pond in progress started 4/21/10

[CountryEscape]

I know when I was thinking of getting the internet through Verizon satellite here, they said I only had 3g service at that point, but that 4g was coming in leaps and bounds. he said I would NOT want their satellite service until I had 4g. I just wonder what the world will be like in another 10 years, if everyone will be having "text" conversation and no more talking ... Kind of sad, really.
My problem with texting is that I'm pretty fast with my little keyboard on my phone, I hit the key, it types it, period, no auto correcting going on here. But, I tend to do it fast and then send it without re-reading it. Sometimes my kids type back "Huh???" LOL I have seen far too many nightmares with auto correct to use it ... at least not right now.

 

[addy1]

I hate comcast, but love cable internet, so we use them, no other choice out here. I have no patience waiting for things to load and up and down. The hot spot does work decently down in florida, don't use it to the extent I do up here.

 

[addy1]

In the beginning...............
rope outline of pond to be




I find it hard to believe, I dug the pond, put in the plants, carried everyone of those rocks up that slope, My loving honey made the bucks to do it.........................and bought me the tractor that made it possible

Three years later:





Five herons flew over this morning, the netting will always be up, I need to tweak the new tanks coverage, threw it up before we left town

Last fall, 1000 gallon shubunkin to be stock tank



To this, spring



300 gallon lotus tub, added two preforms in the loop honey bought for me...........craigs list

last year





The bog 2010





The bog now: keeps the pond water perfect

 

[callingcolleen1]

Your bog is just huge and beautiful Addy, it all turned out so very nice, and the new stock tank sure has lots of big Lilly pads, now you can just relax all summer and enjoy the beautiful back yard.

 

[j.w]

Hey addy I like how you showed us all that from start to finish. Wow look how wonderful it all turned out and yep I would keep that net over all those pretty kids of yours so Mr Heron can't gobble them all up!

 

[CometKeith]

Addy, I think what you have done is absolutely amazing. I have seen most of these pictures before but I am still astounded about how great everything looks. Obviously besides knowing a lot about how ponds should be built you are also very good at landscape architecture. I am looking forward to your book on bog building and would like the first autographed copy!

 

[addy1]

lol................I am a no plan just do it mind visual type person. Can see the end in my mind, can not put it on paper. Honey kept wanting drawings, I kept saying TRUST ME.............lmao.

I am sort of at the end of my build thread.............no more ponds!

I absolutely love my bog, this is one of my largest bogs, largest pond builds.................. 10 ponds in a loop, whatever size the big one is, to 1000 stock tank to 300 stock tank, to whatever size the preforms are to whatever size the stream ponds and deck ponds are. No real clue on the amount of water moving around, but a non issue since I don't treat the water with anything, all I add are crushed oyster shells.

The water stays perfect, no care required except an occasional bottom netting, usually once in spring, once in fall. This year I never did the spring net job, to many life issues came up. I will do a good fall clean out, once the leaves fall.

 

[tazcat70]

So gorgeous! And by showing the start to finish pictures, it gives me hope.

 

[CountryEscape]

You are an amazing woman, with an amazing pond, Addy, and in inspiration to all. It was your bog that convinced me to try it with my first pond, and then really DO IT with my second pond. I agree, my goldfish pond is crystal clear, never any algae of any kind in the water. Koi pond with much smaller bog, larger pond, and KOI (I know, they make more waste) is clear, but not crystal clear. I can see the bottom, but not clearly. I'm happy with that. If I ever move, my next koi pond will be much larger, and a MUCH larger bog. Thanks for all your photos and instructions along the way. It has helped many become fun ponders, rather than "chore" ponders. I for one am very grateful! Loved the before and after photos, too. Really shows how much everything has grown over the years.

 

[addy1]

Well as we age gracefully, I needed to make it easy to care for. I am not sure I would tackle building that pond again. Really really love it, glad it is done, as done a pond can be. Of course there is always some tweaking, not much though. No more ponds, there are 10 now back there, counting each individual body of water, all interconnected. One pump running the ponds, one pump on timer for the stream, one filter, no uv.

During the summer the work involved is yanking plants out of the well growing bog. With the way our land is I just toss them behind the bog berm where they poof away, so no hauling of plants to remove them. Simple mulch pile.

 

[CountryEscape]

I was pulling water clover and parsley today. Then I thought, Uh oh ... all those people I sent starts of that to, hope they believed me when I said it spreads fast! LOL I feel bad pulling it out and tossing it, but like you said, got to do it or nothing else will get any light. It sure has helped keep the algae down, though. Virtually none in my ponds this year, which is thrilling to say the least!
My sister from AZ is moving to WI. She wants me to "design" her next pond. I'm going to simply give her ideas, let her decide, as she is the type that if one things goes wrong, and we all know that something or another WILL, she will blame me for it, and I'm 300 miles from WI! So, I'm going to start a "dos and don'ts" about her next pond, since her AZ pond was put together terribly. I would never have realized it until I joined this forum! I'm definitely going to highly suggest adding a bog to her pond. I sure have plenty of plants to share with her, get it up and going pronto.

 

[addy1]

Good luck CE with your sister's pond to be!

I have gone out a few times thinking of pulling plants out of the bog, end up leaving it alone. Lost my walking path, but everything seems to be getting along just fine, plants are blooming, pond water is perfect, no algae. Frogs fish tads all very happy.

 

[capewind]

LOL ... that clover sure spreads fast ... wish the Pennywart and Parsley did as much ... both are good growers, but that clover LOL ... already have a patch of clover growing down into the water ... my fish are thanking you for their treats!

 

[addy1]

I had 4 leaf clover in my pond and bog, it did not come back in the bog, sort of growing in the pond. A bunch of stuff I tried did not come back, what did is doing great. So sticking with it.

I added some lizards tail last year, it came back nicely. My taros, failure, think it has been too cool this spring. So done with them.

Too busy to try and make plants live that don't want to.

 

[CountryEscape]

I have brought the same small black taro inside the last 2 winters, and it remains very small, barely grows. I think I need to put it in a more sunny spot after the spring winds die down. It's more shielded where it is now, next to the waterfall wall edge of the bog.
I got some elephant ear bulbs from T'Mann, and sadly only one of them grew for me. I tried all sorts of way to grow them, deep, shallow, in dirt/pot, bare in the bog. All the bulbs rotted except one, which is growing nicely! Guess our weather just does not do well for elephant ears/taro. Darn! I sure like them! I did have success in growing a bunch of caladium from bulbs. Next year I'll restart them in January, as they take a LONG time to sprout!
Cape, be careful what you wish for with the parsley and penny wart! At least the penny wart is manageable. The parsley will take off and then you will wonder why you wanted so much. LOL You will be giving it away left and right next year, I bet.