Growing Pickerel Weed in an Indoor Aquarium
Water plants can be brought indoors and planted as an indoor garden for enjoyment much the same way an outdoor water garden can. Flowers that are commonly found floating up past the surface of a pond or lake will take just as easily to an indoor water garden. One favorite water flower is the pickerel weed, which has spears of bright blue flowers with a yellow dot in the center. Also known as pontederia, pickerel weed growing in an aquarium will look like hyacinths growing in water.
Prepare your aquarium by washing it out first, then drying it. The aquarium itself can be an average size tank generally used for fish, such as an antique rectangular shaped one that can easily be placed on a table. The entire tank is not going to be full of water, just enough for the plant to grow in. The pickerel flowers must be allowed empty space so they can have oxygen. The entire plant does not get submerged under water.
Use a mild soap to remove any stains from the aquarium if necessary. Then pour in the soil with clay and some gravel mixed in with it so that it will remain at the bottom of the tank. Most nurseries carry soil for indoor water plants so be sure to ask the salesman if this type of soil is available. Most water plants do not require the fertilizer or compost that regular garden flowers do. Simply tap down the soil at the bottom of the aquarium. There should be at least 3″ to 4″ of soil as a layer at the bottom of the aquarium.
This will allow for the pickerel weeds to take root. Plant up to three pickerel weed flowers in the soil. Add a layer of colored marbles or flat stones that can be purchased at a craft store or nursery on top of the soil before filling the tank with water. Make sure the marbles or stones do not sit directly on top of the plants; allow for some breathing space for the plants roots so they can easily reach the water. Carry the aquarium to a window where it can receive sunlight, such as near a bay or picture window. Place the tank on a sturdy table by the window. Now you are ready to add the water to the tank. When pouring in the water, keep an eye on the level so that the pickerel stems, and the soil, are submerged. Once the water is added, the pickerel indoor garden is complete and you can enjoy the lovely blue flowers indoors.
Image Credit: Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
