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Okay Lynne spring has Sprung clap ,,
Time for an update on what's happening with your Pond,
the plants around it,,
plants in it,
what cha' going to get for it,,
have done to it,,
will do to it,, lol lol
Enquiringly minds want to know notme


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yep---we are just sittin' here waiting to find out........ bow


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Well thanks for your interest Diane and Carol.

Not much is going on at the pond yet this year. Don cleaned it out as much as he could last Sunday, and started up the waterfall, filter, and skimmer. It's still pretty murky looking and I need to get some of the pond "stuff" this week to help clear it up.

I'm also picking up some free fathead minnows as part of the mosquito control program in our county. I do hope they live longer than the batch last year - remember we found them floating dead with their stomachs missing?!? That was awful and strange!

A few of the plants have come back - the sedums, the grasses are starting to green up in this rain we've been having yesterday and today, and the pink coneflowers. I do not see any signs of life in any of the 8 gaillardias I planted around the pond. I'm mostly disappointed in my oranges and lemons, though I did buy 5 new ones last week at Home Depot. The very small nursery where I bought them last year is not selling them this year they told me.

The biggest surprise for me is that it looks like the 2 water lilies made it through the freeze in the pond. They didn't grow well last year when the water got yucky, and I never did get any flowers, but they both have very small leaves right now, so I've got my fingers crossed. It's a good thing there are signs of life in them because WalMart did not sell them again this year either. Seems like a lot of places are cutting down their selections of merchandise in this economy.

That's all for now - I'll update when anything of interest happens there.


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Lynne~ I would like to know the name of the ornamental grasses you have at the top of the hill by your waterfall. They are lovely!


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Wow is all I can say! I been following up on all of your threads! I am going to bed as it is 2 am and 5 am will come early!


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I wanna see pictures. :)

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look in this forum under "Continuing Lynne's pond experience!"

therre are links


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Finally an update!!!bop
(and it's pretty long - sorry! blush)

I was waiting for my husband to upload some pictures he took yesterday, as my camera finally bit the dust totally, but he's having some problems doing that, so I will post now and then share the pictures when he gets it all figured out.

Don had put some chemicals in the pond on Sunday night after I bought it at Petsmart - he even put in a little extra because afterall... the only things that might be alive in there are the fathead minnows that I got free once again this year, but we haven't seen any since we put them in - except for 2 dead ones, but there must have been about 50. I am surprised because they are supposed to eat mosquito larvae so I would have thought they'd live on the surface of the water you know? But we haven't seen any swimming around, nor in the skimmer so I guess they are living on the bottom of the pond?

Fast forward to the end of the day yesterday - Don had to keep skimming the gunk out of the skimmer all day that the chemicals killed - the algae foams up when the stuff works, and he skims it out. At one point I said to him that I hope my 2 pathetic water lilies that came back don't die from all the chemicals. I had been very surprised to see them growing early spring because they were on the surface of the pond that froze over thickly during winter. They still only have small red leaves, but hopefully they will fill out when we warm up for good for the summer - today is very windy and chilly at 60 - yesterday was 82!

He looked over at where the water lilies were and he said "WHAT'S THAT?!?"
I said... "WHAT'S WHAT???"
He said - "OVER THERE!!! - between the 2 water lilies?!?"
I turned around and saw it too - we both went running over to that side of the pond to find a 5 inch or so bright orange koi!!![Linked Image]

Now remember - I had lost 3-4 batches of 4-6 koi last summer - just could NOT keep any of them alive no matter how hard we tried!!! The last batch of 4 babies were put in last fall, and I never saw them again after I let them into the pond! So of course I assumed they were all dead. I did fish out 1 dead one when taking all the leaves out about a month or so ago. tears

This one was hanging out near the top and not moving from that spot - so we are worried about the chemicals - did they bring him up to the top to gasp for air???[Linked Image] He just stayed in that spot - submerged himself whenever we got close enough to see how he was doing, but went right back as soon as we moved away.

I went back to my gardening, worried yet extremely excited. A few minutes later I went to check on him, and saw koi #2!!! YEA!!! clap He hung out with the first one, as if to make sure he was ok. I went back to finish up the gardening for the day. As I was cleaning up my gardening tools, I took another look at the pond, and on the other side was... YEP... #3!!!!! We could not believe that 3 out of the 4 had survived the winter! And had grown to about 5 inches - WOW!

The reason we were so surprised is that the pond is not as deep as it should be - it started out to be deep enough but when Don layed down some sand under the liner it got much more shallow - only about 2 1/2 feet deep, and everything we have read says it needs to be at least 3 feet deep for fish to survive the pond freezing. PLUS we had never made an air hole in the ice over the winter. So it really is a miracle that the 3 of them made it! And that is why it's so very important to me that they stay healthy! luv

I am going to get some barley pads - I've read that they help with algae issues, and I also read that koi clay helps too - to maintain clearer water but also helps the health of the fish, and is supposed to make the colors of the fish brighter.[Linked Image]

Oh, and this time I will NOT name the fish - that was a death sentence for sure! I had read about that on pond forums, but named the first 2 batches anyway. Not going to make that mistake again! uhuhh


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What WONDERFUL news, Lynne! I'm so happy to hear that three of your koi survived!!

The other day I watched a TV show about building a big pond and I thought of you. They used a specialty black net over the top to protect the birds from predators. Interestingly enough, it didn't block the view of the pond or under the water... just kept enemies out. Have you seen this stuff? It floats on top of the water.


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Thanks Merme! I have seen screens for ponds, but right now my objective is to keep these fish alive in water that is healthy enough for them - we really need to get some shade over the pond, but most of the things I've seen are pretty expensive - my latest thought is one of those summer umbrellas that is on a stand that leans out over the tables - know what I mean? That would be great by the pond, but the lowest price I've seen on the size we would need is $300 - not going to happen for us right now!!!


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Lynne--that is a wonderful thing to have happened to you !!! for 3 of the 4 Koi to have survived. clap I hope that yo uand Don can owrk out something that will work for shade

there is a tree----a "nuttall oak--it grows like 5-7 feet a year--perhaps something like tht might be able to help you???

recommended zones for the Nuttall oak:

zones 5-6-7-8

\I have the phone number of where you can order it from but I apparently didnt copy the web site down---but I did read all about this fast growing tree online, so I think you could research it and see if it is something that would work for you...



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Thanks for that information, Carol, but I really do not want to plant a tree near the pond because as it is, it gets way too many leaves in it in the fall and there aren't any trees for several yards away!!! But they find their way into it anyway!


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Originally Posted by Merme
to protect the birds from predators.


Ok, I'm a idjit girl! lol That word should be FISH! "to protect the fish from predators".

That's what happens when I'm posting when I'm exhausted. Sorry!



Yes, I can see your difficulty with providing adequate shade. Every pond I've ever seen in person did not have large trees nearby, probably because of the leaf issue you mentioned.

I agree.... $300 is way too pricey!

Also, I don't think you saw my earlier question about what is the name of that lovely ornamental grass you have at the top of the waterfall?


Merme *glad you don't have birds living under the water of your pond needing protection from predators*




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Quote
What WONDERFUL news, Lynne! I'm so happy to hear that three of your koi survived!!


Me TOO How awesome was that to discover! I wonder what they ate tho,, this whole winter to survive why and with out a hole made too! shock ,, frickin awesome Lynne! clap


Quote
*glad you don't have birds living under the water of your pond needing protection from predators*


No that would be strange lol lol


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Originally Posted by angelblossom
Quote
What WONDERFUL news, Lynne! I'm so happy to hear that three of your koi survived!!


Me TOO How awesome was that to discover! I wonder what they ate tho,, this whole winter to survive why and with out a hole made too! shock ,, frickin awesome Lynne! clap


Quote
*glad you don't have birds living under the water of your pond needing protection from predators*


No that would be strange lol lol


Thanks Carol, Merme and Diane!

Diane - the fish don't eat during the frozen winter - they go into hibernation - they start to eat once again when the water reaches a certain temperature - can't remember what that is right now though. But the shocker is that they did survive without an airhole, and in water that wasn't supposed to be deep enough.

Sorry Merme - I can't remember the name of the grass right now. I have the tag in the garage and will look next time I am there.

Don sent me his pictures tonight and I've edited them so they are ready to post here.

An overview of the pond from the deck.
[Linked Image]

The waterfall with Buddha protecting it from the top.
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The second koi I found alive, hiding by the rush in the pond.
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more next post...


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This was the first koi we were suprised to see yesterday.
And this is how he spends most of his time - hanging out next to this pipe.
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They definitely grew overwinter which is very exciting - now the mission is to keep them alive this summer!!! I am looking into some barley straw to help filter out the bad bacteria and algae, and also something called koi clay. Hopefully one or both of those will help regulate the water, and keep the fish healthy, as they are supposed to do.


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that is so cool, I'd love to have a pond but not happen'n here
so I will enjoy yours. Its possible the algae made enough oxygen
for them to survive under the ice.


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Great photos, Lynne! They were worth the wait.

When the water temperature drops to 52 degrees, most pond owners stop feeding the fish as their digestion begins going dormant at that point. By 50 degrees, respiration and metabolism also slows.

A handy rule of thumb for knowing the difference between surface temperature and at-depth temperature is to subtract 1 degree for each foot of depth in the pond.

Dormancy is an important part of the life cycle to keep the fish's color intact. And for female koi over 3 years of age, it helps them reabsorb eggs they haven't used in spawning. Without that reabsorption time, season by season those unused eggs can create health problems to the point that the fish could need surgery to remove the petrified eggs.

Another helpful thing about dormancy is that the colder water temps kill off parasites.


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Thanks for that information, Merme. I do have a pool thermometer that I submerge in the pond in the fall so that will work for me, assuming the fish live that long. They are now on day 3 that we have seen them, but today they are a bit more into the water, which I think is a good thing - no longer sorta floating at the top. Don did change out some water the past 2 days, so it shouldn't have as many chemicals in it now too.

And I am waiting for the petshop to call me back with a price on the barley straw planters that I'd like to get. They are pretty cool - they do the work of barley to help filter out the water, but they also have an impression in the center to put soil and a plant in! It either floats or is tethered to the side - in our case because the waterfall is pretty powerful I will need to tether them if I can find some for a good price.


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Gee Merme, that is a lot of good information, sounds like you had fish at one time--did you??

Lynne--I love the pictures that Don took--your Koi are even larger than I invisioned them--I am so happy for you.

Also, once again the pond is one lovely, restful looking area. I wish you luck with finding the barley planters at a good price


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Wow, this has been a wonderful story about your pond! So happy the fish lived! I've enjoyed all the information I have learned here too!

Your pond is really pretty, and I wish I was sitting in that chair, listening to your waterfall!! grin


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Wow Lynne I really hope you can find those barley planters affordably.

Knowing the Herculean task you two have been engaged in creating this pond, it makes it all the more lovely to see how well it is coming along.

What a nice work of art it is.


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Thanks so much Carol and Shirley! kissie kissie

OK - so yesterday morning I pulled a "Cindy"! I was anxious to see if the fish were still alive, so I walked over to the side of the pond where that one had been hanging out the entire previous afternoon. I had to walk between the adirondack chair and the foot rest. Now mind you, this set is a real piece of garbage. It looked really nice, but... when Don put it together last year, we saw that many of the pieces of wood had been patched when it was manufactured, and the paint starting chipping off almost immediately. I couldn't return it because I had actually bought it the year before.

So I tripped on something - a rock? - and fell between the 2 pieces of furniture. Afraid I was going to fall into the pond shock, I braced myself on the footrest piece, but IT FELL APART RIGHT UNDER MY HAND! madd That caused me to fall more, and this time really almost fall into the pond! I grabbed onto the chair and held my breath that it, too, wouldn't fall apart! Lost my shoes in the process! Thankfully the chair held, and I was able to upright myself! PHEW! rolz Of course I woke up with a horrendous headache yesterday, so that was just what I needed - NOT!

The foot rest is toast - what a piece of junk that set was! rspb
Thankfully both the fish and I are ok today. thumbup
That is... if you don't count the can of mandarin oranges that fell on my cheekbone in the grocerystore today, when I reached up to the top shelf to get one down!!! I thought I'd get a good shiner out of that - thankfully that didn't happen! PHEW again! Enough Cindyisms already don't ya think?!?


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OH my goodness, Lynne---yes I would say that is enough Cindyisms---for one day anyway lol !!!!!

are you still ok today--or has, say, soreness set in?????




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OMG! That is so funny (I'm sorry!) lol and sounds just like a Cindy post!!!

I take it things don't look the same as in the picture, now? rolz neener
That is just too funny! Uh, belatedly, I hope you didn't hurt yourself falling there. (I'm sorry, I'm still laughing!!! lol )

That was bad about the can falling on your face! I have a fear of falling objects!! shock I have broken both big toes, at two different times, and anytime something falls the first thing I think of is...'what if it hits my toe?!!! boohoo

But the picture your story conjured up in my head still has me laughing so hard the tears are running!!! haha

I deserve for you to come back at me with this... tapfoot...I'm sure!! lol


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Well Shirley......... HERE!!! tapfoot haha

I was hoping someone would get a good laugh out of the story -
I really DID think of Cindy as I was going down!!! lol kissie
I almost called out her name too! touched

The only thing that looks different from the picture above is that the footrest is no longer there! rolz


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haha haha haha


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Amen to that!!!!! shots

I read it again and started laughing till tears came again!!!! haha

My problem is that I see things in cartoon form in my head, which can make the simplist things hysterically funny!!!!!


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Originally Posted by afgreyparrot

That's worth about 500 points! lol thumbup haha


YEA!!! I finally earned some points!!! bop


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clap yeaaaaaaaaaa Lynne---- clap

.............You have points!!!! thumbup clap thumbup


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lol lol lol lol lol That's all I got haha

Lynne kissie
lol lol lol


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Today's update...

One of the fish had been popping up to the top of the water and spinning like a dervish numerous times 2 days ago. That was not good to see. Unfortunately he was found dead in the skimmer yesterday. Poor thing - he was such a nice size too. We haven't seen the other 2 for several days now - which is probably a good thing since they are not on the surface trying to breath.

I had a "WOW" moment today. Remember that piece of garbage 3 piece adirondack chair set that I wrote about in my last post? The one where the ottoman collapsed under me??? Well today I was in Christmas Tree Shops and I had to speak with the manager about something else. While standing there I saw some itty bitty plant pots in tiny adirondack chairs in a shopping cart for clearance. So I said to the manager - that reminds me - I bought the 3 piece set 2 years ago and it was a piece of garbage!!! The wood was all pieced, and the paint started peeling off as soon as we put it together." I also told him the ottoman fell apart and is in the garbage.

He told me to bring it back!!! shock What??? why Yep - he said bring it back!
I told him we didn't have the ottoman anymore and I bought it 2 summers ago. I'm sure I have the receipt still in my envelope from that year. He said he didn't care - he would give me a store credit because he'd rather keep me as a happy customer than lose me! WOW!!! clap

So Don will disassemble what's left of it and put it in a box for me to take back. And then I will have $50 to spend in that store! NO PROBLEM! lol thumbup


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WOW!!! THAT is a good guy----i f I were close enough he would have MY business---stores like that are hard to come by!! lucky you!!!!


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It's good to establish a good repore' with a store, it's beneficial for both you and the store,, however that is an exceptional benefit being able to bring back something that is two years old. shock
I remember you mentioning after the first hard rain the paint had begun to peel off and you had complained about it., Wondering even then if it was such a good bargain after all,, welllllllll I guess it was,, now you've got 50 More $ to spend. thumbup That says a lot about that store,, I wonder tho is that policy with just that store, or all those stores, ,,,or he just happened to be in a generous mood,, either way it goes you made out good.


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ohhhhhhhhhhhh I forgot!!!
I bought some dwarf papyrus at a nursery yesterday that does NOT sell pond plants. They had one small tray of them - I got 2 and potted them up together in the pond on the shelf. It's such a cute plant.

I read that it can grow a lot in width - I am hoping for that! thumbup

Can't take a picture until I get a new camera - hopefully soon!


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Originally Posted by angelblossom
I wonder tho is that policy with just that store, or all those stores,


I think you may have missed my question above,, DO all Christmas tree Shops have that policy?? why




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oooops - didn't see that - I don't know if they do why, as this was my first experience with it. They do have a pretty liberal return policy though - no limit on when someone can return something - but that is for items with a receipt and mostly in new packaging. Since this item is definitely broken and missing a large part now, and is 2 years old, that was above and beyond in my opinion.

By the way, Charles is filling in all the lost leaves, and growing well in the pond garden once again.


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Here's a funny story!

You know how I really dislike those #@$! woodchucks who eat all my perennials and now annuals each year and make new families every year at this time?!? madd

Soooooo... the other day I bought some bales of barley straw to put in the pond. It is supposed to help prevent the growth of algae and help clarify the water. thumbup They come in clear mesh bags, but you are supposed to pull the barley in half, so as to losen the barley a bit for better decompostion. That is what helps clear the pond - the chemicals released when it does that. I bought some white mesh bags to put the other halves into, and divided them up and tethered the bags into the pond so that they float near the waterfall. Movement of water plus sun also helps the decomposition.

Well... Everytime I look out at the pond and see the brown batches in the clear bags, I think there is a dead woodchuck floating there! haha Even though my brain KNOWS that is not what it is, I still think that everytime I see them.

Wishful thinking?!? why idea


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Originally Posted by plants 'n pots

By the way, Charles is filling in all the lost leaves, and growing well in the pond garden once again.


Coool! clap


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I found an old, partly broken camera in my desk drawer and decided to give it a try. It worked ok for these pictures so I am happy to share pictures of my new dwarf papyrus. I just think it's so cute!

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A bit more of a top view
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Nice Plant! It looks Cool there thumbup Will it get much Better??


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yes that is a nice plant, Lynne----

Diane has a good question there--how much bigger will that papyrus get???



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Thanks!

Since this is a dwarf plant, it's not supposed to get much taller, but it is supposed to grow wider. Since I have it in a small pot I don't think it will get too much bigger, but I have read that if any of the tops bend into the water they will grow a new plant!!! bop

It also said that you can cut off 1/3 of the top of a stem and put it upside down in water to make new plants. I will do that once the plant is a bit more established.

I also might go back to the nursery today and pick up 2 more to put on the other side of the pond. They are small plants - in 3 inch pots so I really needed to get 2 to make it look like something. I think it adds such a nice touch to the perimeter. luv


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That plant is so cute! I would not have known it was Papyrus.

Also I think that is really unusual about it bending into the water or you putting a piece in upside down, and it grows another plant!!!

A very cool plant!


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Thanks Shirley. The owner of the nursery told me tht next year he is hoping to have the taller one - that is the full sized one that grows to a couple of feet tall! I saw some of those at another nursery this year, but they did not take care of them and all the stems were bent in half and fallen over in dried out pots - poor plants!


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Are you planning on wintering those over indoors, Lynne?
It is funny that you can prize them so much when all types are weeds to me. I like the looks of them but they get out of hand so easily, a lot like many bamboos here.


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Yes, Tina, these will have to be overwintered indoors here. They really are a prized plant and a "find" here. Each small 4 inch pot costs $4. I didn't want to spend that much on each one - getting 4 in total, but as I said... they are rare to find here! Hopefully they will spread, as the websites say they do, and I'll be able to share sometime down the road.

Do you grow these in the ground there?


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Yes they can be grown in the ground with regular water or in ponds like yours. They spread from roots or seeds or from the flower heads as you describe. So when they don't freeze back they can become quite pesky and difficult to eradicate. I agree that they are a cool looking plant. And I always wanted one until I started helping in other's gardens and had to deal with them.


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Your Dwarf Papyrus is a lovely little plant, Lynne. I'm so glad you found some. I really like how delicate the leaves are.


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Thanks Merme kissie

The froggie is back! He's been here about a week now - he had been singing farther down the backyard - in the conservation easement, but now he is back up at the pond. And WOW is he ever LOUD!!! shock

Tonight for the first time I heard 2 of them singing back and forth to each other. I actually saw one of them on a rock that lines the pond edge. Took some pictures but these are the best of the bunch.

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He's only about 2 1/2 inches long but what a mouth!!!
And he is greener and darker than the flash made him look here.
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I spent a long time online last night trying to identify him by his song, but haven't found the right one yet.


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Lynne--that is a great picture of your frog!!!---proper color or not!!!~

I hope you are able to identify him soon. :wink:


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I still haven't identified the frog and now there are about 6 of them making a racket every night at the pond!!! It's a trilling sound rather than a bullfrog sound, and is getting on my nerves now! rolz

I have potted up a bunch of plants the past few weeks and got a couple more today but haven't put them in the pond yet. I will try and take some pictures tomorrow if it doesn't rain for a change.

I did take a quick picture this evening of my parrots feather. I had tried growing this last summer - just floating it while tethering it to the side because of the waterfall current, but it never grew and turned yellow. This year I read that I could pot it up in soil and put the pot in the water, so I tried that and so far, so good! It's growing and still green - YEA!!! clap I had a piece of quartz rock that my dad gave me, and I used it to weigh down the pot - I like the way it looks in the pond. I've also noticed that this plant closes up in the dark - didn't know that before - it's an interesting feature. Here it is closed up for tonight.
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When I had just the bathtub pond, Cindy generously sent me some of her parrots feather plant - yes PLANT, not Lola's feathers! lol why It did well in the small tub pond, but I had trouble with the batch I put in the larger pond last summer.


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very interesting plant, Lynne--and yes the rock does set the plant off just right.


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The sun actually came out yesterday in between rain storms and here is the same parrots feather plant with the leaves "open".
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And here is my pitiful water lily. It actually did overwinter which surprised me, as the pond froze over and it was only about 10 inches below the surface. I have repotted it this year and put in some tomato fertilizer spikes. This is the best it has ever done, but the pads are still very small, with no sight of a bud yet.
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I still think they look like Pac Man! haha


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well the parrots feather looks cool--and I have always loved water lilys--

so I guess "Pac man" lives huh?????---perhaps they will be larger next year???


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Originally Posted by JunieGirl
well the parrots feather looks cool--and I have always loved water lilys--

The parrots feather is seriously cool!

Originally Posted by JunieGirl
so I guess "Pac man" lives huh?????---perhaps they will be larger next year???



lol apparently so lol







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Lynne, Have you seen any of your fish lately?? Is your Pond clearing up??


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Well I have sorta seen some of the fish way down in the bottom of the pond,
but it's hard to make out which ones.

There's good news and bad today. lol

The bad... Don saw a dead fish in the skimmer this morning. tears He hasn't taken it out yet, so I will go look when he gets home and does so, if it ever stops raining here! rolz

The good news is that the UV filter that Don ordered was delivered today, so we are on our way to clearer water. That is... once he gets it set up.

The other good news is that I have a bud on one of my water lilies! YEA!!! clap bop
The plant is still small and the pads could be bigger, but I just saw it this afternoon and am so excited. The plants are 2 years old and I don't even remember which ones I bought, so the flower color will be a nice surprise.

Here is the bud in the center - the round looking thingy!
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We'll be waiting to see the flower on the lilly too.



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clap clap Yea!! Lynne will have a cleaner pond soon!!!!!


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grin


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I've joined a ponding forum site and they asked to see some pictures, so I took these today. It's hard to fit the entire pond area in the frame of the camera, but I did the best I could.

This was taken from the bathroom window upstairs this morning.
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And this was from the driveway this afternoon.
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They really don't do it justice - I wish you all could see it first hand!


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I love those pictures---esp the first--i am sure they do not do the pond nor the area surrounding the pond justice--but then even the best photos do not do justice to any thing (at least in my mind)

and yes I wish we could all come and see it first hand too


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Thanks so much, Carol!

We have had several frogs singing their hearts out for a few weeks now. It started with just one, and then pretty soon there were at least 6 calling back and forth from just before dusk til about midnight. Two days ago, a frog floated into the skimmer and was dead when Don took it out. We have no idea what happened to it. But that night and last night there was only the one frog singing! What happened to all the others? It's very strange.

This evening when Don was cleaning the skimmer there were 2 frogs on the rim inside. He tried to get some pictures but this is the best of the batch. AND... there isn't any froggie singing tonight!!! why

Can anyone identify what kind it is? Or is it a toad?
The song is more of a trill than a ribbit. Definitely NOT a bullfrog.

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that is a clear picture, Lynne--but unless he holds up a sign (which I think all critters, birds, etc should do) I am at a loss as to which species he is, sorry.


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I like Both the pictures grin .

Could your frog be the Northern Leopard Frog??



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I don't know anything about frogs but your pond and yard are beautiful.



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Too funny about the sign, Carol!

Thanks all! kissie

It is of the opinion of the people on the ponding forum that it is a tree frog. I'm not so sure of the colors, but the sound is definitely the closest I have found. I thought tree frogs were smaller than that, but I guess not?


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Yesterday our first ever water lily bloom opened. It didn't open all the way though, before the sky got very dark and cloudy for the rest of the day, and the flower closed right up again.

For some reason, one of the comet fish was hiding his head under a lily pad for a few hours before he died. He wasn't just floating here - he swam away when we approached him with a net. I'd really like to know what was going on with him before he died, but unfortunately we never will.

Here he is hiding...
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And here is the lily beginning to bloom before closing up again.
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Lynne---what beautiful pictures!!! such a good and clear photo of the bloom!! Thank you so much--

every since I was a kid I have wanted my own lily pad.--I would see them when my dad would take us out fishing----so seeing yours is especially rewarding for me--thanks


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your pond is so pretty.



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I love reading through this topic...I'll probably never have my own pond...so I'm enjoying yours Lynne. Thanks for sharing it with us.


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Thanks so much Carol, Sheri and Rosepetal!

Rosepetal - I'm glad you are enjoying my pond, but you never know when you might have one too. For years I yearned for one this size and never thought I'd see the day when I'd actually have one. If our septic tank had not sprung leaks so that we had to connect to the village sewer system, I would not have this one either. Fortunately the contractor we hired to put in the sewer pipes was a very nice man who dug the large hole with his tractor for free.


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I know things like that usually happen then away you go with your idea. I'm glad you got yours. Who knows maybe I will someday.


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Originally Posted by plants 'n pots
Yesterday our first ever water lily bloom opened. It didn't open all the way though, before the sky got very dark and cloudy for the rest of the day, and the flower closed right up again.

For some reason, one of the comet fish was hiding his head under a lily pad for a few hours before he died. He wasn't just floating here - he swam away when we approached him with a net. I'd really like to know what was going on with him before he died, but unfortunately we never will.

Here he is hiding...
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And here is the lily beginning to bloom before closing up again.
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Beautiful clap


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Thanks Diane!

I took a bunch of pictures today. Don't know why, because it was a bit cloudy out and definitely a bit more humid than the last few days, and my camera does not like those conditions. But I edited the pictures as best I could and thought I'd share them anyway.

Here is a view from the left front corner of the pond garden.
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And here is the view from the right side.
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Dwarf papyrus doing well
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More pictures next post...


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beautiful as always Lynne----yep I am still up----washing is not done yet, nor is the dishes blush--and then there is the soap oprea to watch.........

but hey, the plants & such are watered. :wink:

such beautiful flowers the water lillies have---(the last time I saw them the first one was just opening up.


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Continued from above...

Won't you join me for a chat on the arbor bench?
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This is where the adirondack chair will go that Don is building -
in the middle of this side
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Pond plants
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you know I would LOVE to join you on the arbor bench.

I know!! I will join you in spirit....name me a time!!!


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Originally Posted by JunieGirl
you know I would LOVE to join you on the arbor bench.


omgosh Me too grin especially early in the morning I'll bring the cappuccino you bring the bagels thumbup Simply Beautiful Lynne!

Hey does the blue solar light still work?


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Thanks so much you two!

Sounds like a plan Carol and Diane! thumbup Let's all find a time and we'll have a little breakfast party! What kind of bagels do you prefer? Which spreads?


Diane - the solar ball is still shining beautiful blue! Can you see it in the last picture up in the right corner? Every time I get up to use the bathroom at night I look out the window and can see that light, the blue mushroom light also shining blue, and a flower stake that alternates colors repeatedly. I just love seeing them - gives me a kind of peace, you know? luv


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I've been seeing a few dragonflies and darning needles flying around the pond this week. They have such pretty irredescent colors! luv

This guy kept landing on this exact spot on the metal birdbath that I have perched on a rock lining the top of the pond. He'd fly off for a few seconds and land right back here constantly.

Think he was trying to camoflauge himself here?
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excellent Picture Lynne clap and yes it does look like his body is part of the bird bath lol

Quote
Sounds like a plan Carol and Diane! Let's all find a time and we'll have a little breakfast party! What kind of bagels do you prefer? Which spreads?


oh any kind will do * except onion flavor rspb* I like bagels toasted with strawberry cream cheese please grin lol


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Thanks Diane kissie

The other day, I noticed that the rocks under the waterfall were very green. rspb Since Don put the UV lights in the skimmer, we've gotten rid of most of the algae in the pond, so I was surprised to see this on the rocks. I took a few pictures before I scrubbed them clean this afternoon.

Don turns the waterfall off when he cleans the filters in the skimmer up there,
so it was a good time for me to clean the rocks. thumbup
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A closer look
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And shining nice and clean afterwards
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More next post...


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Continued from above...

After I scrubbed the waterfall rocks, I wanted to go in the pond and deadhead the waterlilies, and also place a new tiny lily on the pond floor. Don usually does this for me, but he has had horrendous sciatica pain for 2 weeks now, so I figured I would do it this time. I used his rubber coveralls to stay dry - it was VERY funny! haha He is 5'10", so they fit his size. I am only 5'1" so they came up to my armpits with lots of leg length to spare! Because there were air pockets in the legs that were too long, when I was in the pond it felt like I was walking on the moon. The air pockets made me float around a bit when I picked up my feet to walk - I had to be careful though, because the pond floor was VERY slippery! It was fun though! bop

This is the only picture that Don took with my crummy camera that was somewhat in focus - too bad! The pond water is not green anymore since he put in the UV lights - the green is the reflection of all the greenery around the pond.
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A final picture of the pond late this afternoon
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Lynne your Pond and area around it , is absolutely gorgeous! grin

You and Don have done an outstanding Job the last couple of years! Big Big Pats on the back,,[Linked Image]

I never thought you'd get in there Lynne lol Good for you thumbup good thing those pant legs didn't fill up cuz then you'd have floating devices ~ but at least you'd be safe haha haha


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Lynne your pond is beautiful. How big is it?



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Thanks so much for looking, and for your very kind comments Diane and Sheri.

The pond is about 3,000 gallons - sorry I don't remember the dimensions though.


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The reason I was asking is I showed your pictures to my husband last night and he said "that's a swimming pool!" You've done a great job.



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Awwwwww thanks Sheri!
It's really not big enough to swim in, though I must say that when I was bouncing around in it yesterday the water did feel good! lol thumbup Looks like I'm going to have to do that more often! :wink:

By the way... my one water lily has its second bud surfacing today. The other one hasn't had any yet, and the last one is a very small baby. Each flower excites me so much - I never thought I'd be able to grow water lilies! flwr


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Your pond is gorgeous; you and your hubby did a fantastic job!

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Thanks so much Gail! kissie

I just found out what that algae is called - it's string algae also known as blanket algae. According to the people on the pond forum I read, it's supposed to be "good" algae. So long as it doesn't take over the pond, I am ok with a little in there. I will continue to clean off the waterfall rocks when Don stops the waterfall to clean the filter. thumbup


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thumbup lynne, when i am puttering around mine, i will gather up the "strings" that are hanging down and pull them off. they are great to put in the bottom or top of container plants. good organic plant food, and good to help keep them moist. i also drop them in beds and compost. when i have enough. what ever is nearby.

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I do the same. But I think the algae on the rocks is good fodder for the fishes so I don't worry about getting it all cleaned. WE had a nasty black algae that came in with some water plants once that made us take the whole thing apart and scrub and bleach all of the rocks and redo the liner. It grew fast and thick and clogged up everything.


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This string algae spreads VERY rapidly, and when it is brushed off all the tiny pieces become long strands within what seems like a matter of minutes. My fish do NOT eat this algae at all, so that is not a solution here unfortunately. They don't seem to mind it, but it is rapidly taking over everything in the pond, including strangling the long stems of the water lily pads and blooms.

Here it is on a water lily - I had already cleaned it off this plant several times while I was in the pond and it all came back.
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That said... I went playing in the pond again today. I needed to deadhead a water lily bloom, as well as take out some dying pads. I had such a great time in there with the fish that I didn't want to get out, but Don is not feeling very well and he had to be there to help me out, so I had to end my fun before I was ready.

I thought it would be fun to show just how large his waders are on me before I got into the pond. I am holding them up straight from the ground here - they come up to my neck!!!
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And here I am, in the pond - see how high they come up, while the legs are still very long and bunched up? Don told me to pose! haha
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Can I please get to work yet???
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The fish have all become very inquisitive, and swam around me and in between my legs often. It was so much fun being in there with them! I figure since I will most likely never get to swim with dolphins, at least I can go ponding with my comets! lol

Here are a few that were just hanging out nearby.
They have more than doubled in size since I bought them about a month ago as 27 cent feeder fish!
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And here is the one bloom I have right now - this same plant has another bud on its way up to the surface now - yippee! luv
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First Let me say Great Pictures and You look fantastic Lynne over sized high waders or Not! thumbup
The first pictures it looks like snot( for lack of a better word Sorry blush)in the water euwwwwwwww yet it does appear to be clear. Strange the way it looks, boohoo So sorry you have to deal with it after you've gotten the water cleared,, boohoo boohoo
I don't know anything about Ponds and algae But I hope you find a way to resolve the string algae before it wraps up around your legs next time you get in there shock and says Feeeeeeed ME yikes

Just kidding! kissie


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Originally Posted by angelblossom
First Let me say Great Pictures and You look fantastic Lynne over sized high waders or Not! thumbup
The first pictures it looks like snot( for lack of a better word Sorry blush)in the water euwwwwwwww yet it does appear to be clear. Strange the way it looks, boohoo So sorry you have to deal with it after you've gotten the water cleared,, boohoo boohoo
I don't know anything about Ponds and algae But I hope you find a way to resolve the string algae before it wraps up around your legs next time you get in there shock and says Feeeeeeed ME yikes

Just kidding! kissie


Thanks Diane! kissie
You are absolutely correct - I never thought that it could start growing on me while I play in the pond - helllllllllllllllp!!! shock nervous haha


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Originally Posted by angelblossom
First Let me say Great Pictures and You look fantastic Lynne over sized high waders or Not! thumbup
......................... yet it does appear to be clear. Strange the way it looks, So sorry you have to deal with it after you've gotten the water cleared,, boohoo boohoo
I don't know anything about Ponds and algae But I hope you find a way to resolve the string algae kissie


yep I agree with Diane---and BTW--I simply LOVE your pretty pink water lily--and so very nice to "see" you. :wink:


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very nice lynne thumbup nice to meet you again (i remember the wrennie pics :wink: )

and your pond looks good. and i get about the string algae. but i've seen it that way in lots of places naturally. i'm just impressed that the water is clear enough to see it that well!

i'm closing this, since it's at 100, but please start another one. i'm enjoying watching your adventures.

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