Hi splais,
You need to cover the top of the soil with some small pebbles. The weight of the pebbles/stones will keep the soil in its container. Be sure the pots have water in them, and then slowly lower them into the water. Have fun!

Hi
For that small of a pond I'd go for submerged or floating plants rather than potted. If you're talking lilies they won't appreciate the water movement while emerged or marginals will block the view into the water.
There are many "aquarium" type plants that are great in small shallow water if your climate allows?? gary

Hi again splais,
Gary is right. How big is your bowl? What plants did you buy?
I think you're going to find that your options increase alot by going bigger......maybe even something like a whiskey half-barrel size. Your's sounds so small, it might do better just as a little fountain. Do you have any pictures?

Yes, we need more information. How big a bowl? How many gallons, location, your zone, what type of plants you bought, etc.

Please don't add any fish! A shallow bowl doesn't sound very big and it sounds like it will heat up too much for fish survival.

I've seen some small arrangments with a bowl lotus, maybe some floating duckweed, dwarf cattail or corkscrew rush, even horsetail.
In a small environment I would remove all the soil the plants came with (grey clay muck) that will cloud your bowl and replace with pea gravel only.

Clean the roots of all soil particles, fill a narrow pot with pea gravel, insert one fertilizer tab in the middle, and sink slowly.

Some may argue about using narrow pots, and I don't disagree with them, because most water plants like to spread sideways, but if your sidesays space is tight, you stick to dwarf plants or surface floating plants you can fit more in there.

If I had a small bowl, from a design aspect, I'd want 3 plants: one floater, one tall plant for height, one submerged. Make the choices interesting in terms of foilage, habit, color for interest. You know, coleus grows in just water and has great color.

Wow - you guys are getting way ahead of me :)

This pond is small, oval bowl 9-10 foot diameter. no fish, with filter, pump and plastic tarp liner. I'll try to post a pic later. I'm in far SW AZ (hot desert). I think the pebbles ideas was what I needed to know about. One of the little pots had pebbles on it and it is doing fine.

i think most people thought that you had one of those 30 gallon bowls, like maybe a birdbath bowl. If you only have a tarp liner, I would suggest never put fish in there. I would be afraid it would leak at some time and fish absolutely don't like dirt baths. Glenda

Your tub is going to heat up quickly in your AZ climate. Keep it partially shaded during the heat of the day if you can.
It doesn't sound like you have room for many types of plants but floating varieties would be good.
You don't always have to use soil for potting. You can use pea gravel or even aquarium gravel and most plants will do fine. I live in the hot desert of Colorado, not quite as hot and dry as AZ but close. I've found my plants do better in soil.
If you do use soil, make sure it is clean top soil, no potting soil. Soak the soil up as you plant and top it off with gravel. If you soak it up well then not so much soil will escape when you lower it into the water.

If you soil and regular planting pots with drainage holes you can put weed-x type fabric in the bottom of the pot to cover the holes more.

Glenda
I'm in the process of redoing a 5x10 pool that I used a tarp liner rather than the regular material. Has run since 1982 has never leaked and except for providing breakfast for lots of herons have never lost a fish. 2 goldfish lived over 20 years lol.
The only reason I'm redoing it is it has become overrun with brazilian pepper and marshmallow. Had enough silt to top dress to flower beds lol.
Guess what I'm using as the new liner?? lol
gary

LOL! Yes, as Glenda suggested, I thought you were talking about a little bowl........like 18" diameter!
You all are talking about a tarp liner. What kind of tarp are you all talking about? I use alot of tarps for various things around my property, and I can't imagine it holding water.

If I used a tarp it would leak for sure. I guess my theory is: If something is worth doing; it is worth doing right. And that; to me is using materials that were developed for what you are using it for. That's like using a sump pump for a pond pump, they work for some, but if they ever go kaput, you can have a pond full of oil. And the fish don't like oil baths either.

Garyfla.. I am glad it worked for you.. Hope it continues to work for you. Glenda

Hi
26 years seems like a pretty good test to me lol. The tarp is a fiberglass woven type. Still flexible and has not even degenerated where exposed to sunlight.lol
I was going to replace with an actual "Liner" until I priced them 48 compared to 15 for the tarp lol
I keep hearing about how they leak or are toxic lol
I tthink the main problem is they want to sell the higher priced stuff??? gary

I'm just curious Gary......where do you buy those kinds of tarps? Are they with all the other tarps at home improvement stores?

I mispoke when I said I used a tarp. I used pond liner with a felt underlayment.

Now I have a follow up question. I put a couple of plants in the pond to see what they looked like. 24 hours later the pond had a green algae bloom starting around the plants. Pulled them out and drained pond to start over. But I was concerned (especially with our heat) about being able to keep the pond clean of green stuff. I can't put anything in the water because my pooch thinks it is her personal drinking fountain.

Here is my question - does a gurgling fountain jar with a hidden water recovery reservoir tend to not scum up like an open pond, or are they all about the same? thanks.

Hi
Sounds like you're giving up the idea of having plants??
The answer is if there is moisture there will be algae lol. Only sure way to keep it out of water is to use chemicals even that only works for a short time .
A well planted ,well aged pool with moving water will have the least especially if located in shade. This also limits what plants will grow well. A fountain like you describe will probably have the least but will require maintenence. No problem if you have no fish or plants??
It is possible to keep a very healthy pool in full sun with fantastic plants and flowers and fish without chemicals. Takes time and patience to arrive at the "balanced" water garden.
catherinet. Was going to reply Walmart until my wife reminded me that it was not here in 1982 lol
I bought the replacement tarp at Walmart in the automotive section. Looks just like the original but now you've got me wondering if it is?? lol. The package has no brand, made for WM in china lol
gary

China made products haven't had a good reputation lately. Glenda

First, if you have water and the sun shinning on it you will inevitably have algea growth. In a pond your size it is impossible to not have some algea growth. Algea tends to grow earliest in the spring in cooler climates then settles down. If you have fish, DO NOT USE ALGEA FIX. Algea provids a nice balance for life in your pond. If you want to have fish or get rid of some of the muck that builds up in the bottom of the pond use Microblift, it takes about 20 days to take full effect but is very good for fish and plant life.