Carter's Water Garden


Pond Tips | Pond Tip Tuesday | Late Summer Pond Tips | Carters Nursery Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

My pond has been exceptionally beautiful this summer! LOTS of lily blooms and the lotus have been showing out!

My Water Garden plants have been so beautiful this year! But to keep them looking great they need a little TLC | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee

One of the #1 things to do right now is keep your lilies & lotus fed (fertilized) to keep them performing through late summer and into fall. It’s very simple to do! Come by and grab a container of Aquatic Plant Fertilizer Tabs. One of us will show you how to poke em’ down into the root zone of the plant – Boom 💥 Your Done!

AND #2 is to keep your aquatic plant growth in check! All this Hot weather has them growing like weeds 

  •  selectively trim marginal aquatics to keep in check and to promote strong compact growth.
  • remove yellowed unattractive Lilly pads & spent blooms to Promote new growth and bloom.
  • Keep Waterfalls & streams free and clear of excessive plant growth and debris! A plant dam will cause a leak every time!
Koi Love to be hand fed! If yours aren’t eating from your hand yet, try feeding at the same time daily and have patience, it takes a little while to win them over, but once you do, it will be worth the effort  Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee

– Enjoy your Koi! Feed them quality Koi food, but don’t over feed! Over feeding can cause water quality issues…

A little Aquatic Plant touch up now will pay dividends for the rest of the season! Get out there and enjoy.

Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com

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Saturday Morning at Carters Nursery Pond & Patio 🌞 We Are Open Until 2pm! ⛲️

The gates are opening at 8am and we are here to serve YOU today until 2pm!

Its a BEAUTIFUL DAY! Come on in to Carters Nursery and get what you need for your Garden and your Pond! We are loaded with Hanging Baskets, Ferns, Shrubs & Perennials! We’ve got stone by the pound and Sod by the piece! Plus cool hats, jeans, garden decor and gifts in our ’Unique Boutique’…

We are here till 2pm! Y’all Come!

Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com

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Pond Tip Tuesday | Trim & Fertilize Aquatic Plants For Peak Performance | Carters Nursery Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

Summertime is here & with the hot weather comes a HUGE growth of our Aquatic Plants – I LOVE IT! BUT, beware! 

Fertilize your Water Lilies monthly for peak performance.

Pond Tip : Stay ahead of possible plant clogs and stream or waterfall dams by trimming and pruning your aquatic plant growth! It will keep your pond looking great and you will see increased bloom and performance as well! ALSO – Check and empty your skimmer weekly!

Its as simple as that folks! I clip dead or dying lilies once per week (and fertilize monthly during the season)! I also thin marginals as needed – Usually once or twice per season will do the trick! And vola’! NO clogs, or plant dams all season long!

Here’s to a GREAT Summer season around the Ponds! 

PS: We offer weekly & monthly pond maintenance services. Call for more details – 731-424-2206


Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com

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Friday Radio Report | Everybody Talks | Call In! 731-423-8101 | Tune In! WNWS 101.5 FM | Today 9 -11am | Carters Nursery Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

I am walking into the studios of WNWS 101.5 FM, in downtown Jackson, TN! Im about to go LIVE from 9-11 am with Seabass and Chuck Walker – The 2 Hardest Working Men in Showbusiness! Join us today on “Everybody Talks”!

I’m on today 9-11am Call in and lets have some FUN! 731-423-8101

Summer is Coming!

Get ready, Summer is Coming!

June 21st is the official 1st. Day! So get your questions ready! We will be talking Outdoor Living, Koi Ponds, Gardening, trimming, mulching, landscaping, Hummingbird watching, The coming ‘Summer Pond Tour’ to benefit the Jackson Animal Care Center AND Just about anything else that YOU want to talk about! Ask a question, send in a picture, share a story (but please, NO politics!) It’s Friday! Call in and join us – 731-423-8101 

For 20 years Ive been involved with this Friday Talk Show and it just keeps getting better! The phone # is still the same – 731-423-8101


This years Summer Pond Tour will showcase many unique, custom water gardens, koi ponds, pondless waterfalls, disappearing fountains and of course LOTS of gorgeous landscaping! This Self Guided Tour is located in Jackson, TN. (Madison County) and is easy to follow. The Summer Pond Tour is a fundraiser for the Jackson Animal Care Center, 100% of ticket sales go to help them, so tell all your friends!

Tickets are $20 ea. (kids under 12 are FREE!). 100% of ALL ticket sales & donations go to the Jackson Animal Care Center.

What: 24th. Annual Summer Pond Tour
When: Saturday, June 25th. 9am. till 5pm.
Where can I get Tickets? Call or come by Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio at 2846 Old Medina Rd. Jackson, Tn. 38305 or call Jo or Sandra at 731-424-2206
How much are tickets? Tickets are $20 ea. (kids 12 and under are FREE!). 100% of ticket sales goes to the Jackson Animal Care Center!

– HEY, You can listen, and you can call in and talk… the # is the same that it has been for over 20 years – 731-423-8101. But, did you know you can text your comments and questions? 731-277-5155

Did you know you can text us? Texting us is so easy! 731-277-5155 Everybody’s doin it… 

Come by and see us at the Nursery! We are open today until 4pm! 

Summer is Coming at Carters! 

We have Everything for your Pond and Water Garden at Carters Nursery Pond & Patio. From Seasonal Food and Water Treatments to Filters and Supplies, we have you covered! 

You can get all your Pond Supplies at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio. 

Plus – LOTS of plants are in as well! Come by for flowers, hanging baskets and mulch!

Fridays on the radio are always so much fun! Give us a call 731-423-8101.

TGIF! See ya’ on the air 9-11am!

Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com

YouTube pg. –
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Sunday Reflections…

What a BEAUTIFUL Day!!! 🌞🌼 What do you do on an Sunday in the Spring, when you own a nursery, with limited help and beau·coup plants 🪴? You water 🚿 and then you water 🚿 some more… And in between, you clean and cut back and fertilize, ad infinitum… But, on a day like today, its not an awful deal…

“Spring drew on…and a greenness grew over those brown beds, which, freshening daily suggested the thought that hope traversed them at night, and left each morning brighter traces of her steps.”

~ Charlotte Bronte’

I’m going inside… Been a long day 😊

Mark C.



Pond Tip Tuesday | Spring Pond Tips | Carters Nursery Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

Spring is no longer a rumor… It is HERE! People are calling in a frenzy to get their names on our maintenance list to insure they get their Ponds Serviced for the season! Its always exciting moving in to Spring Pond Season! Getting ready for another great year with our Koi Ponds and Water Gardens ❤️ Guess what? A proper Spring Pond Cleaning is the key to success!

If you want clean, clear water and healthy Koi, a good Spring Cleaning is of utmost importance!

We clean a LOT of Water Features for our Clients. But, many do their own clean out. So for the all the DIY’s out there, here’s a great little checklist to help you prepare for your clean-out. Experience has taught me that ALL projects benefit from advanced planning! Having all the necessary supplies on hand before you get started always makes it go faster and easier.

Come by the Pond Shack for all your Pond Supplies.

Planning ahead a little just means you can spend less time working on your pond and more time ENJOYING it!

Here’s a list of supplies you will need! 👇🏻

1. Fish Nets – Before you drain your pond for the spring clean-out, you’ll need to catch and relocate your fish. Purchasing a good quality net means doing this without injuring your fish during the catch and release.

2. Planting Pots – Spring clean-out is a great time to thin and divide plants that have grown out of bounds or crowded a pot. Make sure you have some aquatic plant pots & aquatic plant soil handy so you can re-pot and share your new plants with other water gardeners.

3. Extra Gravel – After the freeze and thaw of winter, you’ll inevitably find rocks and gravel that have shifted, exposing bare liner. With an extra bag or two of gravel, you can cover exposed liner in a jiffy.

4. Aquatic Plant Fertilizer – Take advantage of the water-free accessibility of water lilies, lotus, and other plants that may need to be fertilized, by having a container of aquatic plant fertilizer tabs on hand when you’re doing your pond clean-out.

5. Container for Plant Debris – Grab an old plastic plant pot or bucket so you can easily dispose of any debris that you gather from the pond bottom or from dead plant matter.

6. Rubber Gloves and Boots – Spring clean-outs can be cold, wet, and messy. Arming yourself with boots and gloves will go a long way toward making this chore much less unpleasant.

7. Fish Container – A large tub or tank will be needed so you can have a roomy place to keep your fish during the clean-out. Use water from the pond to fill the tank and use a small fountain pump to re-circulate the water.

8. Net to Cover the Fish Container – Fish, especially large Koi, jump, and they may very well jump right out of the container that you have set up for them. Be sure to cover it with a net that is pulled tight across the container to prevent them from jumping.

9. Pump and Discharge Pipe – To drain the water out of the pond, you will need a pump and some discharge pipe. It’s OK to use your pond pump, but even better if you have an extra pump to lessen the wear and tare on your pond pump. About 2,000 GPH, depending on the size of your pond, will do the trick.

10. High Pressure Nozzle – Use a pressure nozzle on your garden hose to dislodge debris and algae from the rocks.

11. Pond Detox – Always detox the newly filled pond before you put the fish back in.

12. Expanding Foam – Expanding foam may need a bit of a touch up in some areas. Be prepared with a can of it just in case.

13. New Filter Mats – Filter mats should be replaced approximately every 3 years. If you think it might be time, be prepared by purchasing replacements prior to your clean-out.

14. Pruners – Part of a spring clean-out is pruning back dead plant material from the previous season. Make sure you have a good pair of pruners and/or scissors to get the job done.

15. Plastic Rake – You can rake the leaves right out of your pond with a small plastic (child’s) rake. The plastic lessens the chance of damaging the liner and the small size makes it easier to maneuver in tight spots than an adult size rake.

Always, always, always detoxify your pond after a clean-out! We carry this product in stock at the Pond Shack at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio. Get a bottle BEFORE your cleanout

After the Water Feature is thoroughly cleaned, re-filled, detoxed and running, carefully place the fish back in the pond & start adding fresh Cold Temperature Bacteria to the Pond to get the system up and running correctly.

After a clean-out , we recommend you start adding Beneficial Cold Water Bacteria right away. Add by label instructions and after you have used the full bottle of Cold Water Formula, it will probably be time to switch over to regular Beneficial Bacteria. Get all your Water Feature Treatments at Carters Nursery Pond & Patio.

With a little work you too will be ready for a Great outdoor season.

Its Springtime Baby! 🌼

Happy Pond Tip Tuesday!

Have a great day! 

Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com

YouTube pg. –
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6dPkQiE04jcr385SOL0gkw

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Pond Tip Tuesday | Pond Workshop This Saturday | Get Real Pond Tips From Real Pond Guys | Carters Nursery Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

Saturday, March 19th – 9am till 2pm. – Carter’s Nursery Pond & Patio will host an Aquatic Workshop & Customer Appreciation Day! We will have a Pond Maintenance Workshop where we will clean a Koi Pond, divide and pot up aquatic plants & more. We will discuss Pond and Waterfall Design and we will have a full supply of Water Treatments and products for the Spring and Summer season!

Shane and Adam teaching how its done.

Koi Food, Water Treatments, Filters, Pumps, Plumbing and more will be in stock! 

Everything for the Koi Pond and even the Lake! 

We will have local Artist Matt Brown setting up a Gallery within the Nursery and Gardens at Carters Nursery 

Local artist Matt Brown will be setting up an Art Gallery within the gardens at The Nursery. Come enjoy and support local Art. 

 AND, we will be bringing in Pizzas for Lunch along with Snacks & refreshments for all that attend. Come out and help us kick off SPRING! (Saturday March 19th. From 9amtill 2pm.) This is a FREE event.

Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com

YouTube pg. –
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6dPkQiE04jcr385SOL0gkw

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Carters Nursery Pond & Patio’s Annual Spring Aquatic Workshop & Customer Appreciation Day Will Be Saturday, March 19th.

It’s March! The 1st. Month of Spring! We always try to kick it off with a BIG Open House! This year will be no different!
~ Y’all Come on!

We will all be welcoming spring!

Saturday, March 19th – 9am till 2pm. – Carter’s Nursery Pond & Patio will host an Aquatic Workshop & Customer Appreciation Day! We will have a Pond Maintenance Workshop where we will clean a Koi Pond, divide and pot up aquatic plants & more. We will discuss Pond and Waterfall Design and we will have a full supply of Water Treatments and products for the Spring and Summer season!

Shane and Adam teaching how its done.

Koi Food, Water Treatments, Filters, Pumps, Plumbing and more will be in stock!

Everything for the Koi Pond and even the Lake!

We will have local Artist Matt Brown setting up a Gallery within the Nursery and Gardens at Carters Nursery 🖼 

Local artist Matt Brown will be setting up an Art Gallery within the gardens at The Nursery. Come enjoy and support local Art.

 AND, we will be bringing in Pizzas for Lunch along with Snacks & refreshments for all that attend. Come out and help us kick off SPRING! (Saturday March 19th. From 9amtill 2pm.) This is a FREE event. 

Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com

YouTube pg. –
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6dPkQiE04jcr385SOL0gkw

Facebook pg. – https://www.facebook.com/mark.carter.775

Pinterest pg. – https://www.pinterest.com/cartersnursery/



Pond Tips | Pond Tip Tuesday | Cleaning Your Koi Pond | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

The days are getting longer! Spring approachith… Soon it will be time to start our pond maintenance crews to doing the yearly work of cleaning Ponds & Water Gardens for the season. People are already calling in to get their names on our maintenance list to insure they get their Ponds Serviced for the season! Its always exciting to get ready for another great year with our Koi Ponds and Water Gardens, and a proper Late Winter/Early Spring Pond Cleaning is the key to success!

If you want clean, clear water and healthy Koi, a good Spring Cleaning is paramount! Spring is coming!

We clean a LOT of Water Features for our Clients. But many do their own clean out.

For the all the DIY’s out there, here’s a little checklist to help you be ready. My experience has taught me that projects of any type benefit from advanced planning. Having all the necessary supplies on hand before you get started always makes it go faster and easier.

HELPFUL TIP: it’s good planning to get your Aquatic Plant fertilizer tabs now, BEFORE draining your pond and then realizing you should have got them when you bought your low temp bacteria and dechlorinator. This keeps you from running to the store in the middle of your clean-out (which can mean a whole day of work instead of a half day) and it allows you to fertilize your plants while the pond is drained instead of later when the pond is full again.

Planning ahead a little just means you can spend less time working on your pond and more time ENJOYING it!

1. Fish Nets – Before you drain your pond for the spring clean-out, you’ll need to catch and relocate your fish. Purchasing a good quality net means doing this without injuring your fish during the catch and release.

2. Planting Pots – Spring clean-out is a great time to thin and divide plants that have grown out of bounds or crowded a pot. Make sure you have some aquatic plant pots & aquatic plant soil handy so you can re-pot and share your new plants with other water gardeners.

3. Extra Gravel – After the freeze and thaw of winter, you’ll inevitably find rocks and gravel that have shifted, exposing bare liner. With an extra bag or two of gravel, you can cover exposed liner in a jiffy.

4. Aquatic Plant Fertilizer – Take advantage of the water-free accessibility of water lilies, lotus, and other plants that may need to be fertilized, by having a container of aquatic plant fertilizer tabs on hand when you’re doing your pond clean-out.

5. Container for Plant Debris – Grab an old plastic plant pot or bucket so you can easily dispose of any debris that you gather from the pond bottom or from dead plant matter.

6. Rubber Gloves and Boots – Spring clean-outs can be cold, wet, and messy. Arming yourself with boots and gloves will go a long way toward making this chore much less unpleasant.

7. Fish Container – A large tub or tank will be needed so you can have a roomy place to keep your fish during the clean-out. Use water from the pond to fill the tank and use a small fountain pump to re-circulate the water.

8. Net to Cover the Fish Container – Fish, especially large Koi, jump, and they may very well jump right out of the container that you have set up for them. Be sure to cover it with a net that is pulled tight across the container to prevent them from jumping.

9. Pump and Discharge Pipe – To drain the water out of the pond, you will need a pump and some discharge pipe. It’s OK to use your pond pump, but even better if you have an extra pump to lessen the wear and tare on your pond pump. About 2,000 GPH, depending on the size of your pond, will do the trick.

10. High Pressure Nozzle – Use a pressure nozzle on your garden hose to dislodge debris and algae from the rocks.

11. Pond Detox – Always detox the newly filled pond before you put the fish back in.

12. Expanding Foam – Expanding foam may need a bit of a touch up in some areas. Be prepared with a can of it just in case.

13. New Filter Mats – Filter mats should be replaced approximately every 3 years. If you think it might be time, be prepared by purchasing replacements prior to your clean-out.

14. Pruners – Part of a spring clean-out is pruning back dead plant material from the previous season. Make sure you have a good pair of pruners and/or scissors to get the job done.

15. Plastic Rake – You can rake the leaves right out of your pond with a small plastic (child’s) rake. The plastic lessens the chance of damaging the liner and the small size makes it easier to maneuver in tight spots than an adult size rake.

Always, always, always detoxify your pond after a clean-out! We carry this product in stock at the Pond Shop at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio. Get a bottle BEFORE your cleanout 😊

After the Water Feature is thoroughly cleaned, re-filled, detoxed and running, carefully place the fish back in the pond & start adding fresh Cold Temperature Bacteria to the Pond to get the system up and running correctly.

After a clean-out , we recommend you start adding Beneficial Cold Water Bacteria right away. Add by label instructions and after you have used the full bottle of Cold Water Formula, it will probably be time to switch over to regular Beneficial Bacteria. Get all your Water Feature Treatments at Carters Nursery.

With a little work you will be ready for a Great outdoor season.

It won’t be long now! Spring is Coming!

Have a great day! 

Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com

YouTube pg. –
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6dPkQiE04jcr385SOL0gkw

Facebook pg. – https://www.facebook.com/mark.carter.775

Pinterest pg. – https://www.pinterest.com/cartersnursery/



Pond Tip Tuesday | Keep Those Aquatic Plants Blooming! | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

Here we are already past the mid point of July… Your Waterlilies are still blooming, but they seem… tired 😓 All those fantastic blooms, take a LOT of energy! NOW is the time to prepare your Lilies and Lotus for the ‘Late season push’…

Giving your aquatic plants a little trim and feeding them with some easy to apply aquatic fertilizer tabs will help them to perform well into the Fall season!

My Pond Tip today – Keep your Aquatic Plants fed and trimmed. 

Try doing these 2 things and you can thank me later

#1 keep your lilies & lotus fed (fertilized) to keep them performing into late summer and fall. It’s very simple to do! Come by and grab a container of Aquatic Plant Fertilizer Tabs. One of us will show you how to poke em’ down into the root zone of the plant… and your done… It’s that simple

Your Aquatic Plants will flourish with a little TLC. Do it now and enjoy them all the way to frost in late October.

AND #2 is to keep your aquatic plant growth in check! All this Warm weather has them growing like weeds

  •  selectively trim marginal aquatics to keep in check and to promote strong compact growth.
  • remove yellowed unattractive Lilly pads & spent blooms to Promote new growth and bloom.
  • Keep Waterfalls & streams free and clear of excessive plant growth and debris! A plant dam will cause a leak every time!

That’s my Pond Tip for the week. It will keep your plants in top shape well into Fall & it will get you up and out in the garden for some much needed “Aquatherapy” 😊

Have a great night!


Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com

YouTube pg. –
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6dPkQiE04jcr385SOL0gkw

Facebook pg. – https://www.facebook.com/mark.carter.775

Pinterest pg. – https://www.pinterest.com/cartersnursery/