Garden Fountain Ideas - Decorative Pot Water Fountain
This fountain idea and surroundings is the last step of the cul de sac landscaping project we’ve been working on and following for the past few weeks. I’ll post more pictures when it’s finished but just wanted to give a quick update where the project is.
This is one of the easiest and classiest types of fountains you can create yourself. Of course, this fountain is unusually large for most average yards. Regardless, you can alter the size and elements to work almost anywhere. The style and element choices are unlimited.
The idea is simple. There is a small reservoir made from a round pre-formed pond liner placed underneath the vase. This is where we place our water feed and float and a pump that pushes the water to the top and then spills over the edge of the pot back into the reservoir.
As I said, this fountain and surrounding area is part of the cul de sac landscaping project that we’ve been working on. If you check out the design, you’ll see that this part of the yard was never drawn with the rest of the plan. And since it wasn’t planned and has been put together rather quick, I don’t have much detail on its creation. Just for reference, it’s about 30 feet left of the sidewalk over the driveway.
Since this pot is so heavy, it needs some good support. It sits on a framework of cemented blocks covered by a very heavy guage coated metal sifting mesh. And under this is where the pre-formed pond and mechanics are. The vase itself is created specifically as a fountain and only holds water in the top few inches of the pot. It would be way too heavy, unstable, and impractical to have to fill the pot up before it flows over the top.
While I can be fairly sure most of you reading this will never create a pot fountain of this size, some of you may want to make a smaller version. If so, you can find pots and vases for fountains like this in some home centers, decor shops, and pottery specialty shops.
As you can see, we’re using the same materials that the home and fence are made from. While a pond or fountain isn’t necessarily an element that needs to match it’s surrounding hardscapes, this one is a hardscape that’s unified with the rest of the landscape.
From a design standpoint, you may have noticed that this pot and fountain is way out of proportion for its area. See Principles Of Landscaping for more on proportion.
The fountain is as tall as the fence and for now, taller than the Itallian Cypress against the wall. There wasn’t a good selection of Cypress this year. However, if you know anything about Itallian Cypress and how tall and full they get, try and imagine this fountain in a few years with that back drop. Oh ya. That will look cool.
I’ll be posting some more videos and pictures as we finish up the rest of this design. Of course there will be more plantings and color around the pot and in the landscaping. However, as with most landscaping and garden plans, we’ll have to wait a few years to see what it will really look like.
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Garden Soils - Sterilizing Garden Soils Naturally With Heat From The Sun
Most soils, garden soils, and landscaping plots will never need the extremity of sterilization. However, in some instances such as nematode infestation, it may be desirable to completely sterilize the soil. The major drawback to this, whether naturally or chemically, is that it also kills soil organisms that are beneficial to garden and landscaping plants. However, depending on certain circumstances, it may be necessary.
It’s almost impossible to eliminate all weeds seeds, diseases, nematodes, and insects. And especially by organic or natural methods. However, it is possible to cut the population of most to just a few simply by using the heat of the sun in the hottest part of Summer. That is, in most climates. I’ll explain more on that later.
In the hottest part of Summer, usually August or July for most areas, it’s possible to raise soil temperatures over four inches deep to above 120 degrees. Kept at high temperature for several weeks, most unwanted soil elements will be destroyed.
First, till or spade manure into the surface soil as deep as you can get it. The manure will help to generate heat. Next, moisten the area and cover with clear plastic sheeting. Keep the sheeting on the ground and make sure all edges are tucked tightly, covered with dirt, or held down in another way. This will basically create an oven that will produce soil temperature often above 120 degrees. This will generally “cook” the largest percentage of unwanted soil problems. Keep covered and moist for at least four weeks.
In cooler climates where even Summer temperature don’t get very high, it’s possible that this method will actually help germinate some seeds and multiply unwanted soil diseases. It basically creates a cozy greenhouse atmosphere with good temperatures for germination.
For a smaller scale, small gardens, and smaller landscaping or garden design ideas you can have better success and possibly eliminate all unwanted diseases, weeds, nematodes, and insects. Placing soil in black pots, moistening, and covering tightly with clear plastic will produce soil temperatures in excess of 150-160 degrees. Keep covered for two weeks and make sure it stays moist. Not much can live in that.
Again, keep in mind that this also kills beneficial soil organisms. However, the tradeoff may be necessary. And you can rebuild the structure of the soil over time by adding lots of organics to the soil.
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Yellow Leaves - Proper Soil Ph and Plant Nutrients
Usually at the first sign of yellow leaves, most folks pour on the iron supplement or fertilizer. And this is understandable because 9 times out of 10 they’re doing so because of advice they got from the place they bought it. And 9 times out of 10, the diagnosis is right but the prescription and remedy is wrong.
By the time I get the service call, there are toxic levels of iron supplement and fertilizers visibly on the surface of the soil and the leaves are still turning yellow and falling off.
Since I have dealt with this same problem many times, I know the problem isn’t a lack of iron. There’s plenty of iron in our soil and most soils. Generally, the problem will be either over watering, improper Ph balance, or both.
If I can rule out overwatering by inspecting and checking the soil for mold and musty smell, I know the problem is probably improper Ph balance. The nutrients are in the soil but they’re locked up and can’t be used by the plant because the soil is out of balance. Around here it’s because of extreme high alkalinity as we live on a large Limestone shelf.
After confirming this with an inexpensive test kit, we began a slow systematic increase in soil acidity with simple garden sulfur. A little at a time spread out over several weeks. Within a few months the soil ph will become more acid, the iron will become available, and the plants will get healthy and green.
I prefer dusting sulfur, Sulfur granules, or Copperas which is a trade name for an iron/sulfer supplement that adds both at the same time.
Keep this in mind if your plants start to look sick. Don’t just start pouring the fertilizers to them. You can do your plants more harm than good. After a visual inspection for insects, disease, and over watering, check the soil Ph and adjust it to what your specific plants like. You’ll be surprised at the overall health of your plants when your soil is perfect.
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