nutrients and the plants will grow in the environments considered optimal in terms of temperature and light.
The ones you have at home, in your water garden, require you to provide them with nutrients and keep them in optimal condition. Next, we’ll tell you more about it.
The water in your water garden
The water in your water garden should be as clean as possible, you can use a conditioner or purifier to extract the chlorine or lime that’s present in drinking water. It’s better to put it to rest uncovered for 24 hours, and try to keep it at a warm temperature unless the plant has specific requirements.
Light
One of the essential things in maintaining a water garden at home is providing it with adequate light. For this, it’s best to provide between 12 and 16 hours of natural light a day. If you don’t have a well-lit space, you can purchase a light hood from a garden store. This must be at least 20 to 25 watts.
General care for a water garden
Caring for a water garden is basically the same as caring for an outdoor garden. The only difference is that the water must be changed at least once a week or whenever you identify it’s necessary.
In addition, you can give your plants granules or food that contain micro and macronutrients to act as fertilizer.