Filed under: Family time, Food, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pond Tips, Videos, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Can I Feed My Koi, Carters Nursery Pond and Patio, Elite Koi, Feed Me, Feeding Koi, Feeding my Koi, Feeding the Soul, Feeding Time, Fish, Fish Cave, Fish Feeding, Fish Food, Fish Health, Healthy Koi, I ❤️ Koi, I Love Koi, Koi, Koi Feeding, Koi Fix, Koi Food, Koi Health, Koi Health Tips, Koi Pond, Koi Ponds, Koi Shack, Koi Video, Lighting, Nighttime Pond, Nighttime World, Pond Fish, Pond Lighting, Pond Video, Seasonal Koi Feeding Times, Underwater Lighting, Underwater Video, Video, Videos, Water Garden Video, Waterfall at Night, Waterfall Video, Zen Video
Every evening I make my rounds and feed my babies ❤️ Join me as I get started 😊
Man I love my Koi! ❤️ Y’all have a good night 🌙
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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Filed under: Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, music, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pond Tips, Pondless Waterfalls, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Aquatic Plant Design, Arched Bridge, Atoka, Bridge, Bridge Rock, CAC, Certified Aquascape Contractor, Collierville, Cordova, Custom Fountains, Design, Design Consultation, Design Ideas, Design/Build, Designer, Designing Waterfalls, Disappearing fountain, Disappearing Waterfall, Eads, Fish, Fish Cave, Foot Bridge, Fountain, Fountains, Gentle Sounds, Germantown, I ❤️ Pondless Waterfalls, Jets, Koi Pond, Koi Pond Designer, Koi Ponds, Landscape Design, Landscape Designer, Maintenance Tips, Master CAC, Master Certified Aquascape Contractor, Memphis, Moonlight Pond, Moonlight Pond Tour, Munford, Natural Waterfalls, Naturalistic Waterfall, Pagoda Stone Fountain, pond, Pond Design, Pond Maintenance Tips, Pond Tip, Pond Tip Tuesday, Pond Tips, Pond Tour, Pond Tour Tickets, Pondless Waterfall, Ponds, Professional Pond Builder, Professional Water Feature Designer, Questions, Soothing Sounds, Sound Therapy, Spillway Bowl Fountain, Spitter Fountains, Stone Yard, Stream, Streams, Tips, Tuning Your Waterfall, Underwater Lighting, Water Garden, Water Garden Design, Water Gardening Answers, Water Gardening Questions, Water Gardens, Waterfall, waterfall design, Waterfall Master, Waterfalls, Waterfalls in YOUR Life, Weekly Pond Tip, Yard Ponds
Water features are popping up everywhere and it seems everyone wants a backyard Pond or Water Feature.
Water features come in many forms… Bubbling Fountains, Pondless Waterfalls, Ornamental Koi Ponds and so much more! My single biggest request is to design and install Custom Residential Watergardens and Ponds! Everyone wants their own personal Oasis! And Why Not? They add so much to your life. But remember, If it’s worth doing , it’s worth doing right.
Like any project you undertake , you should first do some research and gather info .
– First , look around at some local Water Features and talk to some people who have one in their life. Identify some interesting design elements that you like and may want to incorporate into yours. Streams, bridges, lighting, fish caves, waterfalls, jets, etc, etc…
– Go on a Pond Tour! There’s no better way to see some awesome Watergardens and talk to actual Pond owners than on a Pond Tour ! I have been on dozens of Pond Tours all over this country and there’s no better way to learn about what its like to have a Waterfall in your own backyard than on a good Pond Tour! In fact, we have our Annual ‘Moonlight Pond Tour’ coming up on Saturday, September 18th.! See some gorgeous Ponds and Waterfalls with extensive night lighting. You will find Inspiration and ideas galore! 💥
– If and when you need some help with your design, call a professional Pond Designer! When I need help outside of my Specialty, and I want something done right the first time, that’s what I do. AND – Be choosy! Make sure your dealing with a qualified Waterfeature Specialist ( like a C.A.C. – Certified Aquascape Contractor ), PS: it’s probably NOT the guy mowing your grass… Check references! Look at Their work (older and more recent)! And Always get a written contract! I have successfully installed thousands of Water Features over the last 32 years and would be more than happy to help you in your quest for the perfect Backyard Water Feature!
Getting a Backyard Pond is one of the most rewarding things you will ever do for yourself!
Viva La’ Ponds!
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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Filed under: Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pond Tips, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: #fishyfriday, Butterfly Koi, Comets, Cool Season Koi Food, Cool Temp Koi Food, domestic koi, Elite Koi, Feeding Koi, Fish, Fish Cave, Fish Feeding, Fish Food, Fish Health, Fish net, Fish Safe EPDM, Fish Safe Liner, Fish Sale, Fish stocking rates, Fishy Friday, Friday blog, Friday From The Road, Friday Off, Friday Report, Friday’s, gold fish, Healthy Fish, Healthy Koi, Hump Day Koi Fix, I ❤️ Koi, I Love Koi, It’s Finally Friday, Koi, Koi Fix, Koi Food, Koi for sale, Koi Health, Koi History, Koi Pond, Koi Ponds, Koi Shack, Koi Supplies, Koi Terminology, Pond Fish, Shubunkins, Thank God It’s Fishy Friday, Thank God It’s Friday
I just LOVE fish! Koi and Butterfly Koi are probably my favorite… But, I love a big beautiful fantail Comet! And, Shubunkins are so much fun and are also beautiful fish… What is one to do? I know, get a few of them all and enjoy 😊
You can buy fish at Carters Nursery 5 days a week during normal business hours. But, on Friday, we do a little something special. We call it ‘Fishy Friday’ and all the fish you buy are 20% off! 💥
Fishy Friday’s | Koi | Shubunkins| Comets | Butterfly Koi | Pond Fish | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
Have a great weekend!
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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Filed under: Family time, Food, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pond Tips, water garden | Tags: Blue Heron, Carters Nursery Pond and Patio, Fall Pond Tips, Fish Cave, Heron Statue, I ❤️ Koi, I Love Koi, Koi, Koi Castle, Koi Cave, Koi Health, Koi Health Tip, Koi Health Tips, Koi Pond, Koi Shack, Koi Supplies, Maintenance Tips, Natural Predators, Pond Maintenance Tips, Pond Predator Defense, Pond Predators, Pond Supplies, Pond Tip, Pond Tip Tuesday, Pond Tips, Predator Control, Preventative Maintenance, Scarecrow, Tips, Water garden supplies, Weekly Pond Tip, Winter Pond Tips
I try to post Pond Tips from time to time to help others with their Koi Ponds. Some are general info type posts and some are seasonal. This one is a re-post and Is very important during this season. I hope it helps.
“The ponds are bare of any Aquatic Plants this time of the season. Open to the sky… And, sometimes, open to a predator attack! I spoke to a lady yesterday that said some of her fish have just disappeared… Where or What could have gotten them?
I told her several things could have happened (raccoons, cats, birds, etc) and we talked for a little while about her pond and her fish. Sure enough, she had seen a “Large Bird’ messing around her backyard lately… Boom, say hello to Mr. Heron.
We didn’t install her Pond originally so we didn’t get to discuss things like “Pond Predators” with her before. So I gave her the run down on things she needed to do to keep them at bay. You normally don’t have problems with Pond Predators if you design to prevent them in the beginning. Here are a few things that can help –
Wait, there’s more…
Even Leaf Netting can keep seasonal predators at bay. But the ultimate predator protection is to have a built in “Koi Cave” in your pond. They blend with the surroundings and provide safety for your ‘finned friends’. The really good news is – a Koi Cave can be added to your Pond! The perfect time to add a Koi Cave is during a Spring Pond Clean out! And it’s almost cleanout time in Tennessee! 💥 Give me a call to discuss putting a Koi Cave in Your Pond.
We Love our pets and we want to protect them! I hope this little bit of info has helped. If you have more questions feel free to call me – 731-424-2206 is my office number.
Thanks! Spring is Coming!”
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
Filed under: Family time, Food, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pond Tips, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Carter Country Boutique & Gifts, Christmas Gifts, Christmas is Coming, Christmas Magic, Christmas Pond Package, Christmas Season, Cool Season Koi Food, Family Pet, Feeding Koi, Fish Cave, Gifts With Meaning, Healthy Koi, Hump Day Koi Fix, Hump Day Koi Story, I ❤️ Koi, I Love Koi, Koi, Koi Castle, Koi Cave, Koi Fix, Koi Food, Koi Gifts, Koi Health, Koi Pond, Koi Ponds, Koi Shack, Koi Supplies, Love Your Pets, Pets, Pond Predators, Predator Control, Presents for Pets, Special Gift, Unique Gifts, Waterfall Wednesday, Wednesday
I Love ALL my pets! Including my Koi! I always get my Pups a special Christmas gift – A chew bone, a sweater, snacks, a new collar, etc… But what about my Koi???
I’ve been trying to think of a few things for my “Finned Friends”…
How about a scarf or onesie for the Koi?
A more practical gift would be food and snacks, but they can’t eat till spring…
A new “Koi Cave” would be a great Christmas gift idea!
Koi Castles are available at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio and can be installed most anytime.
The ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS GIFT for your Koi (and YOU) would be a Bigger, Better KOI POND complete with a custom Koi Cave & Nightlights! Boom 💥
I hope this helps! When I realized I was snubbing my Koi on Christmas, it hit me pretty hard… Never again! I’m getting something special this year for my ‘Finned Friends’ – aka: My Koi!
Merry Christmas! 🎅🏻🎄
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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Filed under: Family time, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Aquatic Plants, Be Prepared, Blue Heron, Fish Cave, Heron Statue, Koi Castle, Koi Cave, Koi Proection, Leaf Netting, Pond Cleaning, Pond Predator Defense, Pond Predators, Predator Control, Protect Your Koi, Scarecrow, Security, Wildlife Habitat
The ponds are bare of any Aquatic Plants this time of the season. Open to the sky… And, sometimes, open to a predator attack! I spoke to a lady yesterday that said some of her fish have just disappeared… Where or What could have gotten them?
I told her several things could have happened (raccoons, cats, birds, etc) and we talked for a little while about her pond and her fish. Sure enough, she had seen a “Large Bird’ messing around her backyard lately… Boom, say hello to Mr. Heron.
We didn’t install her Pond originally so we didn’t get to discuss things like “Pond Predators” with her before. So I gave her the run down on things she needed to do to keep them at bay. You normally don’t have problems with Pond Predators if you design to prevent them in the beginning. Here are a few things that can help –
Wait, there’s more…
And don’t forget –
Even Leaf Netting can keep seasonal predators at bay. But the ultimate predator protection is to have a built in “Koi Cave” in your pond. They blend with the surroundings and provide safety for your ‘finned friends’ 😊 The really good news is – a Koi Cave can be added to your Pond! The perfect time to add a Koi Cave is during a Spring Pond Clean out! And it’s almost cleanout time in Tennessee! 💥 Give me a call to discuss putting a Koi Cave in Your Pond.
We Love our pets and we want to protect them! I hope this little bit of info has helped. If you have more questions feel free to call me – 731-424-2206 is my office number.
Thanks! Spring is Coming!
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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Filed under: General Blog Entry's, Koi, Koi Ponds, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Aquatic Plants, Biological Filter, Ecosystem Pond, Fish Cave, Hump Day Koi Fix, I ❤️ Koi, Koi Facts, Koi Fix, Koi Food, Koi info, Koi Myths, Pond Netting, Pond Predators, Pond Skimmer, Predator Control, Rocks & Gravel, Scarecrow
It’s Wednesday, aka “Hump Day” and as usual the subject is Koi 😊 We were discussing erroneous information & myths about Koi keeping that are out there, so I thought why not make a blog post about it… Here’s a quick “Top 5”…
#1 – You Can’t Be A Koi Keeper & A Water Gardener.
Not true! You can raise healthy koi In your beautiful water garden! The koi can grow up to be just as beautiful and healthy as they are in traditional koi ponds. Proper design is key! You will LOVE how they compliment each other 😊 I have installed Hundreds of beautiful Water Gardens with healthy happy Koi.
#2 – Predators Will Eat All Your Fish.
Again, Proper Design is key! Raccoons generally won’t swim. That’s not to say they never swim, or couldn’t stand on the side of your pond and take a paw swipe or two at your fish… Fortunately, most fish will swim to a deeper, more protected part of the pond when a predator is threatening them. The one predator with legitimate credentials is the blue heron. Plenty of lily pads give them some protection and will work to minimize attracting a heron in the first place. Other protection measures include a motion activated water sprayer called a “Scarecrow” or even better a “Koi-cave” structure that can be built in during the pond’s construction. IF you already have a pond, they can be added with minimum remodeling during a clean out service.
#3 – Your Pond Must Be (3) Three Feet Deep to Keep Koi.
There are literally tens of thousands of two-foot deep ponds all around this country, full of happy and healthy koi. The water in a two-foot deep pond will generally only freeze eight inches down in the coldest of climates, because of the insulating qualities of the earth that surrounds the pond – Here in West Tennessee usually not at all. Another Plus – a properly designed 2’ deep pond is easy to get in and out of 😉
#4 – Koi Can’t Be Kept With Plants.
In a naturally balanced ecosystem, koi and plants complement and need one another. In nature, fish feed on plants. As a result, the fish produce waste, which is broken down by aerobic bacteria on the bottom of your pond, which, in turn, is used as fertilizer by the plants to grow and produce more natural fish food. One tip I have learned from experience- start with small Koi, they will grow up with the plants and won’t bother them at all – like in nature.
#5 – If You Forget To Feed Your Koi They Will All Die.
Totally False! In a properly designed & stocked pond, the ecological balance will amaze you! Crystal clear water, thriving aquatic plants & a healthy eco-system are your reward! We all Love to feed our babies, but if you miss a few days they will get busy doing some “pond keeping” of their own! 😊 They will ‘Thrive’, not simply survive! The key is to “Stay in Balance”!
Happy Pondering! & Merry Christmas 🎄 🎅🏻
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Filed under: Fountains, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Outdoor Lifestyles, water garden | Tags: Fish Cave, Fish Health, Koi, Koi Cave, Koi Health, Koi Ponds, Koi Proection, Koi Supplies, Pond Fish, Pond Predators
I recently did a blog titled – HOW TO DEAL WITH PREDATORS IN KOI PONDS where I covered several ways to combat Pond Predators – Like Blue Heron, Egrets, Raccoons, etc.
It was a very popular Blog! And it lead to several calls & conversations about this subject. The #1 question I discussed was ‘How-To’ make a Fish Cave aka; a KOI CAVE. So lets revisit this subject for a moment.
A “Fish Cave or Koi Cave” is usually pre-designed and is normally part of the initial install of the Pond. It entails building a ledge or cave within the stone work of the pond walls to give the fish a place to hide from predators or to get out of hot sunlight for a while. Now if you already have a pond and want a fish cave – it’s really not a big problem! A fish cave is a common addition during your yearly Pond Clean-out. We add these quite often, so if your thinking you want to add a fish cave, it’s not a big deal.
For those that don’t want to go all the way with a Fish/Koi Cave, there is an easy add-on product that you can purchase and simply submerge in your Pond. It’s called a “Koi Castle”.
I think that pretty much covers what a Koi Cave is. Some are very elaborate and some are simply a big ledge rock but they all provide cover and protection for your ‘finned friends’! You are welcome to come by the nursery during business hours to see both of these products in action. We actually have Fish Caves in one of our display ponds as well as Koi Castles in 2 of our displays. They both work very well and have protected our fish for years.
Happy Pondering!
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
Filed under: Fountains, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pondless Waterfalls, water garden | Tags: Elite Koi, Fish Cave, Fish Food, Fish Health, Koi, Koi Food, Koi Health, Koi Ponds, Koi Supplies, Pond Fish
A few years ago we had a run on a very popular type of Koi. It wasn’t just here in West TN either. Several of our friends in the business including some Koi breeders couldn’t keep up with the demand for them. These beautiful, very popular fish are know as – Yamabuki Ogon.
A Yamabuki Ogon is a Koi with a solid metallic/yellow color as pictured above. There are a couple of variations of the Yamabuki Ogon, to include the Gin Rin Yamabuki Ogon & the Doitsu Yamabuki Ogon.
These are one of my favorite Koi to this day. So beautiful and friendly. If you don’t have one in your collection, check these beauties out. They make great ‘Finned Friends” 🙂
Happy Pondering!
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
Filed under: Outdoor Lifestyles, water garden | Tags: Blue Heron, Fish Cave, Koi Proection, Pond Predators
Have you ever looked out the window and seen a Blue Heron in your Water Garden? OH NO, my Koi! Or have you ever seen a dog, cat or raccoon harassing you Koi? You go out there and run them off… But, what happens when your gone and trouble comes knocking? What can I do to Protect my fishy friends?
The good news is most pond hobbyists will never have to deal with predators! BUT, IF you are attacked by a “Pond Predator”, there are things you can do to help!
#1 is a Fish Cave! This usually starts with the initial install of the Pond, building a ledge or cave within the stone work of the pond walls. If you already have a pond and want a fish cave – No Problem! A fish cave is an easy addition during your yearly cleanout.
If you want to do something right NOW, you can come by Carters Nursery & grab a ‘Koi Castle’ and install in about 1 minute 🙂
Another inexpensive way to protect your Koi is to use a motion-activated water sprayer system like a Scarecrow. A ‘Scarecrow’ will hit those heron with a timely jet spray of water. They are VERY effective! But can only be used when the temp’s are above freezing.
You can also use a Heron or Alligator Decoy. I have sold hundreds of these and most say they work well. They also look very attractive by the pond!
If your having problems with Pond Predators, I hope this article will help you! It’s an awful feeling to loose a Koi like this. The good thing is, with a little pre-planning and preparation you can almost assure that you and your fish will survive an encounter with a ‘Pond Predator’.
Happy Pondering!