Wanting floaters/coverage

I just spent a day mucking out the pond and scraping the sides of string algae. The pond had turned into pea soup. I was hoping my lilies and other pond plants would get going to avoid the soup. Unfortunately, I pulled out three pots with rotted plants. I'd had lilies and a parrots feather. I'd also thinned my iris. I had lots but they were all yellow.
In the past few years I've gone to town (Santa Fe) to pick up floaters. But, I haven't made it and probably won't any time soon. It's an hour drive, and I've got too much to do.

I have lots of sedums for trade, or hollyhocks, and quite a bit of yellow yarrow I could trade. Anyone have extra?

My pond is only 300 gallon with a 30 gal. upper that contains my bio-filter. The water quality is fine. My koi and gold fish seem happy. I don't relish wading again.

I don't think I ever put up any pictures of my cute little pond. I'll start another thread with before and after. Here's a picture showing the thyme beginning to cover the black plastic edges.

Thanks,
Cathy

How do you keep the koi from eating your lillies?

I have gone through three lillies, and they keep uprooting them, or plain eating the new pads before they even get to the surface......


Jeff

I have water lettuce and hyacinths I can send. They multiply soooo fast. I sold 100 plants to the garden center where I work. What is the best way to send pond plants?

Celia,
I have never done it. I would suspect with lettuce and hyacinth you could place them in a plastic bag with some air, you know how they do with fish, but without the water. I'll put a new thread up to ask.

Jeff, I do have problems with the koi poking around in the pot. They displace a lot of the soil. They haven't displaced plants yet. I think that may be because the garden soil I use to plant them is pretty heavy clay soil. If they're eatting the pads on the way up, I wonder if you're feeding the fish enough. I've heard some fish do tend to eat up plants. I've also heard it suggested that you can't have plants in a koi pond because they eat them. I've never had them do that.

add some plants that they like to eat. Floaters like duck weed.

Good point TA. I use to have a hard time growing enough duck weed to keep it in the pond. It's also good for them.

I can send you some duck weed for some sedum.

TA that would be great. I have several sedums. Don't have the names off hand except hens and chicks. If you saw one I have when I was trying to ID them or ? let me know. Here's a pic of one.

Have that one and plenty of it. Blue spruce stonecrop.
Do not have any hens and chicks.

My hens and chicks are really looking good. I'll send you some of them. E-mail me your addy and they'll be on their way. I'll e-mail you mine. I'm sure my koie will be pleased!