Well I think Spring is just around the corner. Usually once the Robins return to northern Ohio its almost here. I saw them last week drinking water out of the waterfall......there was still alot of ice and snow on the pond. I thought they were a little early and probably cold.
Other signs of spring are starting.....here are my Helleborus starting to peek out of the ground. Its usually a good sign. And then the daffodils...
Today it is about 50 degrees out.....the robins are now busy at work. They wouldn't stay still long enough for me to get their picture, maybe next time. Hopefully it won't be long now. I'm getting stir crazy waiting on the warmer weather. When I talked to some of my customers in the warmer areas of the country, I get excited. They are already outside working on their ponds and deciding what pond plants they want this year.
So since I can't go outside and start gardening, I decided to do some cooking instead. I best do what cooking I can before the busy season is here. Today it was cream puffs.....chocolate pudding filling. It's almost as good as going outside and gardening.
Its ice everywhere.....but at least its February so its almost over. I will say its a pretty site but I still prefer the green color over the white! I look outside and imagine pictures like this...
The plants continue to grow nicely in the greenhouses and while standing in there you almost can forget what's going on outside. Call it an escape from reality. The marsh marigolds are starting to bloom alot and I must say they are really nice plants this year.
The snow storm isn't over yet so we are all in a holding pattern....waiting on the next blast to come through. Whether it will be ice or snow remains yet to be determined. So I will continue to think of all the plants growing and start to update our store to share the plants with you that we will be offering this year.
New this year for Dragonfly Aquatics and will be added to our store.
A floating, rootless aquatic fern that floats just below the water surface producing a pair of floating or emergent leaves that are green in color and oblong in shape. They have a third leaf that is brown in color and dangles underwater sometimes mistaken as a root but helps to stabilize the plant. The plant itself has no roots but tiny white hairs beneath the leaves.
One of our most popular bog plants is the Dwarf Papyrus. I think its an unusual looking plant and adds alot of dimension to the pond. It always seems to grow well and is one pond plant that is easy to grow and attend to. The Dwarf Papyrus is a good bog plant to create a tub garden or tabletop pond. I have one growing in a ceramic pot on my patio and it does well.
The papyrus grows in sun to part shade and likes moist soil and can tolerate water up to 4 inches deep. Its considered hardy Zones 8-11 but can easily be wintered over indoors. As long as you keep the plant in 50 degrees and above it will be fine. You may watch for mealybugs as they will sometimes appear on the plant during the winter but can easily be treated.
They grow 12-18 inches high with a spread of 6-12 inches. To start other plants take the seeds and put in wet soil or propagate from the viviparous top fronds. You'll soon have other plants to place in your pond.
If you like larger plants you can go for the Dwarf Giant Papyrus (Cyperus percamenthus) which will grow about 3 feet high. There is also the Egyptian Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) which can grow to 8 feet high.
Whichever Papyrus you chose it is a unique pond plant for your pond.
Cooler temperatures are the thing again with a slight freeze in Ohio. I tend to feel drained when the days are rainy but that sunshine sure makes one feel good again! We turned the garden over this week and that's the last of the tomatoes until next year. I do really enjoy the garden and the benefits of enjoying the fresh vegetables all winter long but it keeps one busy during the month of August. Now its apple time....I like making the fresh applesauce and putting away a few whole apples for the apple crisp and pies. There's nothing better than a warm apple crisp on a cold winter day.
Let's face it....there isn't much to do with the pond now that summer is ending and things are put to bed. I pulled all the water hyacinths out last week. Trimmed up the lilies and took all the tropical waterlilies and put them to bed in the greenhouse for the winter. I still have to drop the hardy waterlilies but some are still blooming so I'll wait awhile yet. My cardinal flower is still standing tall and I must say this has been its best year yet! I had at least 7 flowers on it and the hummingbirds sure were happy!!
Official its Fall now.....the other day it was 88 degrees out....today its 52 degrees and looks like fall. Chill in the air, cloudy skies and rain off and on. I still need a few more nice warm days before settling in for the dreaded winter months. I still have to prepare my pond for winter....I always seem to let it go until the last minute. Hopefully I get those few more warm days or I'll be sorry.
I decided to share some preparation tasks for your pond before the weather changes and we all settle in for the winter. This will help improve your pond water and hopefully help make the spring clean up less work.
FALL/WINTER POND MAINTENANCE TIPS
1. Before winter arrives, you will want to make sure your pond and filtering system are clean to ensure good water quality throughout the winter months. With the arrival of fall it is wise to do a partial water change to remove any built up contaminants to improve water quality. Partial water changes need to be made before water temperatures fall below 60 degrees to minimize fish stress. Adding pond salt at this time will improve the slime coating of fish, to help them ward off disease and parasites.
2. Before the leaves begin to fall, cover your pond with one of our pond nets. The goal is to try and keep the pond as clean as possible for the winter months. Leaves will sink to the bottom of the pond and rot, causing excess carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. After the first frost, take out any floating plants, as these will begin to decay. Trim back hardy lilies and bog plants and place below the freeze line.
3. Switch to Microbe-Lift Autumn/Winter Prep. This will help break down organic material in the pond before winter sets in. Microbe-Lift Autumn/Winter Prep helps accelerate the decomposition of leaves, scum, sediment and other organic matter during the fall and throughout the winter months. Also, Microbe-Lift Autumn/Winter Prep helps to maintain a healthy immune system for your fish during the winter months. Microbe-Lift Autumn/Winter Prep will help jump-start your pond to a healthier environment in the spring.
4.Reduce your fish feeding as the water temperatures drop below 60 degrees. Start feeding your fish a couple of times a week. We recommend switching to a wheat germ based fish food formulated for fall and spring feeding. When water temperatures drop below 60 degrees, the metabolism of your fish slow down. Both Tetra-Pond Spring/Fall and Microbe-Lift Cold Weather fish food are highly digestible cool weather diets that are made with less protein, but contain wheat germ, which is easily digested. They also contain higher levels of fat, which help your fish survive their winter hibernation. When water temperatures reach 50 degrees, stop feeding your fish completely. Feeding at water temperatures below 50 degrees can possibly kill your fish. A pond thermometer is a must have. This will help you in determining when to stop feeding your fish and will also help to know when to begin feeding your fish in the spring. Its also a good idea to know your water temperature for those adding tropical pond plants to your pond in the spring.
5.Adding Microbe-Lift Barley Straw Extract will help control string algae throughout the fall and winter months. Barley Straw Extract is an effective and eco-friendly way to reduce algae. Unlike algaecides, which are ineffective in water temperatures below 50 degrees, Microbe-Lift Barley Straw Extract will continue to control algae throughout the winter months.
6.Before freezing temperatures begin, install a pond de-icer. Ponds covered with ice do not allow toxic gases to escape causing fish loss. A pond de-icer will keep a section of your pond open to allow oxygen and gas exchange.
7.During the winter removing snow from the surface of the pond will help submerged plants and microscopic aquatic plants to continue to produce oxygen as long as light penetrates through the ice. Insufficient light, along with the decomposition of plant and leaf debris may result in insufficient oxygen for the fish, causing them to suffocate. Removing the snow from a portion of your surface area will reduce the likelihood of this occurring.
I'm not certain of the identity of this butterfly. I thought perhaps it was a male Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. I'm really not certain, although it sure liked my dwarf crab-apple tree. It came back day after day.....I'm thinking it was the same one.
I know we don't want to think about it but it won't be long and fall will be here and we all know what comes next.....its time for us to be thinking about taking the extra care with our pond plants to make them comfortable for the winter cold. I've noticed the butterflies aren't as plentiful as they had been but occassionally I'm able to catch one.
HARDY BOG/MARGINAL PLANTS
Once your hardy marginal plants begin to brown, usually after the first hard frost, prune back excess foliage and discard any decaying material, so it does not compromise the water quality over the winter months. Potted bog plants such as Pickeral, Thalia Dealbata, and Japanese Variegated Iris should be placed at a sufficient depth to avoid freezing the crown of the plant. Most of the other hardy bog plants can be left as they are and will return the following spring.
Tropical Bog Plants
Many of the tropical bog plants will winter well indoors in a sunny window or with a grow light. They do not need to be submerged in water. Keep the soil constantly moist by placing the potted plants in a tray of water.
Its such a great life for the frogs....sitting on the lily pads basking in the sun. Could life be any better???? These pictures were shared by one of our customers who received these tadpoles in the spring and now they are frogs enjoying the life in their new home. Thank you again for sharing your pictures.
Just another benefit that a pond can provide for our enjoyment and relaxation. Plants, boulders or fallen logs provide good sunny resting areas for frogs, dragonflies or turtles to take a breather.
Now that winter is approaching another good idea for those having frogs in their ponds is to provide a hiding place for the winter. If you need you can create an area for them by placing a container in your pond filled with sand. This will give the frogs a place to bury themselves for the winter. Make sure its deep enough so that if your pond freezes over it will be beneath the ice. Always leave an open space in your pond to provide oxygen for your friends.
HARDY LOTUS
As the lotus leaves begin to turn brown, the lotus is beginning to go dormant for the winter. Do not cut off the leaves; allow them to die back naturally. After they die back at this point, it is safe to cut them off above the water line. Its important to leave a portion of the stem above the water. You do not want water getting down the hollow green stem and having it get into the air channels of the tuber, if this happens you risk drowning the tuber and cause it to rot. Make sure the potted lotus is below the ice. Allowing the tuber to freeze will kill the plant.
Floating plants such as Water Hyacinth and Water Lettuce are considered tropical and will not survive temperatures below freezing. After the first hard frost, remove from the pond to prevent them from decaying and adding unwanted debris to the pond.
Woke up this morning with a chill in the air....gone for a few days are the 80 degree temps. This is what we woke up to this morning.
The leaves are even beginning to fall with the wind blowing. I guess we all know what is in store for us for the next couple months.
Another Red Scarf bud is starting to open in my pond. I find I enjoy the pond plants even more towards the end of the season. It's such a pretty lotus bud.
I probably should get out my sweatshirts and sweaters now. I love fall with its beautiful colors when the leaves begin to turn but don't look forward to what comes after....snow. There are a few things we can start doing to our ponds now since the days are numbered. Here's a list of some fall and winter pond plant care items for the hardy pond plants.
HARDY WATER LILIES
With the lower temperatures during the fall season, you will notice a decrease in water lily blooms and the lily pads turning yellow as the water temperatures cool. It is important at this time to remove the dead leaves and spent blooms to avoid having the debris in the pond over winter. As winter approaches and water temperatures drop, the water lily will go dormant. Remove all dead lily pads and lower the potted lily to the deepest part of the pond or to a water depth of about two feet.
SUBMERGED PLANTS
As long as the submerged plants are below the ice, they will usually survive the winter. Any part of the plant that is allowed to freeze will turn to mush and add unwanted debris to the pond. It is wise to cut these plants back and sink below the surface.
HARDY BOG/MARGINAL PLANTS
Once your hardy marginal plants begin to brown, usually after the first hard frost, prune back excess foliage and discard any decaying material, so it does not compromise the water quality over the winter months. Potted bog plants such as Pickeral and Thalia Dealbata should be placed at a sufficient depth to avoid freezing the crown of the plant. Plants such as Japanese Variegated Iris and Cardinal Flower should be removed from the pond and planted in the yard for the winter. When new growth begins in the Spring, they can be placed back in the pond for the summer. Most of the other hardy bog plants can be left as they are and will return the following spring.
