Carter's Water Garden


Pond Tip Tuesday | Pond Tips | Koi Health Tips | Carters Nursery Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

Fall is in full swing! The sun is setting earlier every day & the temps are falling… We are past our first frost and more are coming by weeks end. Soon, the saddest part of the season will be paying us a visit… The time when we STOP feeding our Koi for the season

My 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 question…

– When do I stop feeding Cool Season Koi Food to my Pond Pets?

– My Answer- Remember the rule of 50!

It’s getting close to the time of the year to stop feeding our ‘Finned Friends’… Sad, but so important for their health and well being. Until the water is too cold, we can keep feeding Cool Temp Food to them – We have it at Carters Nursery Pond & Patio, 2846 Old Medina Rd. Jackson, TN


When the water temperature stabilizes below 50 degrees Fahrenheit you should stop feeding your Koi… Even Cool Season Koi Food… We like to call it the ‘Rule Of 50’… | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

Switching to a Cool Temperature Koi Food is very important for the health of your Koi! So is knowing when to stop feeding! 

Every Pond should have a floating Pond thermometer. 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 | Jackson, TN

So to wrap it up, keep a check on your water temp (via a Pond thermometer) & when your water temp stabilizes below 50 degrees, you should transition from Cool Season Koi Food to NO More feeding for this season. That’s the “Rule of 50”…

Viva La’ Fall!

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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It’s Fall 🍁 When do I stop feeding my Koi high protein food and start feeding Cool Season Koi Food? | Carters Nursery Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

Fall is in full swing! The sun is setting earlier every day & the temps are falling… And soon, Jack Frost 🥶 will be paying us a visit… The 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 question…

– When do I stop feeding regular food and start feeding Cool Season Koi Food?

– My Answer- Remember the rule of 60!

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 ‘Rule Of 60’… | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

Switching to a Cool Temperature Koi Food is very important for the health of your Koi!

Every Pond should have a floating Pond thermometer. 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 | Jackson, TN

So be sure to – check your water temp (via a floating thermometer) & when your water temp drops to 60 degrees, you should transition to Cool Season Koi Food. That’s the “Rule of 60”

Fall is NOW! Enjoy your Koi 


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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Friday Radio Report | LIVE Talk Radio | WNWS 101.5 FM | Everybody Talks | Carters Nursery Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

Good Morning! Here we are 1 week into Autumn and it feels so nice 😊 It’s a another BEAUTIFUL DAY! 🍁 I am walking into the studios of WNWS 101.5 FM, in downtown Jackson, TN! I’m going ‘LIVE’ from 9-11 am with Seabass and Chuck Walker on the best little show in Jackson – “Everybody Talks” 💥!

I’m LIVE today from 9-11am Call in and lets have some FUN! 731-423-8101

I’ll be here from 9-11am – So get your questions ready! We will be talking Outdoor Living, Koi Ponds, ‘Cool Season’ gardening, trimming, mulching, landscaping, pumpkin carving, football 🏈 and LOVING FALL ❤️🍁 Tune in! 📻

PS: Ask about our upcoming Fall Aquatic Workshop ! It’s FREE! And it’s tomorrow!

We will talk about just about anything that YOU want to talk about! Ask a question, send in a picture, share a story (but please, NO politics!) It’s Friday! Call in and join us – 731-423-8101

For 20 years Ive been involved with this Friday Talk Show and it just keeps getting better! The phone # is still the same – 731-423-8101

– HEY, You can listen, and you can call in and talk… the # is the same that it has been for over 20 years – 731-423-8101. But, did you know you can text your comments and questions? 731-277-5155

Did you know you can text us? Texting us is so easy! 731-277-5155 Give us a shout out from the dog house 

Also – Come by and see us at the Nursery! We are open today until 4pm and tomorrow 8-2! Fall is in the air! 

Fall is in at Carters!

Come on in to Carters Nursery and get what you need for your Garden and your Pond! We have Plants, Shrubs & Perennials! And all the cool season Pond treatments you need! Including cool season Koi Food! We’ve got stone by the pound and Sod by the piece! Plus cool hats, jeans, garden decor and gifts in our ’Unique Boutique’!


I’m looking forward to seeing ya’ on the air…

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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Summer Is Nearing It’s End… The Autumnal Equinox is Thursday 🍁 Do the seasons know it’s time? | Carters Nursery Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

The older I get, the quicker these seasonal changes seem to come… WOW! Are we already looking at the END of Summer?

Earth seasons as Effect of the Earth’s axial tilt. Infographics for summer and winter solstice, autumnal and spring equinox Northern Hemisphere. Sun path diagram or day arc for year. Vector illustration.

Summer is going out on a HOT note! High 90’s today & we may very well see 100 degrees tomorrow! 🥵 But, then on the official 1st day of Fall (Thursday the 22nd) the high is only gonna be around 80 degrees… Do the seasons know it’s time?

The trees and plants know what to do for sure. I always LOVE watching the color show unfold 🍁

“During the autumnal equinox, the sun shines directly on the equator, and the northern and southern hemispheres get the same amount of rays. The alignment officially occurs this year on Thursday, September 22”

So the 1st full day of Fall is on the 22nd. Are you ready for Fall?

“Lyric night of the lingering Indian summer, Shadowy fields that are scentless but full of singing, Never a bird, but the passionless chant of insects, Ceaseless, insistent. The grasshopper’s horn, and far-off, high in the maples, The wheel of a locust leisurely grinding the silence Under a moon waning and worn, broken, Tired with summer. Let me remember you, voices of little insects, Weeds in the moonlight, fields that are tangled with asters, Let me remember, soon will the winter be on us, Snow-hushed and heavy. Over my soul murmur your mute benediction, While I gaze, O fields that rest after harvest, As those who part look long in the eyes they lean to, Lest they forget them.”

~ Sara Teasdale

Here’s to changing seasons… 🍾


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 Zen of Spring Frost

If you are like many Gardeners and live by the ”Last Frost Date” given in the Almanac or in your local paper, you may be very disappointed this morning… I’m getting ready to go out and uncover the hundreds of plants that I have under blankets, sheets and in a big cold frame greenhouse.

Late frost caught many off guard last night.

Why does it ’sneak up’ on us so often?

With me its all about staying in tune with the particular season. Spring here in West TN fluctuates from sweaty 80’s weather to 60 mile an hour winds with frost and snow ❄️ BUT, that relationship you form with the seasons and the changes is where the Zen lies…
But, its tough to wait! As soon as the forsythia and the daffodil 🌼 blooms I’m already setting up my planters and pots 🪴 And, I try to be ready for people coming in to my Nursery early, which means we spend a month or more moving plants in and out of the greenhouse… 😊

All these things we do, hoping to solve the ‘Riddle of Spring’! 😊

Finding balance and Zen within ourselves is found within our own Gardens…

PS: The good news is, I think we are past Frost now for real!

“The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month.”

~ Henry Van Dyke


Have a great Tuesday!

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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Pond Tip Tuesday | Koi Pond Tips | Carters Nursery Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

Spring is in full swing! We are approaching our last frost date and the whole world is greening up, I LOVE it! ❤️ So do my Koi! They have been tearing up the Cool Season Koi Food and the veggies I have been feeding them. In fact, many of my customers and fellow Koi enthusiasts have been feeding their Koi Cool Season Food & have started asking me the all important question…

– When can I start feeding regular Koi Food and Color Enhancing Koi Food?

– My Answer- Remember the rule of 60!

When the water temperature has stabilized above 60 degrees Fahrenheit you can switch to a Higher Protein or a Color Enhancing Koi Food. We like to call it the ‘Rule Of 60’… | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

We have covered The Rule of 50 in previous Blogs, when coming out of Winter into Spring, you must let the water temp stabilize for at least a week at 50+ degrees Fahrenheit before you start to feed your koi, AND, when you do start back to feeding, you should use a quality, Cool Season Koi Food! And don’t over feed! Gradually reintroduce food to them in small amounts.

Oh yea! Spring has arrived and the water is steadily warming. Time to feed your Pond Fish!

Now, at least for me (check your thermometer) it’s time to make the transition to a regular Koi Food. In fact, I will start to feed both high protein and color enhancing feed, alternating weekly between the two.

Every Pond should have a floating Pond thermometer. 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 | Jackson, TN

So, lets wrap it up… check your water temp & when your above 60 degrees for several days in a row and climbing, you can transition to warm season Koi Food. That’s the “Rule of 60”…

Viva La’ Spring!

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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Here’s Your Friday Radio Report | 9 – 11 AM | Everybody Talks | WNWS 101.5 FM | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

I am walking into the studios of WNWS 101.5 FM, in downtown Jackson to go LIVE from 9-11 am with the “Hardest Working Hosts in Show Business” – Seabass and Chuck Walker! Join us NOW on “Everybody Talks”!

I’m on today 9-11am Call in and lets have some FUN! 731-423-8101

Spring is upon us! So we will be talking Outdoor Living, Koi Ponds, Gardening, trimming, mulching, landscaping, AND, Just about anything else that YOU want to talk about! Ask a question, send in a picture, share a story (but please, NO politics!) It’s Friday! Call in and join us – 731-423-8101 

For 20 years Ive been involved with this Friday Talk Show and it just keeps getting better! The phone # is still the same – 731-423-8101

Tomorrow we will be hosting our annual Spring Waterfall Workshop and Customer Appreciation Day! We will have a Pond Maintenance Workshop where we will clean a Koi Pond, divide and pot up aquatic plants & more. We will discuss Pond and Waterfall Design and we will have a full supply of Water Treatments and products for the Spring and Summer season!

Local Artist Matt Brown is setting up a Gallery within the Nursery and Gardens at Carters Nursery Tomorrow.

Local artist Matt Brown will be setting up an Art Gallery within the gardens at The Nursery. Come enjoy and support local Art. 

 AND, we will be bringing in Pizzas for Lunch along with Snacks & refreshments for all that attend. Come out and help us kick off SPRING! (Saturday March 19th. From 9amtill 2pm.) This is a FREE event.

Did you know you can text? Texting us is so easy! 731-277-5155…


You can listen, and you can call in and talk, the # is the same that it has been for over 20 years – 731-423-8101. But, did you know you can text your comments and questions? 731-277-5155

Carters Nursery is open to serve you today until 4pm. Drop by and say Hi

Spring is upon us! 

We have Everything for your Pond and Water Garden at Carters Nursery Pond & Patio. From Seasonal Food and Water Treatments to Filters and Supplies, we have you covered! 

Its pond cleaning season! You can get all your supplies at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio. 

I always look forward to Fridays on the radio! Its always so much fun! Give us a call 731-423-8101.

TGIF! See ya’ on the air…

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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Friday Radio Report | Live Talk Radio | WNWS 101.5FM | Everybody Talks | Carters Nursery Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

I am walking into the studios of WNWS 101.5 FM, in downtown Jackson to go LIVE from 9-11 am with the “Hardest Working Hosts in Show Business” – Seabass and Chuck Walker! Join us NOW on “Everybody Talks”!

I’m on today 9-11am Call in and lets have some FUN! 731-423-8101

Spring is upon us! So we will be talking Outdoor Living, Koi Ponds, Gardening, trimming, mulching, landscaping, AND, Just about anything else that YOU want to talk about! Ask a question, send in a picture, share a story (but please, NO politics!) It’s Friday! Call in and join us – 731-423-8101 

For 20 years Ive been involved with this Friday Talk Show and it just keeps getting better! The phone # is still the same – 731-423-8101

You can listen, and you can call in and talk, the # is the same that it has been for over 20 years – 731-423-8101. But, did you know you can text your comments and questions? 731-277-5155

Please Text us at 731-277-5155 It’s so easy!

Carters Nursery is open to serve you today until 4pm. Drop by and say Hi

Spring is Coming! 

We have Everything for your Pond and Water Garden at Carters Nursery Pond & Patio. From Seasonal Food and Water Treatments to Filters and Supplies, we have you covered! 

Its pond cleaning season! You can get all your supplies at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio. 


In only 2 weeks we will hosting our annual Spring Workshop and Customer Appreciation Day! Mark your calendar for Saturday, March 19th.

I always look forward to Fridays on the radio! Its always so much fun! Give us a call 731-423-8101.

TGIF! See ya’ on the air…

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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Waterfall Wednesday | Carters Nursery Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

Here we are in a whole New Year! 2022 is looking up 🙄! Its “full on winter time” out there and some might wonder what there is to celebrate or feature in the garden…? Well, your Waterfalls for a start! 💥 Your Waterfalls are always beautiful regardless of the season! I can always find beauty and inspiration in my Pond and in my Waterfalls❤️ Here are a few Winter shots to warm your heart!

Do these speak to you? Do they inspire you to put your coat on and walk outside? To feed the birds? To dream about the coming Spring? They sure do for me 😊

Enjoy the Winter, and know that Spring follows Winter and will be here soon to bring you a completely different look and feeling ❤️

Have a Great #Waterfallwednesday!


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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Yep, The Time Is Here… A Final Reminder | Carters Nursery Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

We have topped the peak of Fall Color and are flying down the slope over the hill… Leaves are comjng down now in earnest. I know I know, Ive said it before and Im not trying to be a bother, but a Leaf Net sure would save you a LOT of work!

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’! Simple Tools like a Fall leaf net can help with more than 1 task 

Pond Tip Tuesday is all about helping YOU with your Pond Maintenance. Once you get a handle on it, you will enjoy your Pond and Waterfalls so much more!

Have a great day!

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

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