 Tips On Caring For Your Garden Fountain
Like most other things a garden fountain will require some care and maintenance. Proper upkeep of your fountain will ensure it lasts a long time, looks it's best in your garden area and provides maximum enjoyment. One thing you should be familiar with is the material your fountain is made of. This will in large measure dictate the type of maintenance required. You should also know the proper way to fill your fountain and how to prevent algae. Knowledge of how your fountain is assembled can help ensure that it is situated in a safe spot.
Knowing Your Material
Two common garden fountain materials are cast stone and glass fiber reinforced concrete. These materials are great because they are cost effective, not as expensive as marble or genuine stone and look better then resin or plastic. One of the things you should keep in mind about cast stone is that it does respond to heat and cold and extreme fluctuations can cause small fissures in the material which eventually develop into cracks. Therefore, when the weather approaches freezing a concrete fountain should always be covered with a tarp to protect it from freezing weather. The fountain must also be drained since the water will expand if it freezes into ice. This expansion will exert pressure on the concrete resulting in cracks. Even a small fissure in the material can hold water which will expand and slowly enlarge the crack over time.
Filling The Fountain
When filling your water features pay attention to the time of day. Concrete will be temperate in the morning and evening hours which is the best time to fill your fountain. Most people fill the basin or pond with a garden hose so the cool water will not hurt the material during this time. In the daytime when the fountain is exposed to direct sunlight the material become much hotter, especially if the fountain is empty. This is not an ideal time to fill the water feature because the temperature extremes between the outer material and the water will cause stress through contraction and expansion which may lead over time to cracks. A crack would most probably not immediately occur, rather this is a process that occurs gradually over time.
Dealing With Algae
Preventing algae is not always easy with an outdoor fountain. This is because algae growth is a natural process and the factors that promote algae are in the air and commonly found outdoors. Two thing you can try to prevent algae and keep your water looking crisp, clean and clear are to position your fountain in sunlight. Algae will grow faster in a shaded area. Also, keep the water feature running and thus the water moving. Algae grows better in still water. You can also add liquid solution to the fountain water called Fountec to inhibit algae but you will probably need to remember to add it along with new water periodically since it will tend to evaporate out with the water. Many people also like the look of algae in a fountain and it can convey an appearance of character and naturalness, so leaving it is also an option.
Knowledge Of Assembly
One more thing to keep in mind for the long life of your fountain is how it is set up. Many fountains are not glued or cemented together because they are heavy and meant to be stable on their own weight. Knowing how your outdoor fountain is assembled will naturally lead you to place it in a location where it may not be toppled over by people passing by or possible leaning up against it. Fountains with ponds are best for this purpose because the water pond creates a circular barrier around the central pillar section which prevents people from touching or trying to handle it. The cascading water of course naturally attracts birds and sometimes animals, but these are not usually big enough to interfere with fountain functioning in any way.
There are many beautiful garden fountains made of cast stone or glass fiber reinforced concrete to choose from ranging from classic to modern designs. |
