Ponds in Canada

[callingcolleen1]

Large unknown dogs running around might be scary, especially for some small "two bite" Pee Wee!!

 

[callingcolleen1]

Well last few days of summer, hornwort growing very thick this year, now in all ponds. The nights are getting longer and cooler, but the days are still very hot. Got up early on day off and took puppies to river for walk and swim. Cleaned up dead blooms in garden and moved a couple plants around the yard. Now is good time to move hearty plants for next year. Going to keep eye out for more Lilly bulbs this fall to plant. Water Lilly never bloomed, must not have quite enough sun and large sedges do tend to starve them out, will give them fertalizer tablets in early spring next year for sure!

 

[humbirdlover]

Hi Mad Hatter, just joined so I could post to you, LOL I love, love your ponds. Have read thru your whole thread and will be going back and reading again. So aggrevated with my pond, but I think you have given me hope. I really need to find some of your plants. Got a feeling the best way to get advice is to read what others do that works. Thanks for being so sharing with your info and pictures

 

[sissy]

colleen is good and told me how grasses clean the water and I added them this year and wow did my water clean up .They suck up everything and clean good .I even added them to my regular gardens to help clean the air .Grasses rock .

 

[humbirdlover]

Which ones did you get? You're a little farther South than me, but I really need them, plus could use the shade. My floaters just didn't make it this summer. Don't know if it was our extreme heat or what. I just got a Fish Mate UV+Bio Filter, so will see if that helps clear up my water Been sitting here drooling all over my keyboard, looking at her ponds.

 

[addy1]

I put lirope, rush, feather grass, miniature sea oats and other grasses into the bog. Also day lilies, tons of plants. One thing I don't fight is green water or algae. Firm believer in plants, they snatch the nutrients before the algae gets to it.

Colleen does have some beautiful ponds.

 

[sissy]

I got ribbon grass and purple fountain grass and strawberries and cream I over wintered in the basement from last year and ribbon grass was from last year also .If you can get hold of lemon grass grab it ,it makes for the best bug control and also just smells fantastic .It will also over winter in a basement .I use concrete mixing tubs for my over winter plants .Never could find the miniture sea oats addy ,do they drop a lot of seeds .

 

[addy1]

.Never could find the miniture sea oats addy ,do they drop a lot of seeds .

A bunch, but that is what I wanted, to cover the lower bog hill with grasses. Love how the miniature sea oats look, they remind me of the weeks we spent at the beach as kids. Also some are growing in the bog, I keep them a little under control in the bog, just yank if I get too many seedlings.

If you want I can send you some seed or baby plants, have a bunch.

 

[humbirdlover]

I don't have a bog, but do have a shelf on the one end where I could sit some pots. I could group them ? What do you suggest I plant them in? I'm a very impatient ponder, wish I had some big ones now! LOL

 

[sissy]

We use kitty litter as addy found it works great for pond plants .

 

[addy1]

My in pond plants are in cheap walmart oil pans or reused black plant pots (from nurseries) filled with kitty litter. (cheap walmart pure clay litter)

 

[humbirdlover]

Thank you, would never have thought of kitty litter. Guess I'll be looking for some grasses.Had no idea some of those you mentioned would grow in water. Would love to find the yellow flag or sweet flag that Colleen mentioned

 

[sissy]

Just go to the I am almost dead plant section and our motto is save them . :razz: they are cheaper .

 

[callingcolleen1]

Tell you my dirty little secret.... most if my biggest pond plants are not in dirt or soil or kitty litter, I find sedges grow best when they are "cut lose" and just wedged intputhe rocks along edge of pond, that way the roots take the nutrients right directly out of water without fighting the pot and dirt. My very "abnormally" large yellow flag (water iris) that floats all on it's own is not in any dirt at all or even any pot or basket. It bust out of the basket twenty years ago and I pealed the broken pieces away and just set it back in the pond. Now I find that most of my pond plants grow best that way, they make their own sod and gather leaf litter into their roots and eat it. I did the same this year with a small cutting of water Calla and it is growing better than the one in the pot. Some plants just need to be "cut lose" of binding pots and baskets, just set the Calla along the water edge and tacked in place with a couple rocks and log and it just stays there, the roots take shape of the "foundation" of rocks and stay put nicely.

Tonight by the pond ....

 

[humbirdlover]

Thanks Colleen, looks like I'll be plant hunting. Summer is almost over here in Virginia, but we have been having mild winters, so if I find some, in they go I really like your ideas and love your ponds. got a long list of "gotta have" things just by looking at your pics. Keep them coming, LOL