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
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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
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Well, we are past the Summer Solstice and approaching the 4th of July. Meaning, the HEAT is ON! 🌞🥵 All the aquatic plants are full and lush as they can be. But, they are getting heavy & about to need some TLC!

I always wait until after the 4th of July party, then I give my plants a good haircut. It will extend the beauty of most plants through the remainder of the season. | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio
The 4th of July is a great time to trim back your heavy hanging baskets, overflowing pottery & your crazy Aquatic Plants!
It’s also a great time to fertilize them! It will blow your mind how quickly they fill right back in and start blooming again. WOW!

I always cleanup & trim back my plants mid season to rejuvenate vigor & produce more blooms into the late season. Try it!
While you’re at it, have a jar of Aquatic Plant fertilizer and feed those babies! The ROI is Beautiful! 😊

We stock Aquatic Plant Fertilizer Tablets for your convenience at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio. They are super easy to use and work great! Keep your Aquatics looking great all season long!
So there you have it! After that big 4th party, spend a little time and trim back your bloomers and your aquatic plants, and fertilize/feed them! It will keep you looking great all the way through Fall!
Happy Pondering 🤔
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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Good morning fellow “Pond People”! We have been enjoying a very unusual Spring season! Now the temps are rising and Summer is almost here! With it, as usual, comes a HUGE growth of Aquatic Plants – I LOVE it! BUT, beware!

Aquatic Plants are a BIG part of a Water Garden. Stay ahead of any possible problems by keeping plants trimmed and in check.
Pond Tip : Stay ahead of any 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 pond maintenance services. Call for details and a cost for your pond – 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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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!
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, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Beneficial Bacteria, Carters Nursery Pond and Patio, Cold Water Beneficial Bacteria, Cool Season Water Treatments, Crystal Clear Water, Fall and Winter Water Garden Care, Fall Pond Tips, Fall Water Garden Maintenance, Fish Health, Healthy Koi, Just Do It, Pond Supplies, Preventative Maintenance, Water garden supplies, Winter Pond Tips
These last couple of weeks I have been blogging about proactive things you can do to help keep your Water Garden clean and your Koi healthy over the Fall & Winter.
Things like –
- Cutting your aquatic plants back
- Installing pond netting
- Watching your skimmer more closely
- Switching to Cool Temp Koi Food
- Plus – There’s another very important thing you can do to really keep your ecosystem active and working well – Switch to Cold Water Beneficial Bacteria Now!
Change to Cool Season Water Treatments now and it will help to keep your your pond clean and you’re Koi healthy. | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
Cold Water Beneficial Bacteria is available at Carters Nursery & It keeps on working when the plants and fish aren’t active, and it 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. These things cause poor water quality, reduced water clarity and can have catastrophic effects on your Koi & other pond fishes health. Stay ahead of the game and use Cold Water Beneficial Bacteria! You will thank me later 😊
Happy Pondering!