Don’t blink 👁 … It’s Monday once again! “Got anymore of that Weekend”??? The older I get, the more I become ‘pro 3 day weekend’ 😊 Thank goodness for my Waterfalls! This time of year, as everything is waking up, coming out and the weather is getting warmer, I’m out by my Ponds and Waterfalls more and more. My Waterfalls and Koi make mornings and evenings so much more relaxing and bearable. Especially on a busy Monday morning…
Enjoy this Little ‘Moment of Zen’…
Let’s all have a wonderful Monday morning!
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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I know Spring is upon us! I got 2 calls back to back today asking about Pond Cleaning! We are at the beginning of “Pond Cleaning Season” here at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio! From daylight to dark for the next month or two we will be splitting Aquatic Plants, Potting Aquatic Plants, Catching & Culling Fish, Replacing Filter Pads, Draining and Rinsing Ponds, Touching up stone work 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 if you do it yourself…
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 or aerator 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.
After the Water Feature and Filtration System is thoroughly cleaned and the Pond re-filled, turn on the pump and add detox to the water by label instructions. I like to run the pump for a little while before we start reintroducing the fish. Then start adding fresh Cold Temperature Bacteria to the Pond daily to get the system up and running right. A Good Spring Clean-out is the KEY to a GREAT season.
It’s time to get ready for Spring!
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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Throwback Thursday is always fun! It seems like most of my Throwbacks have lots of meaning and importance to me… I guess that’s what makes them worth the time 😊 This one for sure! My son actually tee’d this one up for me today ❤️ He made a post on Facebook today that I’m using my for this Thursday’s Throwback, check it out 👇🏻
This project was 5 years ago in Gulf Shores, Alabama and was hosted by Gulf Shores Aquascape (shout out to Motel and Buford!) Jacob was 13 years old at the time & was over the top Thrilled to able to go with his dad! But the BIG thrill was the fact that we would be working on the ‘New’ Gulf Coast Zoo project! 💥 A little backstory here – he has grown up loving the Gulf Coast Zoo! Nicknamed “The little Zoo That Could” after surviving Hurricane Ivan in 2005! The little zoo won worldwide love and acclaim and the donations started rolling in. The writing was on the wall. The Zoo must grow and must never face another disaster like Ivan again! Which meant, Relocation! Cut to 2015 and the 1st Water Feature was being installed in the New Zoo – “The Little Zoo That Grew” in its New Location! The Waterfalls and Landscape on ‘Spider Monkey Island’ was the first BIG Water Feature for the Zoo, and it was being installed by Professional Waterfall Builders (CAC’s) on a TV 📺 Show to boot! Jacob was strait up thrilled!
Here’s a picture from many years ago at the Little Zoo with Sita, a white tiger cub. He’s gotten to have many animal encounters over the years, but he really loves those Tigers!
After we finished the Zoo, we did the residential project pictured above with the group that worked on both. Here’s a cleaned up picture with the landscaping and mulching complete and ready for the “reveal” on TV.
Here he is learning a bit about how to operate a track hoe, at 13 years old! Yes, he’s experienced for a young un’!
I hope I didn’t get too carried away 😊 It’s just, good memories are worth gold. Especially on #Throwbackthursday!
Have a great night!
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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I recently had the pleasure to meet the Ladies of the Helen Schult Garden Club in Caruthersville, Missouri and to speak for their members on my favorite subject- Water Gardening!
Any time I can share my knowledge of this wonderful hobby and Lifestyle, I’m in 😊
The meeting took place at a local members beautiful home, that actually has a Water Garden (that we helped her with)… Her family really enjoys the “Outdoor Lifestyle” that I talk about all the time. Her backyard living area is second to none! Custom paved patio space with an outdoor kitchen, bar and sitting/lounging area beneath a custom Pergola. Complete with a Fire 🔥 feature, a Water Feature and gorgeous pottery and plants… Shang-ra-la…
Have a great “Hump Day”!
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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My Pond Tip for today is – Stay ahead of the coming leaf 🍂 fall with a POND NET!
– 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’! Simple pTools 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
Don’t blink, it’s #Waterfallwednesday again 😊 We are into our second day of Fall & it feels so good! I wanted to share this naturalistic Waterfall with you today.
Nestled in the corner of a private backyard garden with views from inside and out. The pond comes right up to the edge of the overhanging deck and really creates some magic 💥
We built this beauty several years back. It has matured nicely. The moss has spread everywhere. I Love ❤️ Waterfalls! | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Martin, TN
I love visiting features that we installed years earlier. Seeing how the plants have matured and how the moss has spread over the rocks always excites me 😊
Waterfalls are my business, and business is good!
Enjoy your day! It’s all downhill to the weekend from here…
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 #waterfallwednesday y’all! My Favorite Day of the week! This Fabulous little Pondless
Waterfall was put here as a unique focal point in the forefront of a plant screen… PS: we didn’t want it to look like a hedgerow or “screening plants”… Boom 💥 Not only does it look great 24/7 thanks to the Landscape lighting, it sounds wonderful as well 🎶
We even put a small “seat boulder” there at front left for the “Perfect Picture” 😊
This is a recent Water Feature that I just love ❤️ It really transformed a boring area of the landscape. Now, it’s the Central Focal point of the entire area. At night the lights come on automatically and really throw some magic 💥 PLUS : The sound is beyond compare 😘 | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee
I hope your Waterfall Wednesday goes well! From here, it’s all downhill to the weekend 😉
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
Thanks & Happy Pondering 😊
Good Morning! It’s #Waterfallwednesday! In fact, it’s the last Waterfall Wednesday of August! Time is flying by… But in this backyard retreat, things are a little bit slower… A bit more relaxed if you will. The lady of the house Works from home, so this is part of her ‘break room’ and her getaway for lunch. Her dogs 🐕 Love to get outside as well – Best drinking water ever 😊
I wanted to share this gorgeous view with y’all today for Waterfall Wednesday
This beautiful Water Garden totally changed this private backyard.
You don’t realize how much you would enjoy a Water Garden like this, until it’s right outside your back door 🚪 It will literally change your life for the better!
Have a Great, Waterfall Wednesday!
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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Is it just me, or is 2020 moving at a good clip… It’s already #waterfallwednesday again! Here’s a brand new creation we just turned on 💥
This is a newly created Waterfall. It’s the perfect compliment to this small, intimate courtyard. | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee
A private courtyard complete with a Waterfall & Swim Stream, a stone bridge rock, a crushed stone walking area (no grass), Japanese Maples 🍁, blooming perennials, cool lighting and a Fire Pit 🔥
Sounds like Waterfall Wednesday to me 😊
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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