Filed under: Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, music, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pondless Waterfalls, Videos, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Articles, Flipboard, Gardening answers, Gardening Ideas, Gardening Info, I ❤️ Koi, I ❤️ My Job!, I ❤️ Ponds, I ❤️ Waterfalls, Lifestyle Video, magazine, Outdoor Lifestyle Area, outdoor lifestyles, Outdoor Living, Stories, The Great Outdoors, Videos
I started this digital magazine a while back. It has stories, articles & videos all about the ‘Outdoor Lifestyle’. It’s called a “Flipboard” & I think you’ll like it 😊 Click the link & start flipping. If you enjoy it, subscribe.
Flip through my magazine for articles & videos all about the Lifestyle. Click on the link you see below
Happy Pondering 🤔
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Filed under: Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Cold Weather, Cool Season Water Treatments, Floating Pond De-icer, Hump Day, Hump Day Koi Fix, Hump Day Koi Story, I ❤️ Koi, Koi Health, Koi History, Waterfall Pumps, Winter, Winter Koi care, Winter Pond Problems, Winter Pond Tips, Winter Ponds, Winter Temperatures
Man it’s COLD! WOW! I walked out to check on my Water Garden a few minutes ago ❄️ Folks, it’s Cold out there! I was at a full trot by the time I made it back to the door 😳 My dogs were even ready to come back in!
Scout and Ranger were both fully dressed, so I don’t think they got as cold as I did 😇 LOL!
Good News! My Water Garden is doing fine! My Koi have assumed the position “Hovering at the bottom” as usual this time of year… So, alls well with the Pond 😊They are just like me, waiting for Spring!
But, I still get a few calls every year when it gets ‘Really Cold’ outside, especially when you see some icing, and it’s almost always the same few questions, with #1 lately (today) being, “Will my Koi be ok in Cold like this’? First, let me say – What a considerate question! People LOVE their pets 😊 So, let me give you the good news… Yes! Your Koi will survive this cold snap and will be just fine!
Koi are cold blooded (Poikilothermic) fish, In the wintertime, their metabolism slows to a crawl. They can usually be found at the bottom of the pond, hovering, ie: treading water. | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson,
Tennessee
There are a few things that you can do to help them through a cold snap! # 1 is – IF your Pond tries to freeze – Keep a hole open in the ice! This should be a preventative measure and hopefully not a reactionary one…
If you turn your ponds pump off in a bad freeze, use a floating heater/de-icer to maintain a hole in the ice to exchange gases/oxygen for your fish’s health and well being. You can purchase a floating pond heater at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio.
There are a LOT of articles on this BLOG that will help you with your Water Garden & Koi! But, to cover today’s question/concerns, Your Koi will be OK 👌🏻
Stay warm! Remember- Spring is Coming!
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Filed under: Family time, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Love, music, Videos | Tags: Cold Weather, Family time, music, Organizing, Two For Tuesday, Vinal Rules
It’s COLD! Even colder tonight, and tomorrow, forget about it! Highs in the 20’s… So we’ve been going through our albums… Reorganizing, by band, by release date, alphabetically… Yea, I know… But I do Love listening to music! I saved a couple of songs out just perfect for a cold, wintry Tuesday!
Their first & maybe, their best… I’ve got the cassette, the CD, & the Album-dont know where that 8 track got off too 😊 The sound of the Vinal is still the best!
A great day to listen to music 😊
Stay Warm!
Mark C.
Filed under: Family time, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Lake and Pond, Love, Outdoor Lifestyles, Videos, Waterfalls | Tags: Buffalo River, Canoeing, Creek, Floating, Gods Country, I ❤️ Waterfalls, Kayaking, Moment of Zen, Rivers, Spring is Coming, Streams, The Great Outdoors, Zen
This ones a little different than usual, BUT – there’s not much more of a free “Zen like” feeling than being on the open water in your kayak just floating down the river 😊 This is a local place that’s convenient & nice. Their rates are fair & the people are friendly. I am ready for Spring & “river weather”! Enjoy 😉
Happy Pondering! And stay warm this week!
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Filed under: Family time, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Love, Outdoor Lifestyles, Sunday Reflections | Tags: Spring is Coming, Sunday in the Garden, Sunday Inspiration, Sunday Mornings, Sunday Reflections, Sunday with Family, Sundays, Sunrises
A beautiful morning! Cold, but not too cold. I put my coat on and went for a little walk, you can see and feel that Spring is coming, but not just yet…
A beautiful Winter morning sunrise!
The calendar flips to February this week, another milestone on our road to Spring! Not to rush the seasons, but I am ready 😊
Now it’s on to breakfast with my family, Sunday’s reward! Time with family is the 1 thing you can’t purchase more of… Love = Time on a cold Sunday morning!
The fruit offsets all the pork in a proper breakfast meal 🥘😇
“Is not January the hardest month to get through? When you have weathered that, you get into the gulfstream of winter, nearer the shores of spring”.
~ Henry David Thoreau
Have a Happy Sunday!
~ Mark C.
Filed under: Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pondless Waterfalls, Videos, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: 5 gallon Bucket, Bad Weather, Cold Weather, Dry Hose, Freezing Temps., Ice Safety, Icy Waterfall, Natural Beauty, Never Break The Ice
Almost every year we get a good cold snap. January is usually the month when it happens too. Guess what, next week, it’s on!
Sustained freezing temps = ICE. Ice makes beautiful formations around the waterfalls, But there’s more to know.
Momday night the temperature will drop down in the teens, we will get some snow and ice, and the temps will stay below Freezing (32 degrees) for 5-6 days… ❄️ Those of us with Koi ponds can either stay ahead and be ready, OR we can wait till it happens and say “what can I do & why did this happen”… My advice – Be prepared!
– To be ready it’s as simple as this – keep a water hose ready for use! A water hose that’s DRY, ie: no water in it so it won’t be frozen! WHY you ask? Because you may have to add some water to your Pond when the ice takes up enough water in the system as the following video will show you. Keep 2 things ready at all times in the Winter months – a dry hose & a 5 gallon bucket. If you do that, you will be good 😊 Watch this short video for more info –
Be ready! And Happy Pondering!
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Filed under: Family time, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pondless Waterfalls, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: 101.5 FM, 5 gallon Bucket, 731-423-8101, Floating Pond De-icer, Floating Pond Heater, Friday blog, Friday Radio Report, Friday’s, gardening 101, Gardening answers, gardening questions, Koi Health, Pond Aeration, Spring Planting, Winter Koi care, Winter Planting, Winter Pond Problems, Winter Pond Tips, Winterize Hoses, Winterize Sprinkler Systems
It was a beautiful, cold morning with the 180 Crew at WNWS 101.5 FM this morning! Dan & Sea Bass are ‘Keepin it real’! Lori Nunnery was in the house giving the low down on what’s happening in J Town! Check out more on what’s happening in our great little town at the web site – https://jacksontn.com/tourism/
Lot of enthusiasm for the return of Spring & LOTS of gardening questions –
- Can I plant trees and shrubs now? Yes!
- Can I start a compost now? Yes! Use all those excessive leafs and landscape debris along with kitchen scraps like vegetable peaking, egg shells, coffee grounds, etc.
- What can I do to keep my pond from freezing? Several things can help you. First a floating pond heater is a great tool! It only kicks on when temps fall below freezing and it will keep a hole open in the ice! Also – an aeration unit wil bubble up and keep the surface moving. OR you can use a small pump close to the surface to flash up and keep a hole open.
- When is a good time to amend the soil in my garden? Any time now if the ground is workable.
- Do I have blueberries in stock? YES! 25% off!
- When can I start feeding my Koi again? It’s all about water temperature! Above 50 degrees is the magic #!
This is a true statement! I love my Koi & I’m counting the days till it’s feeding time again!
Sonic Blast of the Past question – Who played Louie Depalma in the TV series Taxi??? The winner gets a $10 gift card! John L. Called in almost immediately with the answer! Interesting fact – Danny Devito is 4’ 10” tall…
Great show! Have a great weekend!
I’m on with the 180 Crew – Dan Reaves & Sea Bass- every Friday from 9-11am Call in with ALL your gardening and Outdoor Lifestyle questions at 731-423-8101.
OR you can TEXT us at 731-277-5155. Listen LIVE at 101.5 WNWS – FM Talk Radio – on your smart phone using your TuneIn app.!
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Filed under: General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles | Tags: Compost Tea, Composted Manure, Fruit, Gardening, Growing Blueberries, Mulching, Organic Gardening, PH of Blueberries, Pruning, Southern Blueberries, Trimming Blueberries, Vernicompost
I ❤️ blueberries! I eat them most everyday too! They are great in oatmeal, cereal, salads, fruit salads, smoothies, pies, juice, Ad infinitum… Blueberries rock!!! They are also a native fruit that grow well in many areas.
Blueberries are a very rewarding plant. Beautiful, hardy & the fruit is so tasty and healthy! | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
Here in the South with our long growing season & plentiful water, growing blueberries is a no-brainer’… I LOVE to put them in with ornamentals too! They make a great fill in plant along a sunny foundation or a backdrop for a bird feeding area or even as a screening hedge! Very versatile 😊
Tips for Growing –
– One of the most important things to remember when growing blueberry plants is that they need a very low PH (acidic 4.5 – 5.5 or so) to grow well & thrive. So yearly you have to check PH and usually add an acidifier like Sulfur, Aluminum Sulfate, Ammonium Sulfate, etc… I usually opt for the organic sulfur because I am eating these 🙂 AND, I think it gives a better, sweeter taste.
I recommend using an Organic Acidifier (Sulfur) to keep the PH low. This will make for healthy, vigorous Blueberries, that just taste great! | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
– If your planting Blueberries in our area, initial soil prep is key! Build up beds a little to aid in drainage. Till in some peat and some organic compost. Apply sulfur as needed based on PH test.
– Planting the right varieties is huge too! Always choose Southern Rabbit eye varieties for success in our area. A few of my favorites are – Premier, Tifblue, Powder Blue & Climax. Fertilize with an organic fertilizer for fruit in late Winter/early Spring. Then I feed several times throughout the season with an organic compost tea and side dress mid season with a little composted manure. Mulching is very important too! Try crushed pine bark or pine needles. Both are acidic and work well.
– Click on this link below to learn about how to trim/prune your blueberries for better form & function!
https://savvygardening.com/pruning-blueberries/
PS: This is a great time to set out some blueberries! And, a great time to prune & apply compost & sulphur for PH to your existing bushes.
Good Luck! & Happy Gardening!
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Filed under: General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Fish Feeding, Hand Feeding Koi, Hump Day, Hump Day Koi Fix, Hump Day Koi Story, I ❤️ Koi, I ❤️ My Job!, Koi Facts, Koi Fix, Koi Health, Koi info, Koi Story, Spring is Coming
We are in the middle of yet another week in our journey towards Spring, and the return to feeding & enjoying our Koi!
Its been COLD this week too… Cold & Wet! I am so ready for a warm up 🌞Here’s a few pics from around the place that I hope will warm your hearts a bit 😊 They do mine!
Click on the link below to see more.
Stay warm!
Spring is Coming!
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Filed under: Family time, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pondless Waterfalls, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Brooksies Barn, CAC, Carters Nursery, Custom Water Features, Designer, Feeling Good, Good food, Good Fortune, Good Times, I ❤️ Waterfalls, Koi Ponds, Master CAC, Old Friends, Water Features, Water Gardens, Water Shaper
I had a Friend from the other side of the country stop in to say hi yesterday. Paul has been described as a “real Arizona cowboy” & I concur 😊 It was a very pleasant surprise indeed! We started out as colleagues/peers in the same business many years ago but became fast friends that have stayed in touch now for 20 years! We are both professional “Water Shapers”, ie: we both design and build Water Features- Koi Ponds, Water Gardens, Streams & Waterfalls, etc… Over the years we became friends as did our wives & we watched each other’s kids grow up through pictures on Facebook and such… Pretty cool huh 😊
Here’s a great comparison shot from many, many years ago on the bottom when we built a Water Garden In Little Rock Arkansas for P. Allen Smith to the top picture from last night. 😊 Can you pick us both out in the bottom photo?
All these years and yesterday was the first time he had been to my place in Tennessee 😳 We went to dinner 🥘 and he said “take me somewhere local” – So we went to Brooksies Barn and had catfish, pulled pork, ribs & more. We walked in, but we ate so much that we limped out 😂
Brooksies is a one of a kind local joint with great food! Fried catfish, pulled pork bbq & frog legs are just a few of their specialties.
Visiting with old friends is a special thing! Especially when the friendship developed from professional respect for a colleague.
Aristotle said there were 3 types of friendships-
1- friendships of utility (useful to one another)
2- friendships of pleasure (you have fun and enjoy each other’s company)
3- friendships of the good (these are based on mutual respect and admiration. These friendships take longer to build than the other two kinds–but they’re also more powerful and enduring).
Paul, ours is definitely a type 3 😊 Friendship of the Good! But, we have had fun together & have worked together and been useful to one another too… Boom! Trifecta! Hat trick!
Great to see and catch up with an Old Friend!
Have a great day – and here’s to Good Friends!
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Carter's Water Garden 