Creating a budget-friendly water garden

Editor Note:  Have a great pond in Fayette County?  Have too many fishy mouths to feed?  Need to prune the plants in your pond?  


The Fayette Front Page is happy to announce a new networking tool for Fayette County Water Gardeners.  Pop us an email to let us know what "extras" you need to get out of your pond and into someone else's!  We'll post what you've got in order to help those plants and fish find new homes!

Send those emails to ann@fayettefrontpage.com with "pond exchange" as the subject since she has graciously volunteered to get the givers and the givees together.  Of course, the rest of the staff suspects she wants to prune her own pond and we just know she can't kill those plants!

First up--   "Lizard Tail" plants need a new home.  Our pond is overflowing with them!

A water garden filled with plants, brightly colored koi and goldfish doesn’t have to break the bank. A University of Georgia expert offers tips on creating a water garden on a budget, but says you’re still going to have to pay sweat equity.

Horticulturist Tony Johnson is responsible for three water gardens at the UGA Research and Education Garden in Griffin, Ga. An award-winning landscape designer, he has installed water gardens for more than 25 years.

Money-savings tips

For those who’d like to install a water garden but can only do so on a tight budget, Johnson offers a few tips:

• Instead of buying pots designed for water gardens, improvise. Create water garden pots by drilling holes in the bottom of a new oil pan or plastic trash can lid.
• To make inexpensive floating pots, place the pots in circles made from the foam noodles commonly used in swimming pools. Close the ends with a small piece of plastic tubing the size of the hole in the end of the noodle, he said.
“I know these are strong because they hold me up in the swimming pool when I play with my grandkids,” Johnson said. “An oil pan costs about $3 and the noodle is around $2, so for $5 you can create a unique floating plant island.”
• Don’t buy expensive water garden potting mixes. Plant water garden plants in regular potting mix combined with unscented cat litter.
• Instead of buying plants, find a friend who has a water garden and ask her to share a few plants.

Get plants from other water gardeners

“Most water gardens contain more plants than they need,” he said. “And your friends most likely need to thin out their garden so you’d probably be helping them out.”

When selecting plants, Johnson recommends hardy lilies, ornamental sweet potatoes, creeping jenny and impatiens.

Johnson may offer money-saving tips when it comes to pots, soil and plants, but he stands firm when it comes to buying a water garden liner. He only recommends Permalon or EPDM rubber liners.

Don't cut corners on pond's liner

“Don’t try to save money by buying roofing material or a swimming pool liner,” he said. “They contain chemicals that can kill your fish. And, a blue pool liner will reflect sunlight, and light equals more algae.”

Water gardens should be at least 24 inches deep and the bottom should be lined with 2 inches of sand to protect the liner or underlayment. Lay the liner in place and anchor it with rocks. Next, add the pump and filter system, what Johnson calls the final and most important aspects.

"When it comes to pumps, always buy a bigger pump than you think you need,” he said.

Adding a few fish will keep the mosquito larvae population down and provide visual entertainment. You can often get these from friends, too.

Tending the garden is a must

Once your garden is installed, then you really begin paying – in sweat equity, Johnson said.
“To properly maintain a water garden, you should be doing something in there every week,” he said. “It may be grooming or pruning plants or it could be cleaning the filter.”

When cleaning the pond filter, use water from the pond to help maintain the active beneficial bacteria growing there.

Johnson suggests investing in a pair of wading boots or surf shoes to wear when working inside your water garden.

Don't toss excess plants in ponds, rivers

When pruning water garden plants, he recommends sharing excess plants with other water gardeners. Do not dump them in the neighborhood pond thinking you are helping the environment.

“Most water garden plants are very invasive and you’ll be hurting far more than helping,” he said.

Remove entire stems of spent water lilies and dispose of faded leaves, which are signs of disease. Dead plant material will sink to the bottom of the pond, feed the algae and turn your pond water pea green, he said.

If you don’t prune throughout the year, Johnson says you must at least do a once-a-year pruning or your garden will quickly grow out of control.

For more information on the UGA Research and Education Garden, visit www.ugagarden.com.

By Sharon Dowdy
University of Georgia
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Interior and Agriculture Departments Announce Joint New Climate Change Research Projects on SE and NW Freshwater Systems

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar today(July 27) announced joint scientific research projects that address the effects of climate change on freshwater systems and sensitive aquatic species in the northwestern and southeastern United States.

"Addressing the challenges of climate change will require new tools that enable our leaders to develop successful strategies," said Vilsack. "This research will provide tools and information to help ensure that aquatic ecosystems in the Northwest and Southeast remain healthy in the face of climate change."

"Conserving our nation's fisheries and aquatic ecosystems will be a challenge as climate change continues," said Salazar. "These collaborative research projects will provide the science and technology needed by the Interior Department and other natural resource managers to plan for coping with these challenges, especially in sensitive aquatic environments."

Salazar noted that these projects are an early indication of the kind of science and management support that will be generated by the Interior Department's regional climate science centers, which will be established in the Northwest and Southeast later this year. "Collaborative science targeted at managers needs is our agenda," Salazar said.

The multi-year $500,000 joint USDA-DOI projects, which will be carried out by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) scientists, will make use of existing data, field studies and modeling to better understand the effects of climate change on aquatic ecosystems. Information from the project will help guide science-based land-use decisions by federal agencies and others engaged in long-term planning for climate adaptation.

In the Northwest, a region known for its abundant supply of cold and clean fresh water, the project's goal is to identify how climate change will affect water temperature, quality and quantity, as well as the likely effects of increasing and more fluctuating water temperatures on coldwater-dependent fish such as trout and salmon.

Regional climate change will likely cause altered hydrology and water temperatures, vital components of water quality and healthy life cycles for species such as Pacific salmon, trout and chars, which depend on coldwater habitats. At the same time, little is known about existing and potential impacts of climate change for stream temperature in the Pacific Northwest. With a better understanding these factors – temperature and altered water flows – experts will be able to help guide land-use decisions by federal and state agencies planning for climate adaptation in the area.

In the Southeast, the project's goal is to develop tools managers can use to minimize the effects of climate change on aquatic ecosystems and the coldwater-dependent species in them, as well as on related ecosystem service such as drinking water quality and wildlife-based recreation. The scientists will refine and combine climate and hydrologic models for the region that will help resource professionals assess how land-use and water-management decisions will affect coldwater fish species such as brook trout, and the transition from coldwater fisheries in the mountains to warm water fisheries in the lower-lying Piedmont area.
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Governor Perdue Announces Additional Sites for Go Fish Georgia Facilities

Today Governor Sonny Perdue announced the selection of eight additional facilities for the Go Fish Georgia Program. The additional mega-ramps sites announced today will bring the total up to 18 ramps funded by the program.

“I am very pleased to be able to announce the additional Go Fish sites today,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “All of the communities involved have committed to a 100% match for construction, there are good fisheries resources at each location, and there is adequate state Go Fish funding to complete all eight sites. This is a win-win situation for everybody involved.”

Additional sites announced today include:

Lock and Dam Park, Coosa River/Lake Weiss- Floyd County
Tuckasee King, Savannah River, - Effingham County
Altamaha Park, Altamaha River - Glynn County
Houlahan Bridge Boat Ramp, Savannah River - City of Port Wentworth
George Bagby State Park, Lake Walter F. George - Clay County
Burton’s Ferry Boat Landing, Savannah River - Screven County
Reynolds Landing, Lake Seminole - Seminole County
Buckeye Landing, Oconee River - Laurens County

The Go Fish Georgia program is designed to promote and enhance boating and fishing tourism in Georgia and to boost economic development in communities across the state. This initiative will result in quality fisheries resources statewide, including family friendly fishing and recreation access points that will increase fishing participation in Georgia.

“As Chairman of the Senate Natural Resources Committee, I am very excited about Laurens County being part of the Go Fish Initiative,” said Sen. Ross Tolleson. “I want to thank Governor Perdue and DNR Commissioner Noel Holcomb for working with me to bring this boat ramp to Laurens County.”

The program also consists of a Go Fish Georgia Center that will be built on 120 acres located on the south side of the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter. This facility will include a visitor’s center that will market and promote fishing opportunities throughout the state, an on-site public fishing lake and a fully functioning warm water hatchery.

“The building of these new mega ramps in Effingham and Screven counties as part of Governor Perdue’s Go Fish Initiative is great news for fisherman and our local economy,” said Rep. Jon Burns. “I want to thank our state and local partners for working together to make this a reality.”

Fishing contributes approximately $1.5 billion to Georgia’s economy each year. DNR estimates more than 10,000 jobs in Georgia are related to sport fishing, which generates $15 million in state income taxes, and $19 million in state sales taxes. A major bass fishing tournament can have as much as a $5 million economic impact on a local community. A championship event can have a $27 million economic impact.

For more information on fishing in Georgia or the Go Fish Georgia initiative, please go to www.gofishgeorgia.com.