Habitat 2000 Activities
A miniature water garden will offer critical
breeding habitat for insects and amphibians while remaining
in reach of physically challenged students.
- A whiskey barrel cut in half makes an attractive schoolyard
mini-pond. A variety of sturdy plastic, clay, or concrete
containers will also do.
- If you use a half barrel, first rinse it thoroughly by
filling it with water and dumping it every couple of days
for about a month. This process should also expand the slats
enough to seal the container. You can omit this step if
you use a rigid plastic liner inside the barrel.
- Place the container close to a water source but away from
shedding trees and shrubs. Pick a spot that receives no
more than three hours of direct sunlight each day; otherwise,
algae will grow out of control.
- Fill your pool with water, then wait at least 36 hours
for chlorine to evaporate before adding plants. Place native
aquatic plants in pots, soaking them thoroughly before submerging
them in the tub. The best soil is heavy garden loam mixed
with a bit of clay and well-rotted, not dried, cow manure.
To keep the water from becoming cloudy, top the soil with
a thin layer of coarse sand or pea gravel.
- Place the pots on submerged flat rocks or bricks within
the water.
- Add water each week, letting the pool overflow for a few
minutes. Rainwater is best. Otherwise, use water from a
second container that has sat long enough to eliminate chlorine.
- Before winter freeze-up, remove the plants and store them
in a cool, dark spot such as a basement. Keep the soil evenly
moist, not wet. By spring, your plants may look quite forlorn,
but they'll soon perk up in their mini-pond.
- Empty water from the container before winter, scrub it
well (no chemicals, please), and leave it empty until spring.
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Project
WILD