The pond dig has begun!

[j.w]

Geez Colleen what a nightmare!

CE hope no more tears in your line and sure hope it's not the turtles doing that cuz how can you stop them when you don't know what they are doing way down below? Pretty fish you have there!

 

[CountryEscape]

Holy cow, Colleen, no wonder you don't like hospitals! That was awful!
Yeah, I have no idea how to keep the turtles out, and even if I kicked them out of the pond, they would likely come right back, and once they decide my bog is their winter bed, how do I know when they go in there? Guess I'll have to sit back and hope that they are more gentle this time and settle for 18" down, instead of deeper if they want to be deeper.

 

[callingcolleen1]

The food sucked too, the eggs were not from real eggs, they were awful!!
Don't know how your going keep them turtles out, maybe a little fence? Maybe the dogs could help chase them away!

Poppy helps keep an eye out around the pond, and does water quality checks every day

 

[j.w]

Hey yeah CE you can get those little short wire colored fences that come in white or green and they just stab into the dirt. They come in big rolls. I have some around my pond. Would work to keep the big suckers out maybe. Except turtles are pretty good climbers but don't know how good they are at climbing a wire fence. Might be worth a try to protect your liner and might keep those big snappers outta there too.

 

[CountryEscape]

Good idea, ladies. I actually have some of that fencing, it's in bits and pieces, probably came in 4' sections. I have it in the middle of the ground that I built up along the edge of the sidewalk, so the dogs have to at least stop and think before crossing it or laying in it, since I have top soil and then the seed on it, trying to grow grass. It's cheap, too. Problem is that what I have is only about 12" tall, and those turtles could climb that, I would guess, if they were very anxious to get to the pond. And, the little guys would easily fit through it. I'll have to think on it. I've not yet (knock on wood) seen a snapper in my pond, except the 2 infants last fall. But, that's what I figured did the damage. Maybe, before fall, I could catch the larger turtles ... they would be very easy to catch ... and trim their toenails. LOL May be they would not tear the liner this time, then. You know, give the, a manicure, put some polish on there ... the works! Would have to file them smooth if I clipped them, though. They may not like their digging abilities after I did that, though, but it might actually work if their toenails were not so sharp.

 

[j.w]

I don't think the turtles would like that at all but it would be funny to watch a video of you trying to do it CE

 

[CountryEscape]

Haha, be careful what you ask for, JW. But, I would need someone to do the video, as I'm sure I would have my hands full with trimming toenails. LOL I'm actually serious, as trimming their front toenails may be easier than convincing them to go to the farm pond this fall! I sure don't want to even think about having to unload my goldfish pond bog for a hole in the liner next spring. That sucker is almost the length of the pond, on the outer curve, and the pond is 17' long! I know I unloaded the koi pond bog twice before I found the hole, and that was a pain, and it's less than half the size of the goldfish pond bog.

 

[callingcolleen1]

Wonder if the turtles are snaping the liner with their mouths? I would keep an eye out for them closer to fall and catch them and release miles away to ensure they don't come back! Bad turtles, to think I wanted one once for my pond! But I see they may be more trouble than their worth! To bad they weren't the chocolate kind you get at Christmas!!

 

[CountryEscape]

Yep, Colleen, chocolate turtles, yummy! This is a pic of what they are doing to my lilies. I'm pretty sure they are crawling on top of them, cutting the leaves. Don't think they are actually eating the leaves. Lady that raises lilies (they I should be receiving my deep purple tropical from today - Thanks, Addy!!!) said that the edge damage is some type of China Mark Moths, and there is nothing to do about them. I'm not concerned about the lily pads getting cut up, as she says that won't hurt their growth, just looks bad, unless they really shred them when they (turtles) get bigger. So, eventually I will have to do something with the turtles if they continue to come back as they grow. As you can see in the pic, the bigger (6") and smaller (3" turtle are both by the damaged leaves.

And, I would not think they are snapping at the liner when they dig, just using their claws. I've seen videos of them burrowing into the mud, so it's the claws I have to worry about. They would be really easy to catch, especially since my ponds are so clear, I could easily net them, or grab them when they have their head under water, but their shell is on the surface. LOL
I have also decided that the tree/shrub fertilizer spikes are NOT good for the lilies. Most of them have quit blooming, so I think that the numbers are in the wrong spots. In other words, the spikes are 16-4-4, and I think the blooms need that middle number to be higher, according to the Lily Lady. Ho hum. Next year I will try harder!

 

[sissy]

turtle is trying to sun himself on your pad .I relocate all turtles as soon as i seem them

 

[addy1]

You want to use fertilizer that is for blooms, tree spikes is for growth, i.e. vegetation.

 

[j.w]

They have some Jobes tree spikes that are 10-26-10 and then they have the tomato spikes that I use.

 

[sissy]

thank you CE I got my seeds and can't wait to start them in January

 

[CountryEscape]

You're welcome, Sissy. Good luck!!!
The Lily Lady that you got your purple lily from, Addy (and I just got mine today!) said that the middle number needs to be high for blooms. So, JW, what you have, is perfect. What I have, will be used on my trees from now on. She also said to use the granular fertlizer, put it in the bottom of the pots when planting, she used 1/2-1 cup! Higher middle number the better. Anyhow, I know someone else mentioned to use paper towels or kleenex to wrap the granular stuff in, poke a hole in the existing lily dirt, push the fert wrapped up in the kleenex, toilet paper, paper towels, whatever, and it will seep out over time. Much cheaper. I'm going to try that! I have to run to town to get some kitty litter, as I have the plants, and no darn kitty litter. Shoot! Will get fertlizer at the same time, if the Dollar Store has it, but I doubt it. May wait until tomorrow to get it, so I can get mulch for landscaping (to spruce it all up again) and everything else I need at the hardware store, which is closed now.

 

[addy1]

I do that trick if I need to add more, mainly for the lotus. The lilies get a good dose on the bottom of the pan first thing in the spring, then no more granular for the rest of the season. I do have some tabs I add now and then.