A mini‑aquatic garden in a tub or other container located close to the back door, patio or deck can provide you with some very special gardening pleasures. The challenge of something new this spring might be just the ticket for your home. Hello this is Sherri Sanders, County Extension Agent Agriculture in White County!

A tub garden is a small commitment in terms of finances and labor. It requires neither special aeration nor filtration.

A container with a capacity of 15‑25 gallons is practical. Remembering that water weighs about 10 lbs. per gallon. The container should be durable and not easily broken.

Choose tubs with interiors that are dark in color. Dark green, charcoal, or black colors are best because they give the containers an impression of greater depth, discourage algae growth, and make algae less obvious. Stones, shale and slate may be added to the tub garden to improve its appearance but keep in mind that lighter colors may encourage algae growth.

A tub garden should be located so that it receives a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight daily. Most aquatic plants need full sun. Less than 6 hours of direct sunlight will decrease the blooming period of aquatic plants.

Fill the container with water at room temperature in the spring and add the plants. About 50 to 60 percent of the water surface should be covered with plant material. Add water as necessary to replace loss from evaporation. Be sure that the water you add to the container is at room temperature. The water in a garden hose that has been lying in the sun may be too hot, so flush the hose out first. Do not use water from a water softener in your aquatic garden, and do not add chemicals to the water.

In the fall the tub may be taken indoors for storage over the winter or the individual plants may be stored until the next growing season.

Aquatic gardens need a mix of various types of plants ideal growing conditions to attain natural algae control. Tape grass, ribbon grass, water hyacinth, water lettuce, duckweed, and hardy water lilies make themselves at home in tub gardens. Plants that grow boldly out of the water are nice to include. Irises, umbrella palms and water cannas create a nice effect as accent plants. About 20 gallons of water will support 1‑2 goldfish in your aquatic garden. Comet goldfish are recommended; they are very hardy and quite brilliantly colored. The fish will eat any insects that get into the tub and will also consume mosquito larva that hatch in the water. Floating and submerged plants serve as food, as well as shelter, for the fish.

For additional information on water gardening or any other horticulture related question, please contact the White County Extension Service at 1-800-467-8166 or 268-5394.This has been Sherri Sanders in Searcy.