A zinc tub is a beautiful container for a mini pond. However, not all pond plants grow at such a shallow planting depth. Find out below which plants you can put in your zinc tub and how to create your pond in the zinc tub.
Which pond plants can I use in a zinc tub?
Suitable plants for a pond in a zinc tub include jugweed, Japanese swamp iris, lizardtail, arrowhead, swamp calla, marsh marigold, frog spoon, hedgehog's flask and lotus flower. Please note the required planting depth and use plant baskets for optimal support in the tub.
Small aquatic plants for the zinc tub pond
If pond plants are planted too deep, they begin to rot. However, if they are not deep enough in the water, they will wither away. Planting depth is therefore particularly important for aquatic plants. Here is a small selection of plants with their planting depth for the mini pond in the zinc tub:
- Juggler's flower: approx. 5cm
- Japanese swamp iris: approx. 5cm
- Lizard tail: approx. 5cm
- Arrowweed: 10 to 15cm
- Swamp Calle: 10 to 15cm
- Swamp marigold: 10 to 15cm
- Frog spoon: at least 20 – 25cm
- Hedgehog butt: at least 20 – 25cm
- Lotus flower: up to 30cm
- Cyprus grass: up to 30cm
- Pike herb: 30 to 40cm
- Water feather: 30 to 40cm
- Nupharchium: 30 to 40cm
- Algae fern: floating
- Frog bite: swimming
- Swimming fern: floating
- Dwarf duckweed: floating
- Water hyacinth: floating
- Shell flower: floating
- Water hose: floating
- Fairy moss: floating
- Dwarf water lily: to the bottom
Preparing the zinc tub
Before you turn your zinc tub into a pond, you should clean it thoroughly to prevent your pond plants from becoming sick due to any contamination. You should also clean gravel and stones before processing.
Provide different levels
In order to be able to use different plants and to provide visual relief, you should create different levels in your zinc tub using paving stones or large natural stones.
The right location for the zinc tub
In contrast to a pond embedded in the ground, the water in a zinc tub heats up significantly due to solar radiation. Therefore, you should definitely choose a partially shaded place for your zinc tub or provide artificial shade at midday in summer.
Plant baskets for the zinc tub
It is advisable to put the plants in your zinc tub in plant baskets (€1.00 on Amazon) so that they do not overgrow and it is easier to keep them in place. Fix the plant baskets with stones and weigh them down with pebbles so that they do not float to the surface of the water. Place plant baskets on different levels so you can plant plants at different planting depths.
Tip
If the water gets too warm in summer, you can regulate it with one or two jugs of cool water.