Hello all! - PICTURES

[Guest]

[*Lisa]

oh we like racy!!!!!  Welcome back

[Paige]

Ralph,
I read in one of your posts that your secret to plant growth is Miracle Grow.  Couple of questions.  Do you use the container sprayer made by Miracle Grow?  Are you very careful when spraying next to your pond?  How often do you fertilize? 

Whenever I use the sprayer it seems that the solution is too diluted and it takes a long time to actually get through the entire container.  Any advise you can give would be greatly appreciated!!!

[Ralph A]

I do use their little spray bottle that attaches to the end of a garden hose, but I unscrew the nozzle that comes with it and use my own nozzle in its place. I get more control over the spray, that way.

I am as careful as the next guy when it comes to spraying close to the pond, but I don't sweat it too much - some does get in.

After I spray the plants, I let the solution soak in, and then I go back and lightly sprinkle everything with fresh clear water to wash off the foliage and to work the solution down into the soil (so the next rain doesn't just wash it away... and into the pond.

I do this maybe three times per year (I'm zone 4a):
1. Now.
2. End of June.
3. Late summer.

Try to follow manufacturer's instructions: "even if the water is still blue, add more product..." Just use common sense and you can't go wrong.

Don't forget, your evergreens, roses, azaleas and fruiting trees will require something more then Miracle Gro!

Good luck!

[plays with fish]

Wow!  This would be my dream pond!!

[Ralph A]

Hi there! How's all my friends? We had a snowy winter, for Virginia:

[Ralph A]

All of it has now melted (the pic above was taken three weeks ago.) Today, I saw my sedums and lilies and soapworts all popping up!

Here's the driveway. .. ummm somewhere underneath all that white stuff... 

[Ralph A]

The pond came through AAA+++. I experimented this year by leaving some (actually quite a few) fallen leaves in the bottom... just like in nature. Sort of risky, but it paid off. They made a nice medium for my cold water bacteria, and I didn't need any boosters at all. I removed most of them last weekend.

She's percolating fine, and is clear as a bell! All the fish made it through the snow and ice. They are fat and happy, and the parrot's feather has been trying to propagate since mid-February (!!) even in spite of the snow, and the spider lily has already sprouted.

Other news: I finished my second novel (which is really my first), an epic adventure. I didn't do much with the first one, because of the erotic content.  

But this one is suitable for anyone 12 years and older. It's about a slave girl who no one wants anymore, and who perseveres in spite of all odds. She lives secretly in a library.  

More later, best wishes and hello again to all!

- Ralph

[plays with fish]

Let us know when its on the shelf.  I love to read and that sounds right up my alley!

[plays with fish]

Ralph are any of your water plants in soil?  From looking at the pictures they seem to be in a rocky sand mix unless you have the soil well hidden.  I am adding a bog with stream this spring and have been considering planting everything in gravel.  Have you had any experience with any plants that do not do well in that situation?
Have you ever grown Japanese primrose?  I planted them in a wet area where a spring comes to the surface and they are so exotic.  Each year they multiply and are so beautiful.

[The Skipper]

Welcome back soldier!

[Tana]

As always, good to see pictures and you too, of course.  I'm glad to hear your little experiment worked and that your water is fine.  Congrats on the new book.

[Bexo]

ditto, what she said

[Ralph A]

Ralph are any of your water plants in soil?  From looking at the pictures they seem to be in a rocky sand mix unless you have the soil well hidden.  I am adding a bog with stream this spring and have been considering planting everything in gravel.  Have you had any experience with any plants that do not do well in that situation?
Have you ever grown Japanese primrose?  I planted them in a wet area where a spring comes to the surface and they are so exotic.  Each year they multiply and are so beautiful.

==========================

I use rock over soil in the bog. To save time and to add a little more control I used 1/2 packaged soil (clay particles, not much more than kitty litter) and 1/2 stuff I dig out of my back yard. Then, rocks over that.

No sand. I tried some sand in places, but it doesn't percolate enough oxygen. It gets scummy.

I haven't done Japanese Primrose, but I do have a great place for them. the back side of my bog drops off radically, so the "moist" area comprising the overflow zone is always well drained. It's natural clay and sand.

The only thing I couldn't get going very well was a mosaic plant. It just liked to linger and rot, no matter what I did.

 

PS the bog is my favorite part of the pond!!

Secret: to keep the bog-end cleaned out, I throw fish food into the shallows. Those big 'ol koi buggers (16") will literally "swim" (walk?) into an inch of water and thrash out all the scum and slop. Then the snails eat it!

[plays with fish]

I know what you mean about the fish in shallow water.  I have an earth pond also. When we get a heavy downpour the fish get out to eat grass.  Its amazing how fast they can zoom across an inch of water. They look like one of those Everglade airboats skimming the surface.   So your whole bog side has soil below or only where you wanted to plant something?

[plays with fish]

Ralph, the Japanese Primrose are blooming.  They are amazing!  I just wanted you to see what they look like.  I have them planted along a stream where a spring comes to the surface.