We were finally able to get our pond up and running this past Thursday. DH and I had gone a way for a couple of days and got back in the early afternoon on Thursday. It was gorgeous out. So, I pushed and he taught me how to get everything going. I am still a bit sore from the heavy work, but it was definitely worth it. Now, I just need the mornings to get out of the 30's so I can have my coffee out there.....
Other than 2003, this is the latest we have started up the pond. I am hoping we are on schedule with everything else though. I still need to deal with my waterlilies and vacuum the pond.
Ponds 2013 - What's up?
Carolyn so glad you got your pond up and running as I know you enjoy it.
I won't get mine cleaned until after the RU but fish are happy and nobody seems to be sick right now. Thank heavens.
Beautiful outside so better get out there and working.
Bonnie
I think we will be starting up the main pump the middle or third week of April. The pond is (at least during the day) ice free and the surrounds are almost clear. The falls path needs to get clear of snow and that is always last. With a little help from me. :) We don't want winter debris in the path of the falls to wash into the pond so I need to get that cleaned up some. The winter was bad so I will be buying some fish to replace all my gold fish. Koi never made it through last winter. Water Celery is growing next to the rock as well (I think) as the blue betony. Plants arrive from TWL May 1.
OH, the new koi I found? I hate to say it but my daughter suggested I make those comments. Come on guys... furry coats for fish? ROTFL. Twas a joke. I just now realized I got two responses. I feel badly now because you really cared that I found fish that would live here all winter. Don't I wish.
Mary - too bad you can't cross the koi with that water celery!!
LOL. Oh that is so good. I agree. Or cross bearded iris and so many others with the celery.
My water iris are beginning to bloom, and they're only in holding tubbies! What troopers!
Does anyone remember the name of this canna? It's either Lucifer or Rosemond Cole....I have it growing in water and love the bright red color with the yellow edges.
Beatiful MM. I don't know the names of any of them, but I really love the colors.
Never saw a canna that color. Beautiful.
MM, are you going to be able to come Sat. to RU??? Would love to see you again.
Bonnie
MM, Very pretty, just love that water iris. I have my bird bath back up and running again and the fish are waking up. Still a bit cold to set up the other above ground ponds and pull the plants out of the bottom of the birdbath but it won't be long. We tiled the well part of the birdbath pond last year but because of the plants growing around the back we didn't quite finish it all so we will be doing that and the grout very soon. I will post pics when it is done.
Bonnie, no sadly I will not be able to come to the round up....I'm going to make it someday!
My DH and I are coming. Still haven't decided what food I'll bring. I've potted up some of everything , so I'll have a selection to offer. I'm really looking forward to this RU. It will be lovely to put a face to a name.
I didn't even know I had white water iris....found this one blooming in the holding pot this morning....
MM, Will miss you but I can only hope someday you'll make it.
Beautiful iris.
Looking forward to meeting Mittsy but she may be sad to see the water lilly she sent me. It does have some little leaves on it so I'm thinking its alive.
Bonnie
Then it is looking like the ones that I am bringing. Like a little kid, I am so excited to meet you all.
Bonnie - can you please let us know when the pictures are up on the RU forum? I can't wait to see them. I wish I was going!
Carolyn, I never got a chance to take 1 pic. BUT I asked Sherii and she will post them in RU forum soon I think. I can't wait to see them.
Mittsy made me feel so good to learn lillies wern't dead just sleeping plus she brought 3 more. I certainly will try to keep them living. Mittsy you saw the base of the fountain they are in. I would like to find a solar pump small enough to fit down inside and put the 2 top pieces back together but still have lillies in the large bowl. Water would just trickle down slowly into large bowl and then recirculate. Is that too much movement for the lillies or could they live in it still? So far every solar pump I find is too large to go down inside of it so might just put it back tog. and use it the way it is. If still water is better for the lillies I won't make it re-circulate. Not enough sun I'm told in the larger pond and the smaller one has waterfall movement too. They can stay in the fountain bowl if they will do better there.
OK I've had a busy day and it started at 3:30AM so I'm headed for bed.
After church I'll be filling pots for a ton of seeds to plant plus all the leftover plants still here. Got to give them a home.
Bonnie
Bonnie, Those waterlilies need 4 to 6 hours of sun a day and deeper water to thrive. They need to be potted up in heavy soil or sand. My pond is 3 1/2 feet deep with a fountain spray so I have movement. I fertilize them with pond tabs fromm Home Depot. We had a great time yesterday. Only a little over and hour and a half from Cocoa Beach to your door. Thank you to everyone that brought or donated plants and cuttings. I have potted up everything and was just as pleased as can be with all my new babies. I'll be posting pictures when I get back from church. A big thank you to Erin and Tarzie for bringing the aeroponic tower. We'll be ordering one as soon as we're year round Floridians. Jack says to say thank you for the chocolate chip cookie cake and to remind you to post the recipe. The food was fabulous. Everything was delicious. So sorry that some of you couldn't make it to the RU, and I hope we could do it again in the fall. We'd love to host one if you would come to Cocoa Beach.
Mittsy,
They do get more than 4 hrs. sun where they are in fountain base but after I clean out both ponds which is comingup shortly I will see to it they are potted, fetilized and put down into pond. Water depth should be just to top of pot right?
I was tired but after church I immediately filled pots and planted all those cuttings Melanie (locoluna) brought as some of those plants I have wanted for a long time but just never found them in nurseries. If they all grow I will be very happy and if they don't I can say I tried but it died.
I hope no one went home hungry as we had plenty left over and I farmed it out here and there. Don't waste plants or food thats my motto.
If you host a RU in Cocoa you can bet I'd be there. I was raised in Conn. and then grown all our homes were in RI. just across the Pawcatuck River about 20 mins. from the ocean so I love the ocean no matter where it is. Can't beat NE lobster.
Thanks for coming and hope to see you all again when I can sit down and visit a little more.
Bonnie
My plants probably have 12" to 24" of water above the pots.
I was looking at the RU photos. Looks like everyone had so much fun. Bonnie - you put on quite a party - I have to get down there to your next one!
Thanks Mittsy for the info.
Carolyn, you sure are welcomed to come. I'm hoping when you retire you get closer to our RU folks. You would enjoy everyone plus all the plants.
Bonnie
Count on it Bonnie. It would be so much fun. I'll give you a hand with the work too!
I would love to fly down next year and participate. And as with Carolyn, I would be more than happy to pitch in on the work details. It would be great.
It would be so much fun - why do I think we wouldn't want to go home? I can see us sitting and gabbing the next morning with our coffees, can't you?
Oh yes. Absolutely. Maybe a couple of mornings... :)
Definitely!
Now that sounds like a GREAT plan. I just bought a new coffee maker for visitors. I don't drink coffee and don't know how to make it but I'm sure you gals can show me how.
Remember closest airport is McCoy in Orlando. Otherwise known as Orlando Int'l Airport. I know the way there very well.
Don't sweat the work. We are going to be too busy running around so you see the state while you are here.
I am only about 3/4 of hr. away from the rat if you want to see Disney. I never go but would if you wanted to. I have been down for Epcots flower show a couple of times when it first starts before it gets too hot. I think it runs from March to May if I remember right. I don't go there when its burning hot cause I get too grouchy in th heat. China of course has a koi pond. Not deep but pretty.
OK just let me know when your flight is coming in. Don't choose a hot month cause I don't think you would enjoy our summer heat which we already have .
Bonnie
I guess I was thinking when you have your round up, or attend one nearby. Was thinking that Carolyn was thinking the same thing. So that would be in April -- first part???
They are held all different months actually. April is hot enough for me. I like the fall ones better. First one I had in Oct. 2011 weather was really perfect. I just go wherever they are but don't usually travel over 3 hrs. as that would require an overnight stay at a motel and thats too expensive for a RU for me.
Have a good weekend!!
Bonnie
No - I have already done Epcott. I liked it, but twice is enough for me. Any time of year is good for me too - I love Florida heat, but I know that is me. ^_^
My son signs me in or I would probably never go. Their rates have gone up again and they are ridiculous I think.
Anyhow, there is more to Fl. than Disney.
Got to go feed the fish. BTW, Carolyn is it Microblift PL that some use for spring start up of ponds. Mine really needs cleaning and I like to drain them completely and pressure wash everything. Just hate being bothered taking all the fish out as this year we have more than ever. Got to think that one over. I usually use Proform-C but have heard its not as good as its touted to be.
Bonnie
My pond is ice free and absolutely YUKKKKYYY. Ish.. No fish in it so that makes cleaning it easier. i think I will pump out most of the water, clean out the mess (hmmm, I have a pressure washer to. Good idea.) Been adding PL to it but guess that was a waste as it will be pumped away. A little more snow and ice to melt from the falls. Don't want to start up the big pump to the biowell as it would fill it with gunk.
Bonnie
It is the Microbe Lift Spring start up that gets things cleaned up. Seems to get the crud out of the pond and gets the water cleaned up.
Mary - No fish survived your winter this year?
Nope. Even the gold fish died.
oh... that really stinks. Why do you think? I thought in previous years that you at least had some fish make it through the winter?
Oh yes. All the gold fish made it okay. No clue what happened. I keep coming back to lack of oxygen. I will get some new goldfish and this winter use the aerator, but NOT pump it directly into the caves where they hide. Although it didn't seem to bother the goldfish last year but did in the koi, or so I speculate. Not a big deal. Gotten used to it./
Ordered the microblift pl this morning. Now all I need is some good bacteria for when I pump all water out.
I'm struggling with the pool cleanup also. My husb. has always wanted to drain it and fill with dirt and make a giant planter.
My son wants to fill it with koi but don't see how pool filter could possibly keep it clean with fish poop in it.
Geez Oberon you have the worst luck with fish. I sure hope someday you figure out whats causing the fish deaths. For a while 2 summers ago I htought I'd never get fish to live but so far they are all doing fine now. Knock on wood. I would like to add aeration during our hot summers but DH has a fit when the electric bill comes in now. They were all in pond last July and did fine. Oak tree over it I'm sure helps a lot even tho leaves are a real pain in the neck. We are brainstorming a way to keep them away from the skimmer which it cloggs up very fast. They just pile up against the front very fast and I dip them out twice a day. We will come up with something I'm sure. I bought bird netting but it lets the leaves fall through.
Always something to figure out and remedy.
Bonnie
Bonnie
If you have the extra filtration, it should be able to keep up with the fish poop. I know the larger the fish get, the more fish poop becomes a problem. Have you looked at any of the diffusers? We do turn on a diffuser when the water temps are over 80 degrees or when we are going out of town.
I would think you would either be able to find a net with smaller holes or as you are doing now, just continue to skim more often when the tree sheds it's leaves. I have a Kwanzen cherry growing next to my pond, so when the blooms shed and when the leaves shed, I have to skim a couple of times a day. Last fall when DH was in the hospital, I had to shut down the main falls with the skimmer because I was back and forth to the hospital so much and just didn't have time to do the skimming until I got home. I did have leaves in the bottom of the pond, but was able to ultimately get them out when he did finally come home.
Electric bills? Ugh - don't get me started. I have a dream of starting my own utilities, just to get even with these companies!
Mary - there are gadgets you can buy that will test oxygen levels. I do think they are rather expensive, but it may be worth the investment to figure out what is going on during the winter in your pond. I got the impression that this past winter for you was milder than it was for us. I have no casualties this year, however I do have one that looks to have some red streaking in one of his fins and then another that appears to have some fungus. I am treating with an antibiotic food - we will see if that does that trick.