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?
Many times when you have fish disappear from your pond, it’s this guy! The sneaky, bold, Great Blue Heron…
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.
Decoys can really help to detour Pond Predators! We sell these at Carters Nursery in Jackson, TN
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 –
A koi castle is an easy to install protector for you pond fish. It will provide them cover from Pond Predators! We stock these at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
Wait, there’s more…
Even fun decoys like this alligator can help to keep Pond Predators at bay! They also look cool 🙂 We sell these at Carters Nursery in Jackson, TN
And don’t forget –
A scarecrow really works to run off Pond Predators like Heron, raccoons, unwanted pets, etc. We sell these at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio in Jackson, TN. Call for info at 731-424-2206
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.
A built in Koi Cave is functional & looks Awesome!
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: Family time, Food, 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: Aquatic Plants, Deep Thoughts, Ecosystem Pond, Erroneous Information, Feeding Koi, Koi Health, Koi info, Koi Myths, Leaf Netting, Pond Ecology, Pond info, Pond Netting, Pond Predators, Predator Control, Water Garden info
Here’s a very relevant ‘repost’ from 1 year ago. There’s so much bad info out there about Koi Pond and Water Gardens, we need to dispel and Correct it! Happy Hump Day!
“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.
Koi and Water Gardens go together like peas and carrots 😊 | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee
#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.
A Blue Heron is a major Predator of our Koi and pond fish! BUT, we can stop them from harming our ‘finned friends’! Tools like a “Scarecrow”, or a fish cave really help! In the Fall a leaf net helps with more than 1 task 😊
#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.
This is one of my Display Water Gardens at Carters Nursery Pond & Patio – The Aquatic Plants & Koi have been doing great here for almost 30 years!
#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, 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
