Good morning š Itās the 1st Monday of the Autumn season, so I wanted to share a beautiful Waterfall this morning that sits right under a gorgeous Red Maple tree. It has turned to Fall color now, and coupled with the sound of the Water, it makes for a very nice place to sit and prepare for the day.
I hope this has helped you find that Moment of Zen for your day as well. šš»
Good Morning! Brace yourselfā¦ This is the last morning of late Summerā¦ tomorrow is the Autumnal Equinox, ie; The 1st day of FallĀ š
Fall will bring many changes to our Gardens and Ponds, its important to stay ahead of the game!
I always try to post proactive things you can do to keep your Water Garden clean and your Koi healthy over the Fall & Winter. Things like ā Cutting your aquatic plants back, using pond/Koi netting, watching your skimmer more closely, feeding Cool Temp Koi Food, etc. ā Thereās another very important thing you can do to really keep your ecosystem active and working wellĀ
ā Switch to Cool Season Beneficial Bacteria!
We stock a complete line of Water Treatment Products for your Pond and Water Garden. Including Cold Temp Beneficial Bacteria | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
Our Cold Water Beneficial Bacteria works and keeps on working when the plants and fish arenāt active and really helps the quality of your Pond Water! It is extremely effective at reducing sludge, dead and decaying leaves and plants, built up fish waste & excess nutrients like ammonia, nitrates & phosphates. These things make for poor water quality, reduced water clarity and can have catastrophic effects on your fishes health.
The next piece of āLow Hanging Fruitā im going to serve up is this : Every Pond should have a floating Pond thermometerĀ Ā Our finned friends are cold blooded & water temperature is very important when it comes to seasonal feeding times. Pick one up at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio today.
This should be standard equipment in every Koi Pond and Water Garden. Grab one at Carters Nursery todayā¦
The last Pond Tip for today is this ā āOur Koi have eaten well this year & have put on a good bit of fat to get them through the Cool Season ahead. Now is the time that many of my clients and fellow Koi enthusiasts start asking a very important questionā¦
ā When do I stop feeding regular food and start feeding Cool Season Koi Food?
When the water temperature drops below 60 degrees Fahrenheit you should switch to a Lower Protein, Cool Season Koi Food. We like to call it the āRule Of 60āā¦ | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
Switching to a Cool Temperature Koi Food is very important for the health of your Koi!
Well thats enough for todayĀ Ā I just want you all to be ready with the tools and things you need to easily succeed during the changing of the seasons.Ā
Tomorrow is the start of a new Season! Are You ready for some Fall?Ā š š š„
PS: Join us October 1st for a FREE Pond Maintenance Workshop!
The rising sun revealed varying amounts of damage. Some lost trees, lots of roof damage, hail damage on cars, limbs and debris all over… Thousands still have no power this morning. BUT, in many ways we dodged a bullet! I haven’t heard of any deaths related to last nights storms! šš» And it really brought many people together helping each other out, checking on neighbors, picking up debris, etc…
Here are a few images that local people posted of storm damage and a map of power outages that are still being repaired.
All our local workers are cleaning up and repairing damage as I write this. Things like this really bring things into focus. We must all count our blessings šš»
Now, heres an old clicheā for yaā… āIf you donāt like the weather, just wait a minute, it will changeā! Temps in the 70ās and tornados yesterday – Frost warning Tonight! š„¶
Cover tender plants, bring in house plants, etc… Frost in the AM!
Have a great day! Count your Blessings! Love thy neighbor! And cover your plants šŖ“ š
We are almost at the end of 2021! As we count down the last few days, I find myself dreaming and planning for next season š I always get a certain feeling this time of year, itās hard to explain it… itās a combination of things… Excitement, exhaustion, hidden energy, creative thought, melancholy, and more all rolled up into a memorable, annual feeling! But excitement for the new year is always in the forefront!
We start the New Year with a big family dinner! The old school, traditional New Years food…
As far back as I can remember we have always kept the New Years tradition of eating a BIG family dinner! We have fried Hog Jowl, Black Eyed Peas, Turnip Greens, Cornbread and so much more ā¦ Iām ready to Welcome in 2022!
I also love my planning sessions! I try to do a yearly calendar and business plan… Without a plan and a target, who are you and where are you aiming!?
Every year I sit down and plan events with a fresh new calendar. This new year will be no different! If you fail to plan, your planning to fail! Iām looking forward to a great 2022!
Ready or not, 2022 is Coming! I hope itās the best ever for ALL of us!
Good Morning! š The weekend is behind us and new challenges are on the horizon… If you are focused and mentally prepared, you can meet any challenge head on. My Waterfalls and Koi help me find that place of focus, that place of Zen. Check out the short clip of my Waterfall and fish from last night šš»
The waterfall sounds, the frogs šø and the Koi make for quite the show. Itās a show I watch everyday š I hope this clip shows you what Iām talking about. Have a blessed Monday!
This is just a friendly warning to be ready… We have 2 nights of below freezing temperatures coming and 3 mornings of probable frost! Be prepared!
Bring houseplants back inside. Cover tender plants with row covers, sheets or whatever you have available to protect them. Unhook and drain your hoses… Itās a lot of work, but worth it in my opinion.
Many peoples ornamental trees have started to emerge (Japanese Maples) as well as perennials and have even set out peppers and tender annual crops…
Things we can do ā
Bring in potted plants
Cover tender plants with sheets and/or plastic!
Cover veggies š š¶ š½
IF you have an irrigation system, time it to come on before sunrise and run till after. Waters thermal properties are amazing.
We canāt change the weather, but we can be prepared!
I even cover my Japanese Maples! Ā Lots to do, but itās worth the effort! This has been an eventful weather year, but fret not! We will get past this soon. Donāt you just LOVE Tennessee Weather š
Have a great day & be ready! You have been warnedā¦
2020 has been a CRAZY year so far!!! Now to top it all off, we have a chance of a VERY Late Frost! š§ A RECORD LOW!!!Ā
Break out the sheets and plastic, we got a crazy late frost heading our way Friday night into Saturday morning thatās gonna break records & some hearts! š¢
Things we can do –
Ā Bring in potted plantsĀ
Cover tender plants with sheets and/or plastic!
Cover veggies š š¶ Ā š½
IF you have an irrigation system, time it to come on before sunrise and run till after. Waters thermal properties are amazing.
We canāt change the weather, but we can be prepared!Ā
I even cover my Japanese Maples! Ā Lots to do, but itās worth the effort! This has been an eventful weather year, but fret not! We will get past this & see smooth sailing soon āµļøĀ
I thought March 21st was the 1st day of Spring? Well normally yes, but sometimes the 20th is it… But never the 19th or the 22nd… NOT SO FAST!
This year we will see an early Spring for sure! March 19th. to be exact!
Several factors have caused this earlier than normal Spring date. I have attached an article from the Farmers Almanac below that explains the whole deal. Check it out šš»
Winter is Coming! I really want everyone with a Water Garden or Koi Pond to be prepared and to stay ahead of potential problems. Cold weather is here and snow is in the forecast, so being prepared is important. I post this every year, but I still Ā get people asking me these questions. So I have learned to keep on posting! Repetition is a huge part of getting a message throughā¦ Be prepared š
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 Carterās Nursery can make these things less problematic and will make it easier on you during the winter.
We stock bulk pond netting at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio in Jackson, TN | It will keep debris out of your pond & help protect your fish from predators during the cold, bare months.
HEALTHY FISH:
Its time to STOP feeding your Koi. The water temps are below 50 degrees F Ā here in West Tn Ā now, so itās timeā¦ Spring isnāt really that far awayā¦
WINTER BEAUTY:
Leaving your waterfall running all winter will not hurt anything. As matter of fact, it could give you some beautiful photo opās. 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.
A snowy landscape is Beautiful! Get out and take some beautiful pictures š
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER break the ice by banging on it!It can cause your fish great harm ā 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. (This is why I always say ākeep a dry hoseā or a 5 gallon bucket for this purpose! If & when you use your water hose be sure to drain it when finished-to keep it from freezing and bursting, or just keep it in your garage). You can also use a floating heater or a small pump in a shallow area to āflash upā and break the water surface.
If you turn your pond off in a bad freeze, use a floating heater/de-icer to maintain a hole in the ice to exchange gases/oxygen for your fishās health and well being. You can purchase a floating pond heater at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio.
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.
Keep using your Bacteria through the winter for a cleaner, healthier pond.
I hope this helps! I enjoy the winter, it is really a great season! So many birds visit the Pond to drink and eat, itās a wonderful time to do all my garden planning and I know that Spring is right around the corner!
We have been experiencing Chicago weather in West Tnā¦. Below zero wind chills and even highs below freezing! Many are asking ā Can I turn my Pond/Water Garden OFF during this weather and not harm my fish?
A floating pond de-icer can help you maintain an opening in the ice even in the coldest weather.
The answer is ā Yes! IF you do it right. One of the best ways to manage this is by using a floating Pond De-Icer (available at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio). We have 3 different models all are under $100 and all have at least aĀ 2 year warrantee ā call 731-424-2206 with questions.
If you turn your pond 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.
They are simple to install ā just float it in your pond and plug it in. It will maintain an open hole in the surface of the pond to allow the exchange of gases and oxygen to keep your fish alive and healthy! I LOVE my Koi and want to make sure they are safe and healthy. I hope this helps.
Carter's Water Garden 