If you want an eye-catcher on your balcony or terrace, a mini pond is a great solution. Not only does it save space, it is also extremely easy to care for. With our simple instructions you can create a mini pond in a mortar bucket in no time. The real eye-catcher is the little sparrow that enlivens the pond as a gargoyle.
Create a mini pond – you need the following materials
For a simple mini pond you will need a vessel with a diameter of approx. 45 to 50 cm and a depth of 18 to 20 cm, a small water feature pump, a gargoyle figure, suitable aquatic plants, a transparent vinyl hose, clean cat litter, pearl gravel or small pebbles and a nylon stocking. Instead of a mortar bucket you can alsouse a zinc tray.
First, a few tips and hints
- The mini pond is designed on two levels to create different conditions for the aquatic plants used. Water lilies, for example, have rhizomes that grow horizontally in the soil and push up leaves and flowers. For a mini pond with a water depth of 10 to 20 cm, dwarf water lilies of the genus Nymphea, such as: B. Nymphaea Pygmaea, Nymphaea leibergii and Nymphaea tetragona are ideal. The pond edge plants, on the other hand, grow upright and prefer flat areas. The two zones of the mini pond can be separated from each other with stone, bricks or another heavy material.
- Pearl gravel beautifies the water garden and prevents the soil from floating in the water. Wash the gravel in a separate bucket before adding it to the container.
- Place a nylon stocking over the pump before placing it in the cup. This creates an additional filter so that gravel and cat litter are not drawn into the pump and clog it.
- Aquatic plants feel most comfortable in a sunny, wind-protected location. If possible, place the container near a power outlet for the pump. Otherwise, you can use a solar water feature. Remember that the vessel will be very difficult to move once filled with water.
Build your own mini pond – this is how it works:
1. Attach the gargoyle
Drill a small hole in the edge of the mortar bucket to mount the bubbly ornament. As needed, you can bend the metal pin to align or position the gargoyle.
2. Spread this cat litter
Fill the container with soil on one side and insert the water lilies or other deep-water plants. Then spread cat litter on top and level the surface with your hand.
3. Plant the flat-growing plants
Use a divider to divide the mini pond in half. Plant the shallow growing edge plants and spread more cat litter on the ground. At the deeper level, place a plastic cup for the pump in the cat litter. Put a sheet of foil over it to prevent gravel from falling in.
4. Spread the gravel
Spread the gravel over the cat litter. Make sure one level stays lower than the other. The floating leaves of water lilies also need enough space to spread out on the water surface.
5. Connect the pump to the gargoyle
Connect the pump to the gargoyle using a vinyl hose. If necessary, use a 1.5cm transition piece between the 1cm tube and the pump. Press the pump into the cup so that the suction cups hold it to the bottom.
6. Use nylon stocking as a filter
Cover the pump with a nylon sock to prevent gravel from clogging the pump. Then cover the pump with gravel.
Now you can finally fill the vessel with tap water! It is best to pour it over a saucer.
Maintain the mini pond properly
Maintaining water gardens is a breeze. Refill as the water evaporates, occasionally removing dead leaves. The plants keep the water crystal clear and algae-free. However, if the water looks cloudy, remove the plants, rinse the container, and refill it.
To promote the growth of aquatic plants, you can use special fertilizer balls. They are pressed into the soil and slowly release their nutrients. In summer it is advisable to take tabletsagainst mosquito larvaepick up. For a mini pond, half a tablet is enough.
You can overwinter water lilies by wrapping them in a damp towel and storing them in a cool basement or corner of the garage. Other plants are relatively inexpensive and grow quickly. For this reason, you can treat them like annuals and buy new plants every year. As already mentioned, you should choose dwarf water lilies for a mini pond so that their leaves do not completely cover the surface of the water. For larger water gardens, for example in half a wine barrel, the water hyacinth (Eichhornia), duckweed (Lemnoideae) or the water salad (Pistia stratiotes).
A mini pond in a mortar pot is too small for koi or goldfish, but larger containers like a halved wine barrel or larger terracotta pots are ideal. (Note: Water in metal containers usually becomes too warm for fish.) Fish keep the mini pond clean by eating algae, rotting plant material and mosquito larvae.
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