Filed under: Family time, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Herbs, Landscaping & Gardening, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles | Tags: Compost, Composting, Fall Cleanup, Free Compost, Garden Maintenance, Gardening, Leaf cleanup, Leaf Control, Leaf Stripper, Leaves, Mulch, Starting a compost pile
I have been asked a few times on the radio lately about composting, so I went back in the archives and pulled this up. This was 1st published 10 years ago – To the day!
A big blowing storm is coming thru tonight, ie; A leaf stripper! Plenty to get ya’ started
“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
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, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, music, Outdoor Lifestyles, Sunday Reflections, Sunrises, Sunsets, Waterfalls | Tags: Autumn Leaves Falling on Water, Burning Leaves, Fall Cleanup, Leaf Control, Leaf Stripper, Leaves, Sunday, Sunday Breakfast, Sunday in the Garden, Sunday Inspiration, Sunday Morning Coming Down, Sunday Mornings, Sunday Poem, Sunday Reflections, Sunday Sunrises, Sunday with Family, Sundays, Windy Day, Windy Night
The wind blew last night! So much that I had to take down one of our wind chimes that has never been a problem… WOW!
Bill Way used to call that windy night that always comes in November a “Leaf Stripper”. Last nights wind was definitely that! All the Birch trees are bare. As are the pecans, walnut, maples, sassafras, and persimmon trees. The oaks held on to many like they always do. But the writings on the wall… Winter is Coming!
Don’t ya’ just love fall! 🍁 🔥
“Come, little leaves,” said the wind one day.
“Come o’er the meadows with me, and play’
Put on your dress of red and gold,—
Summer is gone, and the days grow cold.”
Soon as the leaves heard the wind’s loud call,
Down they came fluttering, one and all;
Over the brown fields they danced and flew,
Singing the soft little songs they knew.
~ George Cooper
Have a great Sunday!
Mark C.
Filed under: Family time, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pond Tips, Pondless Waterfalls, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Autumn Leaves Falling on Water, Fall and Winter Water Garden Care, Fall Cleanup, Fall Gardening, Fall maintenance, Fall Pond Cleaning, Fall Pond Tips, Fall Water Garden Maintenance, Koi Health Tip, Leaf Control, Leaf Dam., Leaf Netting, Low Maintenance, Maintenance Tips, Plant Dam, Pond Lighting, Pond Maintenance Tips, Pond Tip, Pond Tip Tuesday, Pond Tips, Preventative Maintenance, Tips, Waterfall Leak, Weekly Pond Tip
The color change is happening in earnest now! The leaves are gold, orange, red & so beautiful to see. But soon, they will all fall, and that’s when we have to watch for the dreaded “Leaf Dams” that accompany Fall!
So my ‘Pond Tip’ Of the week is to keep your streams and waterfalls clear of fallen leaves and debris. This preventative maintenance, will save you later on down the road 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
YouTube pg. –
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Pinterest pg. – https://www.pinterest.com/cartersnursery
Filed under: Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pondless Waterfalls, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Bulk Leaf Netting, Cut To Fit Leaf Netting, Fall maintenance, Fall Pond Netting, Fall Water Garden Maintenance, Koi Pond, Koi Proection, Leaf Control, Leaf Netting, Maintenance Tips, pond, Pond Netting, Pond Netting Frame, Pond Predators, Predator Control, Preventative Maintenance, Seasonal Water Garden, Water Garden, Water Garden Maintenance, Yard Ponds
Will a leaf net help with fall Pond Maintenance?
Great question! The answer is – YES!
Pond Netting is your friend! The main reason to net your Water Feature in the Fall is to help with leaf and debris control. All the Ponds that I personally design and install have a skimmer system (mechanical Filter) that already removes an incredible amount of leaf debris. You simply empty that skimmer basket from time to time and have little to no leaf or debris problems. BUT, if you have a lot of trees in your Landscape as well, a Fall Leaf 🍁 Net may be in order. Depending on your leaf debris load, a skimmer might still need the help of a simple leaf net to keep up during peak leaf fall…
Pond Netting is a great tool to help keep the maintenance of your Water Garden or Koi Pond down to a minimum over the fall and winter. | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee
Pond netting is inexpensive and we cut it to fit!
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.
HOW do you install Pond Netting?
You simply pull the net over the Pond’s surface and secure it along the edges. Some ponds will allow for a tight stretched net over the surface but some times we install risers to make a “Tent” effect of the net. This helps shed the leaf debris to the edges to make it easier to dispose of them.
You can use risers and bows fashioned from PVC pipe to make a frame for your Pond Netting that will stand up to the elements. Easy to erect and easy to tear down too. | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee
Keeping the leaves and other fall debris out of your Pond is a good thing! Leaf debris is unsightly, it also quickly starts to decompose releasing many compounds that are bad for your fish. In turn algae is fed by the decomposing leaf matter and oxygen is depleted. ALL of these things combined can be catastrophic for the health of your finned friends, in heavy leaf fall areas, it can even kill them.
ALSO – in the Fall and Winter most of the aquatic plants are asleep, leaving very little cover for your Koi… Pond Predators, like Blue Herons strike most often in the Fall and Winter… BUT, Blue Herons can’t get your treasured Koi through the Pond Netting! So that’s another big plus for having a Pond Net!
A Blue Heron is major Predator of our Koi and pond fish! BUT, we can stop them from harming our ‘finned friends’! Tools like a Fall leaf net can help with more than 1 task 😊
So to wrap this up – IF you have a LOT of trees in your landscape that shed leaves in the Fall, a Leaf Net might be for YOU! AND – if you have Koi that you love and want to protect from predators, leaf netting could help you too.
FYI: You can get leaf netting for your pond at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio! We always keep 10′ and 20′ widths in stock, we cut to order and it’s very inexpensive. Questions? Call me at 731-424-2206
Filed under: Family time, Food, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pondless Waterfalls, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Autumn Leaves Falling on Water, Fall and Winter Water Garden Care, Fall Foliage, Fall maintenance, Fall Pond Cleaning, Fall Pond Tips, Leaf Control, Leaf Dam., Leaves, Maintenance Tips, Pond Tips, Preventative Maintenance, Waterfall Leak
The color change is happening in earnest now! The leaves 🍁 are golden, orange and red & so beautiful to see 😊 But soon, they will all fall, and that’s when we have to watch for the dreaded “Leaf Dams” that accompany Fall!
Falling leaves can pile up quick! Sometimes they can cause a dam & divert the water over the edge of the stream or waterfall and cause a leak! Keeping up with leaf cleanup as you move through the season can prevent this problem. | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee
So my ‘Pond Maintenance Tip’ is to keep your streams and waterfalls clear of fallen leaves and debris. This preventative maintenance, will save you later on down the road 😊
Have a Great Weekend!
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Filed under: Family time, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Herbs, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pondless Waterfalls, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Aquatic Plants, Carters Nursery Pond and Patio, Cool Season Koi Food, Cool Season Water Treatments, Cool Temp Koi Food, Cooler Weather is Coming, Dip Net, Fall Gardening, Fall Pond Netting, Leaf Control, Mulch, Mulching, Nursery, Nurseryfix, plants, Pond Netting, Pond Supplies, Saturday Fun, Saturday in the Garden, Saturday Shoppers, Water garden supplies
It’s a beautiful Saturday morning at Carters Nursery, Pond and Patio! Come in today for some special savings! AND, if you tell them you saw THIS ad, you will receive even more savings 😊
We love Fall around here 🙂 Come out and join us at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio Today & save 25% off all plants in stock! Huge savings on pottery & more! | Jackson, Tennessee
Fall Pond supplies are in too! It’s a great day to grab cool season water treatments & a leaf net too…
Everyone needs a ‘Nurseryfix’ from time to time 😊
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
YouTube pg. –
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6dPkQiE04jcr385SOL0gkw
Facebook pg. – https://www.facebook.com/mark.carter.775
Pinterest pg. – https://www.pinterest.com/cartersnursery/
Filed under: Fountains, General Blog Entry's, Koi, Koi Ponds, Landscaping & Gardening, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pondless Waterfalls, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Fall Pond Netting, Leaf Control, Low Maintenance, Pond Maintenance, Pond Netting, Pond Predators, Pond Skimmer, Predator Control, Seasonal Water Garden, Skimmer Basket, Water Garden Help, Water Gardens
“To net or not to net, that is the question”…
Pond Netting is a great tool to help keep the maintenance of your Water Garden or Koi Pond down over the fall and winter months . It can protect your fish from predators too…
WHY should I net my pond in the Fall?
Great question! The main reason to net your Water Feature in the Fall is to help with leaf and debris control. All the Ponds that I personally design and install have a skimmer system (mechanical Filter) that does this task for you. You simply empty that skimmer basket from time to time and have little to no leaf or debris problems. BUT, if you have a lot of trees in your Landscape as well, a Fall Leaf 🍁 Net may be in order. Depending on your leaf debris load, a skimmer might still need the help of a simple leaf net to keep up during peak leaf fall…
We stock bulk pond netting at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio in Jackson, TN
HOW do you use the netting?
You simply pull the net over the Pond’s surface and secure it along the edges. Some ponds will allow for a tight stretched net over the surface but some times we install risers to make a “Tent” effect of the net. This helps shed the leaf debris to the edges to make it easier to dispose of them.
Some ponds will allow for a taught pulled net. Others may need a center support for the netting. Either way, it saves a LOT of time on maintenance!
Keeping the leaves and other fall debris out of your Pond is a good thing! Leaf debris is unsightly, it also quickly starts to decompose releasing many compounds that are bad for your fish. In turn algae is fed by the decomposing leaf matter and oxygen is depleted. ALL of these things combined can be catastrophic for the health of your finned friends, in heavy leaf fall areas, it can even kill them.
ALSO – in the Fall and Winter most of the aquatic plants are asleep, leaving very little cover for your Koi… Pond Predators strike most often in the Fall and Winter… BUT, Blue Herons can’t get your pets through the Pond Netting! So that’s another big plus for having a Pond Net!
A Blue Heron is major Predator of our Koi and pond fish! BUT, we can stop them from harming our ‘finned friends’ in the Fall & Winter by installing a Leaf Net.
So to wrap this up – IF you have a LOT of trees in your landscape that shed leaves in the Fall, a Leaf Net might be for YOU! AND – if you have Koi that you love and want to protect, leaf netting could help you too.
FYI: You can get leaf netting for your pond at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio! We always keep 10′ and 20′ widths in stock, we cut to order and it’s very inexpensive. Questions? Call me at 731-424-2206
