I speak for and/or host many Garden Clubs and Societies at my local Nursery, Garden and Design Center in Jackson, TN. I always love it, because I’m speaking to like minded people… Fellow Gardeners 😊 A ‘captive audience’ of the converted if you will. So I thought I would share this one on my blog. Here’s part 1 👇🏻
I LOVE to personally welcome folks to my Nursery and Design Center.
Happy New Year! This is the time of year where we close out last years count & start prepping for Spring. We take a full inventory, We maintenance our trucks and machinery, Clean out the greenhouses, etc…
And, we adopt seasonal hours through the month of January.
Starting next week, our Seasonal Nursery & Boutique hours will be :
Wednesday 9am – 5pm
Thursday – 9am – 5pm
Friday- 9am – 4pm
Saturday – 8am – 2pm
Seasonal Hours throughout the Month of January 2021.
Full time Maintenance services! We have Maintenance technicians available to assist you Monday through Saturday. 9am-5pm.
Call 731-424-2206 if you have any questions or need assistance.
We try to help people learn how to take care of their Ponds throughout the seasons in an efficient manner. One important way to stay ahead of water quality issues in the Fall is to cut back and remove the Aquatic Plant waste before frost. And more importantly, before it gets to cold to get in your pond…
My Pond Tip today is – Start sooner than later on Seasonal Aquatic Plant cutback & cleanup!
What do I need to do to my Pond in the Fall? I get this question a LOT at Carters Nursery Pond & Patio this time of the year! #1 Cut those aquatic plants back!
Aquatic Plants are a big part of a healthy ecosystem! They absorb all manner of pollution and nutrients from the water and store them in their plant tissues helping to clean and purify the water. BUT, if the plants are allowed to die and decompose in the pond all those nutrients and compounds are released right back into the water! This will create YUGE Water Quality issues! Algae blooms, Green Water, Bad Smells & Fish Health issues – even fish death 💀!
Yes, you even need to cut back your Lotus plants. AND, sink their containers to a lower depth in your pond to protect them from Winter temps | Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
Trimming your Aquatic Plants back is fairly simple to do, It doesn’t take too long & it will pay dividends in Water Quality & Fish Health!
If you have any questions or need some help, feel free to give me a call at the office – 731-424-2206
10 degree windchill this morning 🥶 Brrr! Ice Ice Baby! But, don’t worry, it will be ok… Just don’t break the ice!
Don’t break the ice! It will harm your Koi! The powerful shock waves created by a blow to the ice can break their bones and rupture organs!
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER break the ice by banging on it! It can cause your fish great harm – it can even KILL them! To allow the escape/exchange of gasses in a frozen over pond, keep a hole open in the ice. This is IMPORTANT!!! It will keep the gases from building up under the ice and allow for oxygen exchange and keep your fish from suffocating. This will also allow the pump to get water if the surface is frozen. If you have a skimmer, this will be MUCH easier on you! The water movement will help keep the ice from forming. You may need to keep the hole open by adding water from a water hose, bucket or pan of water. (This is why I always say “keep a dry hose” or a 5 gallon bucket for this purpose! If & when you use your water hose be sure to drain it when finished-to keep it from freezing and bursting, or just keep it in your garage). You can also use a floating pond heater or a small pump in a shallow area to “flash up’ and break the water surface. Just do it! 😊
It’s cold for a few days, but it will warm soon. Lets take care of our finned friends ❤️
Spring is here and we are ready to service your Water Feature & Landscaping needs. Come by the Nursery for plants, supplies & help. OR call for a Design Consultation to create a Custom Water Feature of your own!
We are LIVE today from the Bakers Rack! Come on by until 11am and Big Steve from Carlock Nissan is gonna get your breakfast!
Come by the Bakers Rack this morning! Big Steve from Carlock Nissan is buying everyone’s breakfast!!!
Lots to talk about!
SPRING is in the air! Time to –
plant
trim and prune
fertilize
overseed
mulch
clean your pond
apply dormant oil
The whole world is coming alive😊
Remember – come on by till 11am and get FREE Breakfast!
I’m on with the 180 Crew – Dan Reaves & Sea Bass- every Friday from 9-11am Call in with ALL your gardening and Outdoor Lifestyle questions at 731-423-8101. OR you can TEXT us at 731-277-5155. Listen LIVE at 101.5 WNWS – FM Talk Radio – on your smart phone using your TuneIn app.!
Lori Nunnery with Visit Jackson TN was in the studio to let us all in on what’s up in Jackson, TN this weekend! For more info go here – http://www.visitjackson TN.com
It’s time to keep an eye on your water temp! When temps drop below 60 I start feeding “Low Temp. Fish Food” & some fresh fruits and veggies like peas, oranges, grapefruit & softened carrots. | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
LOTS of call in questions and texts today!
what variety of crepe myrtle should I plant for a specimen quality tree – try a Natchez multi trunk and you won’t be disappointed!
Can I cut back my Aquatic Plants now? Yes! Nows the time!
Its also a great time to use Cool Temp. Water Treatments & Koi Food!
Great time to plant ornamentals like shrubs & trees 🌲
Ebony Embers is the dark leafed Crepe Myrtle that was mentioned today by a caller – 😉
Get out this weekend and check out the beautiful Fall Color!
For the next few weeks every Friday is a “Fishy Friday”! That means all of the fish you purchase are at a 20% discount! TGIFF! | Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
Have a Great Weekend!
I’m on with the 180 Crew – Dan Reaves & Sea Bass- every Friday from 9-11am Call in with ALL your gardening and Outdoor Lifestyle questions at 731-423-8101. OR you can TEXT us at 731-277-5155. Listen LIVE at 101.5 WNWS – FM Talk Radio – on your smart phone using your TuneIn app.!
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
WOW! What a great show today! We had a special guest today – Mrs. Laura Laman, ‘Herbalist Extraordinaire’! So we got to talk about all sorts of cool organic & homeopathic stuff! Things like –
Essential Oils and their positive effects on our health!
High PH Water and how it help cancer patients and YOU too! They sell it at our local “Grubbs Grocery”. The PH is 9.7 – 10 and it contains all sorts of minerals & things. It was interesting to find out NOT to drink it 30 minutes before OR after a meal. WHY? Because it is such a high PH that it will slow digestion… Before bed was a suggestion of a great time to drink it. Grubbs has it in stock and it’s $1/gal.
There was a question – WHAT type of tree is a bonsai? He was surprised to find out that bonsai isn’t a particular type of tree – its a Japanese art form where you cultivate small trees in trays or containers that look like their full sized counterparts. You can use many types of plants to create a bonsai – oaks, beech, plum, azalea, pine, juniper, fig, etc… The word ‘Bonsai’ in Japanese means “Tree in Tray”. The art of Bonsai was developed from the older Chinese art of ‘Penjing’.
Our 20th Annual Pond Tour was a big topic of discussion. Several people mentioned and commented about the Pond Tour as well the Moonlight Pond Tour. For those that don’t know, the pond tour is NEXT Saturday, June 23rd.! The Tour starts at 9am. and goes until 4pm. Then we open the nursery back up at 8pm. for the Luau – LIVE Music, Kalua Pork & the most beautifully lit Water Gardens and Gardens ever! The Pond Tour is a fund raiser for the Jackson Animal Care Center. Y’all Come!
This is the 20th. year for our Annual Summer Pond Tour! The Pond Tour supports JACAAC – The Pond Tour Date is June 23rd. (Saturday). Tickets are $20 and 100% goes to support the cause! Purchase tickets at Carters Nursery – 2846 Old Medina Rd. Jackson, TN! Please help get the word out! | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
Sunday is FATHERS DAY! Don’t miss this one! Dad is counting on ya’! 😉
Thanks for all the wonderful calls today! Have a GREAT weekend!
I’m on with the 180 Crew – Dan Reaves & Sea Bass- every Friday from 10-11am Call in with ALL your gardening and Outdoor Lifestyle questions at 731-423-8101. OR you can TEXT us at 731-277-5155. Listen LIVE at 101.5 WNWS – FM Talk Radio – on your smart phone using your TuneIn app.!
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph# 731-424-2206 http://www.cartercountry.com
We are right in the middle of “Pond Cleaning Season” here at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio! From daylight to dark we are – splitting Aquatic Plants, Potting Aquatic Plants, Catching & Culling Fish, Replacing Filter Pads, Draining and Rinsing Ponds, Touching up stones and Gravel, etc. etc. One of the biggest questions I’m getting from new Pond Owners is “How do I clean my Water Garden”?
I have blogged on this subject before, but I know refreshers are helpful so here is a short list of Tools & Pond Supplies that you will need while performing your Pond/Water Garden Clean-out.
1st. Have ALL your tools and supplies needed on site and ready –
1. Fish Nets – Before you drain your pond for the spring clean-out, you’ll need to catch and relocate your fish. Purchasing a good quality net means doing this without injuring your fish during the catch and release.
2. Planting Pots – Spring clean-out is a great time to thin and divide plants that have grown out of bounds or crowded a pot. Make sure you have some aquatic plant pots & aquatic plant soil handy so you can re-pot and share your new plants with other water gardeners.
3. Extra Gravel – After the freeze and thaw of winter, you’ll inevitably find rocks and gravel that have shifted, exposing bare liner. With an extra bag or two of gravel, you can cover exposed liner in a jiffy.
4. Aquatic Plant Fertilizer – Take advantage of the water-free accessibility of water lilies, lotus, and other plants that may need to be fertilized, by having a container of aquatic plant fertilizer tabs on hand when you’re doing your pond clean-out.
5. Container for Plant Debris – Grab an old plastic plant pot or bucket so you can easily dispose of any debris that you gather from the pond bottom or from dead plant matter.
6. Rubber Gloves and Boots – Spring clean-outs can be cold, wet, and messy. Arming yourself with boots and gloves will go a long way toward making this chore much less unpleasant.
7. Fish Container – A large tub or tank will be needed so you can have a roomy place to keep your fish during the clean-out. Use water from the pond to fill the tank and use a small fountain pump to re-circulate the water.
8. Net to Cover the Fish Container – Fish, especially large Koi, jump, and they may very well jump right out of the container that you have set up for them. Be sure to cover it with a net that is pulled tight across the container to prevent them from jumping.
9. Pump and Discharge Pipe – To drain the water out of the pond, you will need a pump and some discharge pipe. It’s OK to use your pond pump, but even better if you have an extra pump to lessen the wear and tare on your pond pump. About 2,000 GPH, depending on the size of your pond, will do the trick.
10. High Pressure Nozzle – Use a pressure nozzle on your garden hose to dislodge debris and algae from the rocks.
11. Pond Detox – Always detox the newly filled pond before you put the fish back in.
12. Expanding Foam – Expanding foam may need a bit of a touch up in some areas. Be prepared with a can of it just in case.
13. New Filter Mats – Filter mats should be replaced approximately every 3 years. If you think it might be time, be prepared by purchasing replacements prior to your clean-out.
14. Pruners – Part of a spring clean-out is pruning back dead plant material from the previous season. Make sure you have a good pair of pruners and/or scissors to get the job done.
15. Plastic Rake – You can rake the leaves right out of your pond with a small plastic (child’s) rake. The plastic lessens the chance of damaging the liner and the small size makes it easier to maneuver in tight spots than an adult size rake
Once you have all your tools together it’s time to get started. Start early so you can finish the task in one day if possible.
Fill your holding tank for your fish with water from the Pond. Capture & place the fish in the tank.
Capture fish, frogs and snails and place in your holding tank while you clean the pond. | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
Then thoroughly clean debris, trim & thin aquatic plants & rinse/wash down the pond.
Place your pump in the lowest part of the pond and wash/rinse to it. You may need to use a brush to scrub off some areas. Keep washing to it’s clean and the water is clear.
Then straiten up rocks & gravel, clean all filters and wash the pond down before refilling.
Capture & place the fish in tanks and then thoroughly clean debris, straiten up rocks & gravel and wash the pond down before refilling. And don’t forget to dose the new water with Pond detox.
After the Water Feature is thoroughly cleaned and re-filled, turn on the pump and add detox to the water. I like to run the pump for a few minutes before we start reintroducing the fish. Then start adding fresh Cold Temperature Bacteria to the Pond to get the system up and running right.
Using natural Water Treatments will really help keep your Pond in tip top shape! Carters Nursery stocks a complete line of Water Treatment for Water Gardens, Ponds & Lakes.
We clean a LOT of Ponds for our clients! But many people enjoy cleaning their own Ponds in the Spring. I hope this tutorial will help you.
We carry all the products for the Do It Yourselfers! Fish Nets, Pumps, Filters, Filter media, Pond Detox, Pond Bacteria, Fish Medications, Fish Food, etc… Call with any questions – we can help 😉 731-424-2206.
With a little work you will be ready for a Great outdoor season.
Happy Pondering!
PS: We are having a Water Garden Clean-out Class on April 21st. at the Nursery. It’s FREE and YOU are invited!
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph# 731-424-2206 https://www.cartercountry.com
