Messages

1

Pond Chat / Re: Parrot's Feather BEFORE & AFTER

« on: June 15, 2014, 07:04:43 AM »

Good info from all.  I'm not going to mess with anything you guys say is invasive.  It took me years to get rid of the water mint that ran rampant in my rocks and jumped from the pond to my yard (still pulling it up whenever I notice it in the yard).    Don't want to go there again. 

2

Pond Chat / Re: Parrot's Feather BEFORE & AFTER

« on: June 08, 2014, 09:04:08 PM »

Thanks Kat.  I have to look that up.  Not many plants can take the heat here in Albuquerque, but I'm always looking to try something different...

3

Pond Chat / Re: Parrot's Feather BEFORE & AFTER

« on: June 08, 2014, 06:49:58 AM »

Hey Kat,

What is that big leaf plant in the pot with the parrots feather?

4

Aquatic and Terrestrial Plant Exchange / Re: Free Lotus Tuber (for postage) ALL GONE

« on: April 05, 2014, 08:37:04 AM »

Deb,

You're most welcome.  With two growing points still intact, your lotus should do just fine. 

Good luck!
Phil

5

Pond Chat / Re: thanks Phil (NM Pond Guy)

« on: April 04, 2014, 05:08:18 AM »

Thanks Jerry.

6

Pond Chat / Re: thanks Phil (NM Pond Guy)

« on: April 01, 2014, 08:17:30 PM »

Jerry,

You are very welcome.  I'm glad to see that USPS got them to you safely!

Best wishes,
Phil

7

Aquatic and Terrestrial Plant Exchange / Re: Free Lotus Tuber (for postage)

« on: March 30, 2014, 07:09:03 AM »

Gina,

I just PM'd you.  I can ship on Monday or Tuesday.

Phil

8

Aquatic and Terrestrial Plant Exchange / Re: Free Lotus Tuber (for postage)

« on: March 19, 2014, 02:08:17 PM »

Luke,

You'd think they'd take better care of a package marked Fragile...  I'm glad there's still hope for the lotus.  Hopefully, she'll grow and bloom for you.

Good luck,

Phil

9

Aquatic and Terrestrial Plant Exchange / Re: Free Lotus Tuber (for postage)

« on: March 19, 2014, 01:57:33 PM »

Jerry,

OK.  I'll ship the tuber on Monday.  I'm sure it is still too cold for here for you to ship a tropical.  So, we'll have to work that out later.  Any idea which purple tropical you'll be trading?

Phil

10

Aquatic and Terrestrial Plant Exchange / Re: Free Lotus Tuber (for postage)

« on: March 18, 2014, 06:33:19 AM »

Maybe a purple tropical water lily?  I can't keep tropicals over winter.  Since I have to throw them away at the end of the season,  I don't buy them.

11

Aquatic and Terrestrial Plant Exchange / Re: Free Lotus Tuber (for postage)

« on: March 17, 2014, 05:04:07 PM »

You're very welcome Luke. 

Jerry,

I just bought a couple of the AP T-shirts when you had the sale going.  Maybe we can trade something else.

Phil

12

Aquatic and Terrestrial Plant Exchange / Re: Free Lotus Tuber (for postage)

« on: March 16, 2014, 02:36:39 AM »

Hi Luke, 

I think I got Mayla water Lilly from you several years ago. I think you were like 16 then. Time flies. Glad to see you're still involved in water gardening.  I sent you a PM with my PayPal info.

Happy ponding,
Phil

13

Aquatic and Terrestrial Plant Exchange / Re: Free Lotus Tuber (for postage)

« on: March 15, 2014, 06:53:11 PM »

Hi Debora,

I wish I had room in my pond for more than one lotus.  They always failed when I tried planting lotus outside the pond.  It is just too hot here!  I sent you a PM with my PayPal address.

Happy ponding!
Phil

14

Aquatic and Terrestrial Plant Exchange / Free Lotus Tuber (for postage) ALL GONE

« on: March 14, 2014, 04:56:51 PM »

I divided my Pink Pretty Princess Peyton lotus and have a few extra tubers.  If anyone wants one, you can have it for free.  Just pay for postage: $12.35 Priority Mail Medium Flat Rate Box. I haven't measured them but I think they are probably 8 - 10 inches long. They all have at least 2 growing tips on them.

I've never shipped lotus before, but I remember how mine came to me: wrapped in a wet paper towel, tied in a plastic bag, taped down in a priority mail box. I'll send it that way unless you have a better idea.

Phil

15

Pond Chat / Re: PP treatment for water lilies

« on: July 18, 2013, 02:08:09 PM »

I wouldn't pp them before sending them out.  The person who recieves them should do that. 

Anyway, for bare root plants, I put 1/4 teaspoon of pp crystals in a 5 gallon bucket.  Carefully use water pressure form a garden hose to mix while adding water nearly to the top. Submerge/soak plants for a few hours (3-4).  Rinse with clear water before potting.

The last time I did this, I forgot my plants were soaking till the next day.  24 hour soak killed 1 of the 3 waterlilies.  It came as a bonus (part of a package deal) and I really didn't have room for it anyway - so no biggie.

I guess you could do the same for potted plants, but I've never done it.

16

Pond Chat / Re: Questions for Lotus Experts

« on: February 25, 2013, 11:32:09 AM »

OK.  I'll do the same.  Many Thanks!

17

Pond Chat / Re: Questions for Lotus Experts

« on: February 24, 2013, 01:40:31 PM »

Thanks Matherfish.  I think I'll leave it in another year and see how that goes.  When and how should I start to fertilize it? As soon as it puts up leaves - arial leaves - after it blooms?

18

Pond Chat / Re: Questions for Lotus Experts

« on: February 18, 2013, 10:05:07 AM »

The tuber was newly planted in a 24 gallon rope handled storage container: composted cow manure with a cup of osmocote on the bottom - clay soil on top of that  - tuber on top of that - and then covered with gravel and about 6 inches of water.  Over about a four day period, I noticed a dome forming in the soil.  Each day the dome got bigger. On about the 5th day, I went to check on the pot and found a much emptied pot and the missing tuber clear across the yard. Other than birds, I've never seen any wildlife around here except for the occasional roadrunner and rarely a coyote.  But who knows?

Here's another question:  What do you think about me just leaving the lotus to grow in the pond for a second year?  I guess I'd have to fertilize once it started growing. But is there any reason not to do this?

19

Pond Construction & Filtration / Re: Must I cut filter media? If so, what size?

« on: February 17, 2013, 06:36:56 AM »

I know this thread is old, but I thought I'd post an update:

I ended up cutting the pads into approximately 4 inch x 8 inch rectangles.  I started using a pair of scissors, but that got old fast.  I ended up using one of those razo blade knives (you know the ones where the blades are scored for you to break off the tip when it gets dull?).  Used a piece of 2" x 4" for a straight edge.  Dangerous - I know - but I wore kevlar gloves and was very careful.  Anyway, that worked well. 

Bottom line: big pieces worked fine. I put the cut up pads in mesh laundry bags and arranged them in the barrel filters.  Got rid of the UV filter and had clear water all season. I hope that continues  this year.  I'll be starting up the filters again in the next couple of weeks: Spring starts early in New Mexico.

20

Pond Chat / Re: Questions for Lotus Experts

« on: February 17, 2013, 06:04:57 AM »

Thanks SueSTx and matherfish.  It is also very windy here.  And my yard and pond are in full sun all day, so it gets really hot too.  Every attempt to grow lotus outside the pond resulted in a few surface leaves that eventually just melted. Was that due to the heat or bacteria - I don't know. Maybe after I divide the tubers, I'll try burying a pot outside the pond and add some duckweed and see what happens...

One year, it appears that my lotus pot exploded: I noticed that soon after planting, the soil was raising up in a dome - a little more each day.  Then one day I found the lotus tubeacrossss the yard and the soil and water was half as deep as the day before.  I didn't see it explode, but that's the only explanation I can think of.   

Thanks again.

21

Pond Chat / Questions for Lotus Experts

« on: February 12, 2013, 03:12:12 PM »

For many years I tried to grow lotus in containers outside the pond.  I guess it just gets too hot for that here in New Mexico, because it never worked.  Last year, I potted a lotus (Pretty Princess Peyton) and placed it in the pond - finally success:   Not only did the lotus grow, but it even produced three or four blooms. 

I read somewhere that I shouldn't remove dead leaves, because doing so could drown the lotus.  Now, that the pond has frozen over and thawed, can I remove the dead leaves? I guess I'll need to repot in the next 30 days or so, because Spring starts pretty early here  (low 60's in late February is not unheard of). Should I just leave the dead leaves be until then?

Thanks,
Phil aka NMPondguy

22

Dealer Deals / Re: Summer Sale at Texaswaterlilies.com

« on: August 15, 2012, 03:50:27 PM »

Hi Vicki,

I didn't expect a reply to this after checking the first 2 days.  I don't check e-mail often either, but started cleaning my mailbox today and saw a notice about your reply. 

Anyway, I'm happy that someone took advantage of the sale.  Did you get your order?  I tried for 5 years to grow lotus in containers with no luck.  This year, I got a Pretty Peyton Princess lotus and it did well in my pond.  From that, I figured it was just too hot in Albuquerque to grow lotus in containers. 

I had tropical water lilly  Pacific Princess a couple of years.  But I pretty much stick to hardies, so I don't have to replace them every year.  Right now, I have a few hardy water lilies: Yellow Sunrise, Froebeli, and some generic red, pink and white ones from Home Depot. 

Happy Ponding,
Phil

23

Dealer Deals / Summer Sale at Texaswaterlilies.com

« on: July 08, 2012, 08:23:39 AM »

I got a lotus from TW this year.  Been trying to grow lotus for the past 6 years and every one failed.  This year I finally got arial leaves!  Hope it blooms - but I'll call this a success even if it doesn't - since i never got this far before...

Anyway, I got this email today and figured I'd pass it on.  Great Prices!

Hello, Hope everyone's having a wonderful day. We are having a 2012 Summer sale on some waterplants. If anyone gets this email and doesn't want to be emailed please let me know and I can cut you from the list. I know some forums are for discussing not selling and I apologize. It is not my intention to use these forums for sales.
Texaswaterlilies.com 2012 Summer Sale
25999 North Lake Road
Waller, TX 77484
Phone 936-931-9880
Fax 936-372-9804
Email Cmomobotan@aol.com
Att: Dusty Culp/ Owner of Texaswaterlilies.com/ C&C Lotus
Lets start the sale Monday 7-9-12 to Saturday 7-14-12. We would prefer emailing the order, but you could call from 8:00am to 3:00pm central time during the sale. Yall can start emailing the orders now. First come first serve. We ship usps priority mail, please be patient with shipping(We are going to get hundreds of orders and it will take time up to 2 weeks to ship, but i will try to get them out asap) Shipping 1-5 =$10.00, 6-10 =$15.00, 11-15= $20.00 Any numbers gretter than 15 will be charged individually. We Take Paypal(I'll send a Paypal money request), Visa, MC, Checks, Cash
These are nice, strong, mother plants, not cuttings.
# Available: Hardy WaterLilies
3,0000 Nymphaea Odorato 1-5 = $4.00 each / 5+ = $2.75 each
200 Colorado 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $4.00
40 Ellisiana 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $5.00
20 Peaches Cream 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $5.00
40 Perry's Fire Opal 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $5.00
100 Mexicana 1-5 = $5.00 / 5+ = $3.00
100 Munkala Ubon 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $4.00
50 Yellow Pygmy 1-5 = $6.00 / 5+ = $4.00
50 Madame Wilforn 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $4.00
20 Attraction 1-5 = $8.00 / 5+ = $5.00
100 Sir Bang Pra 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $4.00 (awsome yellow from Thailand)
40 Arc en Ceil 1-5 = $8.00 / 5+ = $5.00
10 Debie June 1-5 = $9.00 / 5+ = $7.00
50 Texas Dawn 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $4.00
40 Dallas 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $4.00
30 Pink Grapefruit 1-5 = $8.00 / 5+ = $5.00
200 Liou 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $4.00
300 Burgandy Princess 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $4.00
100 Lemon Mist 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $4.00
100 Peace Lily 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $4.00
200 Fire Crest 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $4.00
50 Almost Black 1-5 = $8.00 / 5+ = $5.00
10 Steven Strawn 1-5 = $8.00 / 5+ = $5.00
100 Chrysanthia 1-5 = $8.00 / 5+ = $4.00
50 Hilite 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $4.00
20 Reflective Flame 1-5 = $8.00 / 5+ = $5.00
50 Chrometella 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $4.00
20 Red Spider 1-5 = $12.00 / 5+ = $8.00
20 Wanvisa 1-5 = $34.00 / 5+ = $22.00
# Available: Tropical WaterLilies
20 Islamarodo 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $4.00
50 Tina 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $4.00
50 Panama Pacific 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $4.00
100 Robert Strawn 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $4.00
50 Castilaflora 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $4.00
20 Mameaw 1-5 = $8.00 / 5+ = $4.00
10 Mr. Martin E. Randig 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $4.00
20 Blue Capensis 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $4.00
50 Pamela 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $4.00
40 Evelyn Randig 1-5 = $7.00 / 5+ = $4.00
30 Jack Wood 1-5 = $8.00 / 5+ = $4.00

24

Pond Chat / Re: What is this fish stealing bird?

« on: June 26, 2012, 10:22:24 PM »

Thanks for the ID Loritx.  I've seen pictures of herons but none that look like this one.

Now that I know what it is, I'm at a loss for what to do.  I guess I can try putting up more fishing line, but now I'm wondering what's the point.  The bird was already on the other side of the fishing line that was there.  That means he flew over it despite the fact that conventional wisdom says herons don't fly that close to the pond so that they don't scare the fish. What gives?

The fish have plenty of places to hide, but they only know to hide after one has been eaten.  Only four left, of the seven (or nine - depending on when I started counting them).  So it may be just a matter of time before they're all gone.  I had 8 heron free years to enjoy my pond.  Now the fun seems to be over...

 

25

Pond Chat / What is this fish stealing bird?

« on: June 26, 2012, 07:29:59 AM »

Over the past month, my fish have been disappearing and the fish have been acting strange (not coming to eat when they know there's food).  Two weeks ago, I put up some fishing line - not knowing what was stealing my wakin.  5:45 this morning I looked out the window and saw this bird.  He was inside the fishing line at the edge of the pond.  i guess I spooked him, so he flew into the yard.  I went to get the camera and caught him walking back to a different spot.  I went out and scared him off before he got close enought to steal another fish (his feet snagged the fishing line when he took off).

It has two totally different looks (small - sitting on the wall and tall -  walking towards the pond).  What is it.

26

Aquatic and Terrestrial Plant Exchange / Where can i get Greater Spearwort in the U.S.A.?

« on: May 28, 2012, 08:37:00 AM »

A few years ago, a friend of mine had Greater Spearwort in his water garden.  He was in San Antonio, TX at the time.  I have never seen that plant since then.  I can't seem to find it online except in the UK.  Does anyon know where I can buy it in the U.S.?

27

Pond Construction & Filtration / Re: Must I cut filter media? If so, what size?

« on: January 29, 2012, 03:05:10 PM »

Thank you both for the info.  It's good to know that the tiny size is not absolutely necessary.  Now I can feel confident experimenting with some sizes between 4" and 22" and not worry  that the fileter won't work.  If I could just find some power tool to do the cutting...

28

Pond Construction & Filtration / Must I cut filter media? If so, what size?

« on: January 28, 2012, 08:56:53 AM »

Hello all,

I built my pond almost 9 years ago with lots of help from some of the members on the old AWGS site (some of you hang out here now).  I'm finally ready to add a couple of Skippy type barrel filters.  I hope to get rid of the UV filter if the barrels keep the green water in check. 

I got some 2 foot by 10 foot rolls of filter material from KrewKut: They had a good "going out of business sale".  Call me lazy, but I'm hoping I dont have to cut the filter material into small pieces .  I read on another post that someone cut filter material into 2" x 4 " pieces . Is that necessary? I'd probably wear out a few pair of scissors in the process. If cutting is required, what is the largest size I can get away with? 

Phil, aka nmpondguy   

29

Wakin, Shubunkins and Goldfish... / Re: I found Wakin on Ebay

« on: March 31, 2011, 06:52:58 PM »

They were packed in a USPS flat rate Priority Mail box with solid Styrofoam padding on all six sides.  The fish were packaged in a  small amount of water: 3 in 1 bag and 2  in another bag. Both bags were placed together into another bag.  The seller said in his listing something to the effect of they would be packed with enough oxygen to survive a week.  That's probably an overstatement but not a problem since they should theoretically be in transit 3 days max.  Mine arrived in two days.

30

Wakin, Shubunkins and Goldfish... / Re: I found Wakin on Ebay

« on: March 28, 2011, 06:54:33 PM »

Thanks all.  I know some folks can probably get Wakin locally for a better price.  I haven't seen them in my town, so have to buy online.  I've bought Wakin from a couple of web sites over the years, and usually spent more on shipping and handling than I did for this entire order.  Now, if he would just get some black ones...