DG Names.....What's your real name??

Hi Rose, and a hearty welcome to you! I have a suggestion that may help you with your outdoor seeding dilemma. If you get some soft sand (like playground sand that they sell in a bag) and use it to sprinkle on top of the seeds, you may find that they germinate more easily. I don't know why, but I started doing that in Fla. when I planted veggies and flowers in containers. The soil in Fla. is very sandy, so I just scooped some sand up and used it to cover my teeny seeds. They all germinated, so now I use sand whenever I sow seeds outside here as well. Hopefully, no more broken spirits for you!! LOL

Hi Rose and welcome! I will add you to the list. Eleanor

hello Rose & welcome!!!

Thank you all for the kind welcome to this site!

I think my problem with starting seed outdoors is my inability to keep the soil moist during the germination period. I can germinate seeds in pots outdoors, but sowing directly in the ground has me pulling my hair out! I'm clueless....

Rose

Rose I have never done it in ground. What would I do? Humm - let me think. I would start with a good size seed like sunflower, MG, Lupine. I would not even start with a punie seed.

I would prepare my dirt and then add some seed starting soil. I would then do some fine topsoil over that. Depending on the time of the year I would almost cover it with some saran wrap for a few days!!! Thats my story and I will stick by it until I try in ground seeds!

Dulcigarden...Since I just found this forum recently, this will be a "late" post, but I thought I'd chime in regarding your pre-formed pond liner. Perhaps my experiences will help someone else along the way.

I invested in one about 25 yrs. ago and my husband and son installed it on a leveled base of sand. They followed the directions from the mfg. that called for it to be back-filled up to the rounded lip. They did not bury the edge in the ground.

I covered the edge of the pond with a rather haphazard collection of slate pieces, and after all that time, there are only a few short cracks in the outer edge of the liner...nothing that interferes with its holding water. After I found a baby bunny floating in the pond (sob), I started keeping an old limb jutting out of it to facilitate little critters escape from a watery death. Even the birds and frogs use the tree limb for easy access and to sun themselves.

One thing I must add, however. My husband calls the pond, "The birthday gift that keeps on giving." Between the fish, plants, underwater lights, pumps, etc. it can get costly, so if you're on a tight budget ... beware - you start out small, but you always want MORE.

I would buy the largest liner I could afford, as it will pay off big time in the long run, if you're going to keep any koi. They keep growing, unlike the common hardy goldfish and will soon outgrow any small pond. That's the mistake I made. All we could afford, at the time, was the smaller size, but I mixed some koi with the goldfish. I learned the hard way, not to do that in a small pond.

Overtime, I lost all the koi for varying reasons, all related to having too small a pond (too little oxygen on hot humid days; not deep enough in winter, etc) But, the goldfish and their descendants are still going strong. I no longer keep a filter in my pond, as it's reached that wonderful state where it's well-balanced and literally, maintains itself. All I do is scoop out the dead leaves in spring and fall, being extra careful not to toss any goldfish out with the old leaves.

There was a time, years ago, when the pond sported underwater lights and various fountain sprays, along with water lilies, etc, not to mention my gorgeous koi. Those days are long gone. Now, my pond has evolved to become an unobtrusive part of the backyard landscape, and I think I much prefer it this way. What I do miss are the koi, but I'm too old to even consider getting involved with a bigger pond project. Maybe in another life...

Rose

This message was edited Jul 4, 2008 12:09 PM

This message was edited Jul 4, 2008 10:54 PM

Underwater lights?! Wow....that sounds very cool, Rose! A big koi pond in the next life....LOL

Hi,
please add me to your list,hope you all had a great 4th July.

Eglantyne = Brigitte - Me.

Louise...Many thanks. Hope you and yours enjoy this holiday weekend and "safe home," if any of you are travelling.

Rose

A pond should basically be treated no different then an aquarium, in my heart. I have 144 gallon fish tank and it is nothing but a money sucker ! A pond - someone else can own it.

Hi everyone. I just found this and thought I would chime in with my name and state.I am Beverly from Illinois. Just call me Bev or what ever. I don't care. Hugs BEV

Time to rent a back hoe, Sherrie.

Welcome Bev! Glad you found us.

hi Bev, Welcome! Clemen

Hi Bev! Welcome! And how are you doing, Clem??? I haven't read much from you lately. Happy Fourth 2 days late! LOL

Thank you, Rose!

Thankyou. I don't recognize a lot of you over here but hope to get to know you. BEV

Likewise, Bev! Which hosta is that? Very pretty!

I am sorry. I do not know yet. It was given to me as a Loyilast parden the spelling but it isn't. I will try to find out. BEV I posted it in the backlit part of the hosta forum first. BEV

We'll just call it a NOID (no ID) and acknowledge how pretty it is, nameless or not! LOL

Hi to Bev and Brigitte! I have been out of town for a camping trip so I didn't see your posts sooner. I will add you to the list!! Eleanor

Thanks Eleanor. Glad to meet you. BEV

Eleanor,
thank you for adding my name as well.Hope you had a great time camping,
Brigitte

Hi Bev! Welcome to the Northeast!

Brigitte, it was terrific meeting you and your daughter at the RU!

Harper

Thank you Harper. Bev

Hi I am Dana from South Central PA. Nice to meet everyone.
Dana AKA cand

Hi Dana and welcome!

Thank you Harper,it was great meeting everyone,I had fun and so did Angela.She still hasn't picked a name yet to join.She keeps changing....one of them was...RU'srock !! she was giggling about it :-)..not serious about the name.

Welcome Dana ! the members are really nice.

Hi! Dana and welcome. BEV

Hello Dana... welcome!

Hi Dana and Bev.
Welcome Rose another jersey girl yay!!!! I'm not too far from you. I cut thru your town on Church Rd. when I take the back way to my brother's in Voorhees. Friends of ours live on Church Rd.

Hi Dana and welcome to the Northeast Forum. I will add your name to the list. Eleanor

Hello

Eleanor can you please add my name to the list

Margaret aka Cleomelover

My goodness! Hello to all the new NE forum visitors. I haven't look here in a while and we have grown quite a bit!

Hi! Nanegoat66 I like your name. BEV

Thanks! ;-}

Welcome, Margaret!

Welcome Margret, Bev and Dana!! Glad you could join us and looking forward to getting to know you.

You too pixie. BEV

Hi Margaret. Welcome to the Northeast Forum. I will add you to the list. Eleanor

Welcome Margaret. You'll love it here!

Welcome Margaret. BEV