Filed under: General Blog Entry's | Tags: Garden Maintenance, Gardening, Spring Gardening, Vegetable gardening
It’s been a long, cold Fall and Winter season! Now it’s February and Spring is right around the corner, and I don’t know about you, but I am ready! And now it’s time to get our gardens ready.
Prepping our Gardens correctly is the #1 thing that will help us to insure success over the upcoming growing season!
It takes a bit of work to do it right, BUT, the doing is my favorite part. It gets you out there, gets your hands dirty and gets you in tune with nature! This late Winter season and the “Pre quill” to Spring are actually my favorite times of the year. Watching how the tree buds swell in anticipation, watching the Daffodils emerge and brighten the landscape, hearing those peepers come out and sing on the first few warm nights, this is really a magical time of the year.
First things first – Clean Up! Get out the pruners, the leaf rake and the hoe. Cut back all last years dead foliage and rake up all the debris and leaf matter. Trim and prune those deciduous trees and shrubs and get rid of all the cuttings! Trim back your roses and vining plants on arbors and fences. Apply a coating of dormant oil to all your deciduous trees. Apply a fresh layer of mulch to your beds and trees, it will look great and it will protect your plants.
If you have a vegetable garden this is also a great time to perform a good clean up. I like to till the soil early and add in LOTS of good, organic soil amendments like Compost, Chicken manure, leaf mold, ash and lime. I always add some epson salt to my tomato beds and till the soil as deep as possible. This is a GREAT time of year to plant some cool season crops too. Turnips are quick to sow and will provide you with some delicious greens and vegetables. Other cool season crops to try : Carrots, lettuce, radishes, Brussels sprouts, beets, spinach and peas. All of these can be cultivated starting in early to mid February in our area and all of them will enhance your life to grow and eat them. If your not into early season gardening, your garden will be ready to re-till and plant come April for our warm season gardeners (Tomato’s, squash, beans, cucumbers, okra, etc…).
So it’s time folks! Get out there and enjoy the Abundance that our gardens bring to our lives! The season is upon us…
~ Mark Carter
Filed under: General Blog Entry's | Tags: Gardening, Pond Maintenance, Seminar, Water Gardening
Watergardening is the fastest growing gardening hobby in the country! Don’t miss this opportunity to learn tips and techniques from some of the Top Professional Designers and Water Feature Builders in the field at the 5th. Annual Aquatic Expo. You will learn the basics of Water Feature Design, Pond Construction and Water Garden Maintenance during this 2 day symposium.
The Aquatic Expo is a 2 day event:
Day 1 : Saturday, March 27th. 9am. till 3pm. at Carter’s Nursery, Pond& Patio.
This will be a ‘Hands On’ day of Learning. We will Design and Build a functioning Eco-System Pond during the Saturday class! We will also cover Basic Aquatic Plant Design and talk about Pond Health and Fish Care. You can join in and help build the pond OR you can watch and learn from the sidelines. Bring a lawn chair, boots, gloves and expect a Fun filled day of Learning! (Lunch will be provided with your ticket).
Day 2 : Sunday, March 28th. 1pm. till 5pm. at Carter’s Nursery, Pond& Patio.
This will be a ‘Hands On’ – Pond Maintenance class! We will cover all the basics of Pond Care and Aquatic Plant care and we will be performing a Full Pond Clean Out! You will learn how to catch and hold your fish and how to complete all the necessary tasks to prepare your pond for the season. We will also show you how to divide and re-pot your Aquatic Plants. We will discuss Koi Health and Disease prevention, and much, much more….
Two day tickets can be purchased at Carter’s Nursery, Pond& Patio for $10 ea. (Children free with an Adult). Lunch will be provided on Saturday at the Pond Building Class.
Call Carter’s Nursery, Pond& Patio for more information: 731-424-2206 or E-mail – jocarter@charter.net and check the website at www.cartercountry.com
Thanks and I am looking forward to seeing you here!
~ Mark Carter
Filed under: General Blog Entry's | Tags: Pond Maintenance, Ponds, Water Garden Maintenance, Water Gardens
PLANTS AND DEBRIS:
Remove plant debris and other organic matter. Excess organic matter can contribute to increased algae growth. A large amount of leaves collected in the bottom of your pond will decompose and produce tannins. This can be harmful to your fish and reduce water clarity. Leaves can also collect in the stream and cause a plant dam. It is very important to keep your skimmer net cleaned out regularly during the heavy leaf fall, DAILY if needed. Pond netting which can be purchased at Carter’s Nursery can make these things less problematic and will make it easier on you during the winter.
HEALTHY FISH:
When water temperatures reach 55 degrees F, stop feeding your fish or start using Low Temp fish food. (Available at Carter’s Nursery) At these temperatures, their metabolism slows down and eating normal food can make them sick or even cause death. You should always end their feeding cycle with LOW TEMP OR ANTIBIOTIC FISH FOOD.
WINTER BEAUTY:
Leaving your waterfall running all winter will not hurt anything. As matter of fact, it could give you some beautiful photo op’s. The running water will make some breath taking natural ice sculptures. So keep your camera handy. And get some close ups. But be sure to watch out for ice dams. These can cause your pond to lose some excessive amounts of water.
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER break the ice by banging on it. It can cause your fish great harm – it can even KILL them! To allow the escape/exchange of gasses in a frozen over pond, keep a hole open in the ice. This is IMPORTANT!!! It will keep the gases from building up under the ice and allow for oxygen exchange and keep your fish from suffocating. This will also allow the pump to get water if the surface is frozen. If you have a skimmer, this will be MUCH easier on you! The water movement will help keep the ice from forming. You may need to keep the hole open by adding water from a water hose, bucket or pan of water. (If you use your water hose be sure to drain it when finished-to keep it from freezing and bursting, or keep it in your garage). You can also use a floating heater or a small pump in a shallow area to “flash up’ and break the water surface.
LOW TEMP. BACTERIA:
Use Low Temp bacteria treatments when the water reaches 55 degrees F. This will help keep the pond clean, keep the water healthy and make your Spring pond clean out much easier.
I hope this helps! I still try to enjoy winter, it is really a great season! When I start wishing for Spring I always go back to the words of
Henry David Thoreau –
But the winter was not given to us for no purpose.
We must thaw its cold with our genialness….
“Let us sing winter.” What else can we sing,
and our voices be in harmony with the season?
Thanks, Mark Carter
Filed under: Articles, General Blog Entry's | Tags: Bulbs, Fall Planting, Spring Color, Spring Flowering Bulbs
Everyone loves those gorgeous yellow “Buttercups” (daffodils) that come up early and bring in the Spring season. I still have some daffodils, crocus and grape hyacinths that my grandma planted and it really feels good to see them blooming every Spring! I was asked a question the other day about when and how to plant some Spring Flowering Bulbs while I was on the radio with Bill Way. It was toward the end of the show and we didn’t have a lot of time to go into any detail, so here is a better explanation…
The most popular Spring flowering bulbs are daffodils, tulips, crocus and hyacinths. They are the easiest to grow and find, and the least expensive to buy. You can find them at many Local Nurseries and Garden Centers this time of year (Fall). Here are a few more to check out : alliums, anemones, aconites, dog-tooth violets, fritillaries, grape hyacinths, reticulated iris, glory-of-the-snow, snowdrops, snowflakes, star of Bethlehem.
The best time to plant your bulbs is right now ( In the Fall between Thanksgiving and Christmas), at least it is here in West Tennessee. The bulbs need a lot of cold temp. time to really bloom well, so get them in asap…
First things first… Like I always say, Come up with a Design Idea! Where are you going to plant these bulbs? How many will you need? Are you going to over plant your new bed with annuals like pansy’s or violas? Get out the pencil and paper and come up with a basic design…Once you have a general idea that you like, get your supplies together and get started!
Make sure too …
#1 – Get good quality, firm, heavy bulbs. NO soft, moldy or stunted ones! The bigger the better.
#2 – Get soil amendments to prepare your holes or beds. Organic is the way to go in my opinion! Blood Meal, Bone meal, Compost and chicken manure have always worked well for me. Work the soil well and as deeply as possible; rich soil and good drainage are key. If its heavy clay, work in some sand to improve drainage.
#3 – Plant you bulbs! Most bulbs get planted 2 to 3 times their diameter in depth except for the smaller ones (less that 1 1/2″), plant them 3 to 4 times their dia. deep. REMEMBER – The point goes up! You can use a bulb planter or garden trowel to install them one at a time or you can excavate an area to the proper depth and do a mass planting of your bulbs and back fill with the soil once they are all put into place. I love the effect that a big mass planting of spring color can make! Even a dozen bulbs around the mailbox can make Spring seem more abundant.
After you get them installed remember to mulch! The mulch will help hold moisture, detour weeds, stabilize the ground temperature and it looks great.
I hope this helps and I hope you plant a bunch of beautiful Spring Flowering Bulbs!
- Mark Carter
Filed under: General Blog Entry's | Tags: Composting, Fall Gardening, Organic Gardening, Permaculture
Fall is one of my Favorite seasons! Cooler weather, fall planting and gardening and all the great family gatherings and food are wonderful. Fall is also a GREAT time to start a compost pile. All those leaves, plants and grasses to cut back and all of the upcoming holiday food scraps add up too a great supply of usable components in a compost pile!
Starting a Compost pile is quick , easy and won’t cost you anything to get started! Compost is one of nature’s best mulches and soil amendments and you can use it instead of chemical fertilizers. Compost improves soil structure, texture and increases the soil’s water-holding capacity. Compost loosens clay soils and helps sandy soils to retain water. The organic matter in compost provides food for microorganisms, which in turn keeps the soil in a healthy, balanced condition. Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus are produced naturally by the feeding of microorganisms, so few if any soil amendments will need to be added.
It’s easy to get started .
-Bag your grass clippings and mulch up all those leaves for the compost pile!
-Save those kitchen scraps and add them to the compost pile. Kitchen scraps are typically high in nitrogen, which helps heat up the compost pile and speed up the composting process. Egg shells, coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable peels and scraps are good candidates for the compost pie. But DON’T add meat, grease or other animal products!
- With a compost pile, bigger is often better. Heat builds up with a bigger pile, but you don’t want to get much bigger than about 3 feet by 3 feet, if it’s too big it can be hard to work around. Multiple piles may be in order .
- Aerate your compost! If you are composting with a pile, or in a static (non-tumbling) compost bin, be sure to mix up the contents so that the pile gets oxygen and can break down effectively. Insert a few pvc pipes to get oxygen to the core and Turn it with a pitch fork from time to time .
- Don’t let the compost completely dry out. A compost pile needs moisture to keep the composting process active , BUT , don’t keep it too wet.
- Too much of any one material will slow down the composting process. If you have all leaves, all grass clippings or an overload of any other single type of material, it can throw off the balance of the pile. It’s best to keep a balanced mix of green (nitrogen) and brown (carbon) materials.
When ready, this compost will be wonderful for the whole garden!
Good Luck and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
- Mark Carter
Filed under: General Blog Entry's | Tags: pond, Pond info, Pond Maintenance, Water Garden
I always have a lot of people ask me questions about the fall Water Garden, here are a few tips that will help everyone with their Fall Pond Maintenance.
Plant Debris and Leaves: Remove plant debris and other organic matter from you pond ASAP. Leaves and dead plant matter will settle to the bottom of your pond and will cause poor water clarity and many other water quality issues and can be harmful to your fish! This type of debris is also a breading ground for fungi, bacteria and parasites. If you don’t have a dipping net, get one! This will make your life so much easier.
The use of pond netting during the heavy leaf fall can also help you control this AND checking your skimmer regularly during the fall months will keep your pond in proper working order. This will also make your Spring pond cleaning MUCH easier!
Fish Health: When the water temps reach 60 to 65 degrees, it’s time to switch to Low Temp Fish Food! It’s great for their health and you can feed them for much longer into the Fall and early Winter. Check out our special Carter Country Low Temp Koi Food, it’s made specifically for Koi and decorative pond fish and you can feed them until the water temp is 45 to 50 degrees .
Click Here – http://shop.cartercountry.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=68&products_id=1112&osCsid=10f44d5e0a76ba84ac8296c9cccde54c
This is also a great time to start using Carter Country Low Temperature Bacteria in your pond! It’s specially formulated to work in cold water and will help your Pond and Fish stay in great shape.
Click Here – http://shop.cartercountry.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=68&products_id=1111&osCsid=10f44d5e0a76ba84ac8296c9cccde54c
Get out there and ENJOY the great Fall weather!
- Mark Carter
Filed under: General Blog Entry's | Tags: Bufords Floozy Sauce, Dipping Sauce, Sauces, Shrimp Sauce
Ok everybody, BUFORD’S FLOOZY SAUCE is on sale NOW at the nursery! $5.95 for a jar and your going to want a few! We also take mail orders- 1 jar to a truck load! Your going to LOVE this stuff!!!
We just had a BIG tasting of BUFORD’S FLOOZY SAUCE the other night! We had fresh fried shrimp, fried chicken, catfish, stuffed peppers, fried potatoes, Mushrooms, BBQ Ribs, Pulled Pork, fries and hushpuppies AND it’s all AWESOME with FLOOZY SAUCE!!!
We are the first place you can get this sauce other than the Gulf Coast area around Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and the Panhandle of Florida! Come on by now and get yourself some! It’s made from ALL NATURAL INGREDIENTS and is the best sauce I have ever eaten!
~ Mark
Filed under: General Blog Entry's | Tags: educational workshop, Pond Maintenance, Water Gardens
Carters’ Nursery, Pond & Patio, Inc. and the West TN. Pond and Koi Club are proud to present their 11th Annual Fall Pond Maintenance Workshop. This educational seminar will be FREE to the public and will cover related topics.
Mark Carter, a leading expert on ecological Water Gardens, speaks to pond keepers and gardeners all over the Mid-South. “Water gardening is one of the fastest growing hobby’s in the country,” states Carter. “Finding accurate, reliable information is not always easy. That’s why we started hosting these Workshops 11 years ago. The # 1 purpose is to educate people and help them succeed and enjoy this wonderful, one of a kind hobby to the fullest. Many people have water gardens or Koi ponds but don’t know how to properly care for them. We will walk them through all the steps that it takes to have a low maintenance Water Feature that they can really enjoy.”
During this workshop you will learn how to:
• Clean and winterize your water feature; We will cover ALL types of Water Features from Fountains to Aquatic Container Gardens to Pond and Pondless Water Garden systems.
• Care for Aquatic Plants
• Care for your Fish ( Winter Fish Safety and Health )
We will also cover:
• Fall and Winter Tips
• New Design Ideas and more
WHEN – Saturday, October 17th from 9am till 2pm.
WHERE – Carter’s Nursery,Pond and Patio
2846 Old Medina Road in Jackson, TN
(Just 3/10 of a mile -north of I-40, at Exit 83 / Campbell Street).
HOW DO I REGISTER – It’s Easy! AND it’s FREE!
Just call the Nursery at 731-424-2206 OR E-MAIL us at jocarter@charter.net . Tell us how many will be with your group and your done! Bring a folding lawn chair if you would like, it’s going to be a GREAT morning! Read more on-line at http://www.carterslandscape.com/pond_club/pond_club.html
Filed under: Articles | Tags: Maintenance Workshop, Pond Maintenance, Water Garden Help
Carters’ Nursery, Pond & Patio, Inc. and the West TN. Pond and Koi Club are proud to present their 11th Annual, “Fall Pond Maintenance Workshop”. This educational seminar will be FREE to the public and will cover related topics.
Mark Carter, a leading expert on ecological Water Gardens, speaks to pond keepers and gardeners all over the Mid-South. “Water gardening is one of the fastest growing hobby’s in the country,” states Carter. “Finding accurate, reliable information is not always easy. That’s why we started hosting these Workshops 11 years ago. The # 1 purpose is to educate people and help them succeed and enjoy this wonderful, one of a kind hobby to the fullest. Many people have water gardens or Koi ponds but don’t know how to properly care for them. We will walk them through all the steps that it takes to have a low maintenance Water Feature that they can really enjoy.”
During this workshop you will learn how to :
• Clean and winterize your water feature; We will cover ALL types of Water Features from Fountains to Aquatic Container Gardens to Pond and Pondless Water Garden systems.
• Care for Aquatic Plants
• Care for your Fish ( Winter Fish Safety and Health )
We will also cover
• Fall and Winter Tips
• New Design Ideas and more
WHEN – Saturday, October 17th from 9am till 2pm.
WHERE - Carter’s Nursery,Pond and Patio
2846 Old Medina Road in Jackson, TN
(Just 3/10 of a mile -north of I-40, at Exit 83 / Campbell Street).
HOW DO I REGISTER – It’s Easy! AND it’s FREE!
Just call the Nursery at 731-424-2206 OR E-MAIL us at jocarter@charter.net. Tell us how many will be with your group and your done! Bring a folding lawn chair if you would like, it’s going to be a GREAT morning! Read more on-line at www.cartercountry.com
I have posted this before, but I want to keep in fresh in your minds! The Moonlight Tour is TONIGHT!!! I hope to see you here.
The West Tennessee Pond & Koi club and Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio presents the 5th. Annual Moonlight Pond Tour
to Benefit the Jackson Madison County Humane Society. This self guided Moonlight Pond Tour will feature some of the most beautiful Water Features and Landscape Lighting displays that you can imagine!
You will be exposed to Custom Water Gardens, Ponds, Streams, Pondless Waterfalls and even a few Custom Fountains that are featured on this AWESOME Moonlight Pond Tour.
Seeing these Water Features at Night, watching the Koi swim through the shimmering water and walking through these Moonlit Gardens is an Amazing experience that you will never forget!
Set your calendars and don’t miss the 5th. Annual Moonlight Pond Tour !
What : The 5th. Annual Moonlight Pond Tour . This tour is Self Guided, tour at you own pace and enjoy!
When : Saturday evening October 3rd. From 7:30pm. till 11pm.
Where : All the tour sites are in North Jackson within a short drive from the nursery.
You will get to enjoy the tour without having to rush.
Why : It’s FUN, it’s AFFORDABLE and it supports the Jackson Madison County Humane Society…
HOW can I get TICKETS ??? : Come by Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio any day during normal business hours to get your tickets and map booklets. Tickets are $10 each and children 12 and under are free. Thanks and I hope to see you here!
PS: heres a link to a local Jackson Sun story they ran on the Moonlight Pond Tour – http://www.jacksonsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009910030311
~ Mark Carter
