When you are the proud owner of a Koi pond garden, you and everyone else who sets eyes on it will take great delight in its beauty. However, whether you are simply adding Koi fish to an already established outdoor pond garden or you are starting from scratch and building a pond specifically to keep Koi, there are several important factors which need to be taken into consideration.
The main image which springs to mind when you think of a garden, is plants. Nonetheless gardens come in many different varieties, each of them bringing their own rewards. A Koi pond garden blends many different elements and it takes on the form of a thriving and healthy arrangement consisting of the pond, the Koi fish and a selection of plant life.
Two important factors of the pond are its depth and overall size. The depth of the pond should be a minimum of four feet to allow the Koi to have enough room to thrive and to keep them out of the way of harmful predators such as cats, racoons and foxes as well as many varieties of birds.
Due to the fact that Koi grow very large in length it is important that they have enough space to live. If you opt for a larger pond, this will also afford you the luxury of adding more supplies of fish when you become confident in looking after your garden. Having decided on the size of your pond, you now have to give some thought to where it is to be located. The best place as far as the fish are concerned is out of direct sunlight.
You may choose to place your pond under the shade of a tree and although this will offer protection from flying predators to your fish, unfortunately the leaves will fall from the trees and make the pond look a little untidy unless they are removed on a regular basis. Your pond needs to be located away from any harmful chemicals such as pesticides as even the smallest amount of lawn chemicals have been known to kill Koi fish.
Even though Koi fish and plants do not live well together, this doesn’t mean your pond has to be plant free. However, potted plants can prove to be particularly problematic as sometimes the Koi fish either dig the plant up or knock it over completely, which results in the pond having a messy appearance.
Wrapping netting over the top of the pots can be the solution to this problem as it will prevent the fish from digging. Alternatively, you could place pea gravel topped with larger stones on the top of the plants to reduce the risk of the Koi invading the pots. Koi fish also enjoy foraging on the bottom of the pond and munching away at the plants foliage.
Lilies are a super choice for your Koi garden and there are many varieties for you to pick from, some of which are more suited to shallow ponds whilst other prefer deeper waters. They provide shade and shelter for the Koi fish even though they are not known to be oxygenating plants.
When planning your Koi garden you should not just think about the fish or the plants. You should see it as a whole and this will ensure your beautiful garden will look at its best and give you great pleasure for years to come.
