Holly and Jill - Thank you! I enjoy writing articles about something I really love to do! I can not imagine my gardens without a water container or two or three or .... LOL!
Jill - I have 8 containers (various sizes) with water plants. I would have more, but the raccoons are so destructive here in my area that I had to scale the number of water gardens down. I have a routine at dusk every night to cover them to protect the plants and fish. Early every morning I uncover them and feed the fish (as well as feed the wild birds and squirrels). Its a routine that I actually enjoy because I get to see the growth and progress of the plants on a daily basis.
I forgot to add in the article that the eastern mosquitofish are called "Gambusia holbrooki". They are very similar to the Gambusia affinis fish. They also eat mosquito larvae! I over-wintered all the fish outside in the large containers by putting the wooden cover over the water containers (as I always do) and by also covering them each with an old quilted bedspread. I did NOT lose any fish to the cold, near-freezing temps this Winter! I was pleasantly surprised they all survived the cold.
