and as you begin again...you are filled with wonderful knowlege from the first time...now how to stop a doggie...well let me know when you find out...
GardenForums.com a friendly and growing community of gardeners.
We feature a Garden Discussion Forum and Garden Photo Gallery. It's a fun and friendly place to talk with other gardeners, ask questions, share you knowledge, view and post photos and more! Whether you're a master gardener, or brand new to the hobby, you'll find something of interest here.
actually it has good results with still water...you put it in a netting bag ...then throw it in...helps keep the water clean and also helps keep the bad larva... we grew ours when in Sacto...I think I have some seed that moby sent me...granted it is a few years old...but should get a good germination...
shinekeeper
New Member
Yes, Debe, I have learned a great deal with each pond...I almost ignore this latest one!!
And the Lab that poked the hole was my own ... "granddog!!!"
And the Lab that poked the hole was my own ... "granddog!!!"
Well my friend, This is not encouraging to me with our new lab. "Marv"...He has put in new flowerbeds all over the yard...Now on refection, I do think he has begun a pond for us...
shinekeeper
New Member
There ya go...always a positive outlook!
I could not get mad at Corbin for puncturing my pond(cracked up to see this huge black dog lounging in my rather small pond!!)...however I got pretty stern with his "daddy"...MAKE THOSE KIDS BEHAVE!!
I could not get mad at Corbin for puncturing my pond(cracked up to see this huge black dog lounging in my rather small pond!!)...however I got pretty stern with his "daddy"...MAKE THOSE KIDS BEHAVE!!
K
Kale
Guest
It is dad's fault,he is to watch over his pups! Humm. Shinekeeper, you do not need to close your pond up for the winter?
How long is your season? !
Wow!
I think we have anywhere from 120 days to 130 days but don't count on it for veggies*LOL
Kale
How long is your season? !
Wow!
I think we have anywhere from 120 days to 130 days but don't count on it for veggies*LOL
Kale
Scarez
New Member
Well, I'm jumping in here again -- cause everyone's asleep, but me!
When we bought this house, it came with a 20ft by 4ft hole in the ground along the sidewalk up to the front door. Mind you, hubby looked nervously at it...
But his fears were overcome by being grossed out. You see, the fella that built this lovely pond, used a blue tarp for the liner. Oh lovely. And you could see by all the ravelling of the tarp, that it had been there a VERY long time.
Hey, what did I care, I'VE GOT A POND!! Yahoo-weeee! No waterfall or anything fancy -- and no electrical outlet nearby. Dratz. As it warmed up outside, I would clean it out here and there on my days off - there was loads of old leaf debris from all the trees from the previous fall. I could never see the bottom of the pond tho -- it couldn't be THAT deep, right? But I'M not gonna stick MY hand all the way in there, are you nutz? There could be CRITTERS in there!
As Spring turned into summer, and the still water began to show life. OMG, I have water lilies -- ohhh happy girl! And this skinny little thing? Turns out it blooms! It's Water Iris, I'm told. Yay! And all these teeny tiny little clover looking things, omg, they're multiplying like rabbits, what the heck? Turns out, that was Duck Weed. I grabbed up some of that and fed it to our goldfish in the house -- ooooh, they were happy. Oh, and lots and LOTS of happy little snails. Ok, kewl!
For three years I've kept it that way, but this year, I was obviously on WAY too many pain killers, cause I wanted to replace that ugly blue tarp -- AND -- a lovely woman GAVE me a Yosemite Pre-Formed Pond. WELL, DANG, now I had no excuse!
But in all these years, I've never covered it, nor did I ever have fish or a water fountain. Maybe this year, eh? Santa?? You listening??
My senior neighbor has a lovely pond, and she told me now to stick a broom stick into the water to keep the top from freezing over. Anyone do that??
And that straw is only needed for moving water then? I don't get what it's for.
When we bought this house, it came with a 20ft by 4ft hole in the ground along the sidewalk up to the front door. Mind you, hubby looked nervously at it...
But his fears were overcome by being grossed out. You see, the fella that built this lovely pond, used a blue tarp for the liner. Oh lovely. And you could see by all the ravelling of the tarp, that it had been there a VERY long time.
Hey, what did I care, I'VE GOT A POND!! Yahoo-weeee! No waterfall or anything fancy -- and no electrical outlet nearby. Dratz. As it warmed up outside, I would clean it out here and there on my days off - there was loads of old leaf debris from all the trees from the previous fall. I could never see the bottom of the pond tho -- it couldn't be THAT deep, right? But I'M not gonna stick MY hand all the way in there, are you nutz? There could be CRITTERS in there!
As Spring turned into summer, and the still water began to show life. OMG, I have water lilies -- ohhh happy girl! And this skinny little thing? Turns out it blooms! It's Water Iris, I'm told. Yay! And all these teeny tiny little clover looking things, omg, they're multiplying like rabbits, what the heck? Turns out, that was Duck Weed. I grabbed up some of that and fed it to our goldfish in the house -- ooooh, they were happy. Oh, and lots and LOTS of happy little snails. Ok, kewl!
For three years I've kept it that way, but this year, I was obviously on WAY too many pain killers, cause I wanted to replace that ugly blue tarp -- AND -- a lovely woman GAVE me a Yosemite Pre-Formed Pond. WELL, DANG, now I had no excuse!
But in all these years, I've never covered it, nor did I ever have fish or a water fountain. Maybe this year, eh? Santa?? You listening??
My senior neighbor has a lovely pond, and she told me now to stick a broom stick into the water to keep the top from freezing over. Anyone do that??
And that straw is only needed for moving water then? I don't get what it's for.
K
Kale
Guest
*lol sorry...wish I knew you were awake*lol
gotta go now..
be back after 12 to read..and of course reply!
Kale
gotta go now..
be back after 12 to read..and of course reply!
Kale
shinekeeper
New Member
Scarez, here is a link to some info on what barley straw does and how. http://ohioline.osu.edu/a-fact/0012.html
I was gunna try to explain...but this is better.
Kale, I used to cover my pond, but now I do nothing. Nothing. I let the whole thing just freeze. No farmer keeps his pond from freezing to keep his fish alive in a farm pond. Fish slow down to just barely being alive, they barely breathe. The only exception would be if your pond was not deep enough and froze COMPLETELY...they would, of course, die then. I don't know how long my winter is! Yours is most likely longer9and more severe) since you are farther north.
In the Spring, I scoop out all the nasty leaf muck and refill with clean water out of the hose. When the residual muck settles, my water stays clear (I have absolutely NO spring algae bloom) and my fish and plants are seemingly happy. I have done this for the past 2 winters.
Like I said before...the harder I worked at my ponds, the more trouble they gave me. I am not advocating my somewhat careless approach to ponds...it just works for me. I guess I've been lucky.
I was gunna try to explain...but this is better.
Kale, I used to cover my pond, but now I do nothing. Nothing. I let the whole thing just freeze. No farmer keeps his pond from freezing to keep his fish alive in a farm pond. Fish slow down to just barely being alive, they barely breathe. The only exception would be if your pond was not deep enough and froze COMPLETELY...they would, of course, die then. I don't know how long my winter is! Yours is most likely longer9and more severe) since you are farther north.
In the Spring, I scoop out all the nasty leaf muck and refill with clean water out of the hose. When the residual muck settles, my water stays clear (I have absolutely NO spring algae bloom) and my fish and plants are seemingly happy. I have done this for the past 2 winters.
Like I said before...the harder I worked at my ponds, the more trouble they gave me. I am not advocating my somewhat careless approach to ponds...it just works for me. I guess I've been lucky.
actually it has good results with still water...you put it in a netting bag ...then throw it in...helps keep the water clean and also helps keep the bad larva... we grew ours when in Sacto...I think I have some seed that moby sent me...granted it is a few years old...but should get a good germination...
K
Kale
Guest
Shinekeeper, interesting. I wonder if the liquid form is not good either.Maybe use the liquid in my plants if it adds nitrogen *lol Just throw it away??
I was going to try just plain straw. Just thinking...Ihad my mini greenhouse over my pond for shade and it still got algae,maybe it is in the rainwater...It was nearly clear fresh water when I started out.
I don't know All I know is I cant afford the water plants,I want the fish to enjoy their selves and I cant stand the sight of green water. Maybe just buy Algae fish and let them such on the walls!*lol
For the winter closing,
I clean my pond out in early fall remove and replace with hose water,about 24gals.
Put in a big flower container with coarse sand (for the froggies). put a bubbler to bubble.
Leave the fish covered tightly with greenhouse plastic,bricks all around sides and my mini green house over that.Check every now and then for the fun of it other then that I leave it.Come Spring just remove the gh and plastic,it is good until about Aug then it is green.I tried the liquid barley straw waited 4-6 weeks with my nerves beeing pinched every day I saw the green go nowhere then pulled the fish out and got ris of all the water soft scrubbed the sides and placed it in the new place. We shall see what Spring time does.
I went to a very well known pond man,pretty certain I did what I was told.YUKK,,Green!
Maybe not filter it and use the duck weed just turn on the filter when I get company ...hummm that is a thought I just had!
All my water features are clear even my rain water most have lots of sun but they also have the duckweed and other plants that destroy the filter along with fish.I find it hard to believe it is the fish causing it I think it just has to be something Im doing wrong...Maybe the filter is filtering the good micros and the bad are taking over...
Dont know yet.
Kale
Veg,
Those seed sure will germinate..I see them sprouting already ...What are they that Moby sent you?
Kale
I was going to try just plain straw. Just thinking...Ihad my mini greenhouse over my pond for shade and it still got algae,maybe it is in the rainwater...It was nearly clear fresh water when I started out.
I don't know All I know is I cant afford the water plants,I want the fish to enjoy their selves and I cant stand the sight of green water. Maybe just buy Algae fish and let them such on the walls!*lol
For the winter closing,
I clean my pond out in early fall remove and replace with hose water,about 24gals.
Put in a big flower container with coarse sand (for the froggies). put a bubbler to bubble.
Leave the fish covered tightly with greenhouse plastic,bricks all around sides and my mini green house over that.Check every now and then for the fun of it other then that I leave it.Come Spring just remove the gh and plastic,it is good until about Aug then it is green.I tried the liquid barley straw waited 4-6 weeks with my nerves beeing pinched every day I saw the green go nowhere then pulled the fish out and got ris of all the water soft scrubbed the sides and placed it in the new place. We shall see what Spring time does.
I went to a very well known pond man,pretty certain I did what I was told.YUKK,,Green!
Maybe not filter it and use the duck weed just turn on the filter when I get company ...hummm that is a thought I just had!
All my water features are clear even my rain water most have lots of sun but they also have the duckweed and other plants that destroy the filter along with fish.I find it hard to believe it is the fish causing it I think it just has to be something Im doing wrong...Maybe the filter is filtering the good micros and the bad are taking over...
Dont know yet.
Kale
Veg,
Those seed sure will germinate..I see them sprouting already ...What are they that Moby sent you?
Kale
shinekeeper
New Member
You're welcome, Scarez.
B
BelleFlower
Guest
reply to pond
Your pond looks great the only advice I would give is to get some more perennials out there with bright colors whites, oranges or maybe yellow but it is all up to you. I would suggest the Ranunculus Bulbosus- Wild Buttercup. It would give a Bright look to your pond! Hope this helps. Also your frogs are adorable I hope you keep them safe this time.
Manda
http://www.tnnursery.net/
Your pond looks great the only advice I would give is to get some more perennials out there with bright colors whites, oranges or maybe yellow but it is all up to you. I would suggest the Ranunculus Bulbosus- Wild Buttercup. It would give a Bright look to your pond! Hope this helps. Also your frogs are adorable I hope you keep them safe this time.
Manda
http://www.tnnursery.net/
Gardenforums.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com