Selection of plants for miniature water bodies on terraces
Microscopic green algae grow naturally in stagnant water. Algae cloud the water, giving it a green color. Algae can be destroyed by using chemicals, but then they would also destroy the remaining life in the water, i.e. all cultivated decorative plants. The best solution, even if you have a large enough container, is to grow small fish that feed on algae. Another solution is to plant plants that enrich the water with oxygen and consume carbon dioxide and mineral salts from the water. Thus, they prevent the development of algae.
Fill at least one third of the container with plants, for example Azolla sp., Ceratophillum demersum, Egeria densa, Eichornia azurea, Eleocharis acilurais, Heteranthera dubia, Hidrocharis morsus ranae, Miriophilum brasiliensis, Miriosphilum spicatum, Salvinia sp., Stratiotes aloides, Utricularia sp., Vallissneria menta. So you will have clean and transparent water in a miniature lake on terraces, gardens and balconies. The choice of species should be coordinated with the size of the surface of the mini-lake.
Selection of plants for a miniature water surface on the balcony
Botanists divide all aquatic plants into hydrophytes and helophytes. Helophytes are plants that only grow in water. Hydrophytes are true water (aquatic) plants. Among the hydrophytes, there are submersible ones that are completely submerged but attached to the bottom (water lily, water buttercup, etc.), floating or floating ones (water hyacinth, lentils, tripe, and the like), and emergent ones that are about half submerged in water (reeds, sedge, blades, water lily). First, familiarize yourself with certain types of plants and which group they belong to. This way, you will create ideal conditions for the selected plants. Then arrange the plants accordingly on the stepped bottom of the miniature water surface.
Mosquitoes are frequent visitors during summer evenings and gather around water surfaces. It is enough to insert a piece of copper wire in the water to prevent the development of mosquito larvae. Small fish can be grown in larger containers that will feed on mosquito larvae.
The water in the water garden should not be changed. It is enough to periodically add the same amount of water that evaporates from the barrel over time. In this way, the same water level will always be maintained. To top up, use water that has been standing for a while (stagnant water) so that it has the same temperature as the surface water. Standing water contains less chlorine than water poured directly from the tap. Caring for mini-water areas includes removing yellowed leaves and adding a pinch of slow-release fertilizer in spring.
Water hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes) is the perfect plant for mini-water bodies. It has striking light-pink flowers. It blooms continuously from May to October. Water hyacinth does not like temperatures lower than 10 degrees C. That is why specimens that have not yet turned yellow should be removed from the lake already in mid-autumn. Move the preserved specimens to a sheltered bright area that is not very heated. They can be in a container over the winter in a basement with windows or another available room.
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