Topics

1

Terrestrial Gardening / Who am I?

« on: June 13, 2013, 10:36:14 AM »

A friend is looking to identify this flower - does anyone know what it is???

2

Chit Chat / Will they survive?

« on: May 18, 2013, 09:34:57 AM »

My husband found this nest in a hanging pot INSIDE our shed this morning. The mama is able to get inside under the overhang of the shed. He moved it outside in the same spot, because he was afraid the babies might not figure out how to get out when they are flight ready. I so hope the mama finds the nest and continues to raise them. 

I was thinking they might be downy woodpecker eggs due to the black and white striped feathers in the nest, but a google image search shows they are tufted titmouse eggs. That makes sense, as I did see a titmouse take some of the cat fur that I put out on the deck for them the other day. But why would there also be the black and white feathers?

I soooo hope these babies make it! 

3

Koi Corner / blue koi <3

« on: September 21, 2012, 08:14:32 AM »

I have a strong love for blue koi. I discovered that a pond store nearby sells them, and I now have six. I had 2 more last year, but the heron got one last spring and the fall before.  They really are these blue colors - no photoshopping or enhancing.  I so wish they would have babies next year - fingers crossed but so far I haven't had any koi babies, just a very few comets.

Thanks for the grub!


See our pretty colors? 


Divided we conquer!


You go that way... I'll go this way!


Yummy!

4

Terrestrial Gardening / Yuccas are not yucky!

« on: July 05, 2012, 07:38:03 AM »

These were babies from 1 yucca plant that I divided last summer. Not bad for their second year!

5

Pond Chat / blue koi

« on: July 01, 2012, 02:34:12 PM »

I recently bought a 3-4 inch blue koi from the pond store. I had had one last summer that grew to a really nice size in one season, but of course the heron took it in May.  My question is - do all koi have whiskers (barbells), because I cannot see them on this blue koi. It's such a pretty color - mostly a light blue with some white on the head and a thin yellow stripe on both sides down near the belly.  The face is also more rounded downward than all my other koi that I got from the same store. I didn't notice when I bought it, but only this past week now that it's gotten more comfortable in the pond and surfacing more.  Too fast to get a picture to post though.

Any ideas?

6

DIY Corner / Floating Island Tutorial with pictures

« on: July 01, 2012, 12:01:52 PM »

Greenthumbnails was kind enough to post a link to another site in my pond chat post) with directions for making floating islands. It looked easy enough, so I bought the supplies yesterday, and whipped one up this morning lickety split - less than 10 minutes.  I substituted power lock cable ties for the plastic screws, as my husband had a huge container of them, and I thought they'd be easier to use - they were really easy!

Here are the supplies -
1 - green styrofoam floral wreath. I only found these at Michaels - the other stores had flimsier white ones that came apart when I touched them - I figured the fish could swallow parts - not good!  
1 - coco liner - again, only found this at one nursery and 12 inches was the smallest size they had. 
8 - power lock cable ties.
A scissor to cut the mat to fit to size.



The mat was too big for the wreath, so I had to cut a small wedge out of it to fit. This was fine, as the mat split on one side as I was handling it, and it was the perfect place to cut.

The split area



Cut and pieced together


Checking the fit before attaching


Cable ties locked around liner and wreath


Planted and floating in pond 


I didn't have the best plants to put in it, but I had gone to many private nurseries yesterday and they are mostly closing out their plants already for this season. I put a lantana in the center, surronded by marigolds and dwarf zinnias. Hopefully they will fill out soon.

I am planning on making a couple more, and hopefully I will be able to find different plants. The pond is in full all day sun, so that's a bit of a problem for plants.

7

Terrestrial Gardening / More cacti blooms

« on: June 27, 2012, 09:24:01 PM »

This time on the cacti in the ground

8

Pond Chat / floating islands?

« on: June 26, 2012, 04:28:42 PM »

I was doing a search for instructions on how to make floating islands and nothing comes up? I know I have read posts about it in the past, so I'm wondering if there was a clean sweep recently with older posts removed?

9

Terrestrial Gardening / Sunshine on a cloudy day!

« on: June 22, 2012, 01:16:13 PM »

I have a larger patch inground, but had to cut these a few weeks ago, as they were draping over the pathway.They make great plants whether in pots or in the ground.   People are always very surprised to see cacti growing here in NY, but they actually grow wild in the mountains here also I am told.  They get flat, deflated, and ugly in the colder months, but plump right up when the weather warms up.

10

Pond Chat / Flowers, Fish, and Frogs are lovin' the heat!

« on: June 20, 2012, 09:34:39 AM »

It was already 88F at 10a.m. and the pond was full of life , while I was melting taking these pictures.

Classic frog on a lily pad




Gotta love 'em some cheerios!

11

Chit Chat / Sammy the Squirrel

« on: June 17, 2012, 11:07:58 AM »

This is Sammy the Squirrel. He was playing dead on the deck railing this morning! Not moving at all, nose down on the railing, tail bent in half, eyes half open, dead. By the time I ran down to the kitchen window, he had turned around facing the opposite direction but in the same exact position. I happened to have some squirrel food left over from last winter, and threw it onto the deck floor - that got Sammy in action.
Great acting, Sammy!

12

Pond Chat / A few pictures on a gorgeous day

« on: June 16, 2012, 12:02:13 PM »

I wasn't sure the pickerel would bloom this year since my husband didn't bring them back up from the bottom until a few weeks ago, and many leaves had overgrown. I cut back those long leaves and was rewarded with regular sized ones and some blooms today. A few water lilies show through in the background.


Left side pathway that I built about 2 years ago -
to show contrast to right side that I just did last Sunday


New right side pathway built last Sunday


First yellow water lily of this year

13

Pond Chat / Pond on a rainy day

« on: May 30, 2012, 07:22:24 AM »

I was out very early this morning before the rains come again, and was able to enjoy the very first water lily of the season. Can't remember the name - it was from Petsmart and most likely not what it was named anyway. Still pretty in my eyes.

14

Pond Chat / Some pond critters today

« on: May 25, 2012, 08:34:29 PM »

"Staring contest"


"Which is my better side?!?"


"peak-a-boo!"


"I see you!"


I soooooo do not do snakes!  I will probably be doing much less gardening around the pond this year.  I knew they were there, as in the past 2 Augusts I have found skins on the pond rocks, but I've never actually seen one. EWWWWWW!

15

Pond Chat / I feel so defeated :-(

« on: May 23, 2012, 04:38:51 AM »

Yesterday, I could not see my beautiful blue koi anywhere. I was out at the pond at 6:15 this morning looking for it - nowhere to be seen. After looking for quite a while, I came back inside to try to get a little more sleep. One last look out the back window, and there is the F'N HERON FLYING UP FROM THE POND!!! OH MY GOD!!! I didn't even see him at first - they are excellent camoflaugers! Chased him off by yelling out, ran back outside. Now I cannot see my other 2 koi!!! Please hope they are just hiding? This has got to stop. I feel so defeated. :_ _ (

It's too much sadness just a month after my mom passed away.

16

Terrestrial Gardening / orchid

« on: May 12, 2012, 10:03:10 AM »

I was gifted with this "blue" orchid a year ago. It is growing indoors, by a northeastern window. It's one of the type where the growers are trying to trick people into believing that the flowers naturally grow blue, but in reality the stems are injected with dye as they grow. They start out as white flowering plants.

The flowers lasted a very long time last year, but when they were done, the stem turned brown and died. I know that typically, new blooms grow on old flower stems, but those stems were totally dead.

This year, a couple of months ago, many new healthy roots began to grow. No flower stems though. I was wondering if these roots should be potted into the growing medium, or will they survive the very dry air in our house?  I know that orchids have aerial roots, but the few I've had before dried out sooner or later. I do mist the 2 orchids I have, but I really don't want to lose this one.

Any thoughts?

17

Chit Chat / Going to San Francisco in 2 days!

« on: July 14, 2011, 07:20:22 AM »

Haven’t been there in 30 years! My husband is going for meetings and will be tied up most of the time, but my 28 year old son will be joining us, as he moved to Irvine last fall.

I just found out YESTERDAY! that I am going, because after 6 weeks of interviewing with a company, they finally offered my husband a job! YIPPEEEEEE!

A little background - we lived in Reno 30 years ago, and my husband and I did all the touristy places there many times a year. My son was last there with us when he was 18 months old, but has also been there once in his adult life, and has also done Lombard Street, Fisherman’s Wharf, Golden Gate Park, etc.

Sooooooooo my question to you all is… what/where should my son and I go during the days - we will be there til Wednesday, so 3 full days. Alcatraz is totally sold out! PHOOEY! I’ve been there twice, but he has never been.

Anyone know of some fun, good, off the beaten track sites/places to go? We will not have a car, so we’ll focus on being in the city. He wants to go to Anchor Brewing Company - I will humor him on that, as I don’t drink beer.  We will also go to Haight Ashbery - he’s been to a skater shop there he wants to return to, I love looking around there.

So where else should we go, people??? Having only had 3 days notice, I’m starting to get a bit hyped up with not having any plans. Don’t want to waste time there trying to find stuff to do.

18

Pond Chat / Frog!

« on: June 07, 2011, 08:57:49 AM »

This frog is larger than the ones we usually see around the pond, and was just sitting on this flat rock at the edge of the pond last evening - he sat there for hours! He let me get up front and personal for some nice shots, so I took them from all sides.

19

Photo Album / Early morning pics

« on: June 01, 2011, 07:57:55 AM »

It's a hazy, hot, and humid day here but the critters and I were out early for some nice photo ops.

20

Terrestrial Gardening / WHAT am I???

« on: May 27, 2011, 06:26:58 AM »

Found this growing on the back side of the waterfall hill. 
I didn't plant it there.
It looks vaguely familiar but I cannot put my finger on it. 
Can't tell if it's friend or foe.

Anyone?!?



See how tall the flower spikes are? There are many more growing up from the leaves.

21

Koi Corner / shy?

« on: May 15, 2011, 11:13:41 AM »

I got a new all white shimmery butterfly koi on Thursday, from the better ponding store near here.  The young kid said it was a Gin Rin?  It is about 3-4 inches, and has very shiny scales - pearlescent, and looks very much like this one (sold on ebay, borrowed picture).



It is MUCH smaller than the other fish in the pond - I have thirteen 8 inch sarasa comets that are 2 years old, a 10 inch yellow koi also 2 years old, and another blue/silver koi that is 1 year old and about 6 inches.  The new fish seems to be terrified of the others and hides under a specific rock all the time, unless I gently move the pot that sits on top of that rock.

Will it eventually warm up to the others, or will this one stay in hiding pretty much all the time?  I feel so badly for it!

22

Carnivorous Plants... / sarracenia Dana's Delight

« on: May 14, 2011, 01:43:52 PM »

My husband gifted me with 2 small sarracenia Dana's Delight plants for Mother's Day last Sunday. I've read up a bit, and plan to put them in larger pots so I can place them on the shelves in the pond with the water only reaching about 1/2 way up the pots. I will be potting them in 1/2 sand and 1/2 sphagnum peat moss.
 
I went back to the pond store where my husband bought them, but the owner was out on a job, and the 2 kids that were there, were brand spanking new there and not very knowledgable at all. The one helping me said to pot them up in regular soil (NO!), and to "just fertilize them with whatever you usually use on plants" (NO NO NO!!!).

Does anyone know if these plants spread at all? Right now they are in 3 inch pots and rather small.

Any other true growing tips would be greatly appreciated.

23

Photo Album / Summer's end photos

« on: September 06, 2010, 08:39:09 AM »

It's not been an easy summer for me - my mom was hospitalized twice in July, and I've been driving the 45 miles to my parents' house at least 2-3 times a week to take her to doctor's appointments every week since then.   My salvation during this time has been my pond and my gardens.   On my rare days off from this schedule, I am out there cleaning things up or just regrouping by watching the fish.    They have become so friendly, they let me PET THEM!   Who ever knew that fish are petable?!?  It cracks me up!

Here are some pictures that I took this past weekend.





The center fish here was a baby from this spring.






This froggie lives in my lizard's tail plant and just sat there for a long time while I was cutting the plant back.  The plant had been growing so nicely all summer and then all of a sudden, all of the leaves turned yellow and starting dying off. Thankfully, now that it's a bit cooler out the leaves are starting to grow back.

24

Koi Corner / 1 fish, 2 fish, red fish, blue fish!

« on: July 20, 2010, 06:51:40 AM »

I had never heard of a blue koi before last spring when a receptionist at a dr's office told me she had one!  Since BLUE is one of my favorite colors, I was thrilled to hear this.  She shops at the same pond store we do, and I've been looking there for one, and finally found some this past Saturday.

Here are our new babies!  I am thrilled to say that they joined the frey right away and have been swimming and eating with them from the start, unlike several that I purchased at a box store that have disappeared into the great black hole that apparently exists in our pond!

My husband says this one has "racing stripes"


"LET ME OUT OF HERE!"


Are you looking at me?!?


"It's in the bag!"


Are these bubbles or bumps?!?

25

Pond Chat / BAD algae bloom!

« on: July 04, 2010, 10:54:14 AM »

HELP!!!  We have had a bad algae bloom for about a week now.  Last summer was the first time we had nice clear water, but only after my husband bought double UV filters.  They were working wonderfully until recently.  He just scrubbed the lights and fixtures in hopes that they will work better - the bulbs are fine - we haven't used them anywhere near their lifetime yet.

Here's what I know... my husband has been cleaning out the filters almost everyday, because the string algae clogs them up terribly, and if he doesn't, the water goes off the sides of the waterfall.  He then adds city water back in - almost every day.  He is a hydrogeologist and says there is no problem adding the water - he is emphatic about it!

The other thing is... I was away for most of last week while my mom was in the hospital.  My husband starting feeding the fish, without telling me, so sometimes they got much more than usual because I was also feeding them when I was home.  I'm thinking their waste helped cause this bloom?  But it's so very bad - could that be the only culprit?  My fish have survived their first winter, and were growing so beautifully - I couldn't stand it if they were to die from this!  Not with everything else that is going on right now.

Even my lilypads are starting to turn yellow, and I know that's a bad sign, and that they are fighting for oxygen.

HELP???

26

Terrestrial Gardening / sunflower

« on: June 26, 2010, 08:24:47 PM »

This was a seedling in the pond garden early this spring so I potted it up - a volunteer from my birdseed.  The flower is only about the size of a baseball, but I'll take it because the animals usually eat them before I get to see them in full bloom.

27

Pond Chat / Seeds or eggs?

« on: June 26, 2010, 04:13:49 PM »

I was taking pictures of this dragonfly today, and didn't see the small round objects on the leaf until I cropped the pictures.  The dragonfly kept flying away a bit from me, and then landing again in exactly the same spot.  At first I thought maybe these were eggs, but now I am thinking seeds from the rush plant that is right next to it and was/is in flower for a long time?





And another interesting picture

28

Pond Chat / yellow and white!

« on: June 23, 2010, 09:42:13 AM »

This is my first yellow water lily in bloom.   Bought it at PetSmart so I don't know which one it is... all the bag said was "yellow".  I am very happy with the color and shape - especially for an inexpensive variety.



And here is my Lizard's Tail finally blooming out - I wasn't too impressed with the tight flower spikes, but now that it's getting fluffy it looks so much nicer!

29

Terrestrial Gardening / Can you say cheesey?!?

« on: June 23, 2010, 08:27:27 AM »

The past few years I have planted orange colored flowers near and around my pond to accentuate the colors of my fish.   I call them my "cheesey flowers" because they remind me of different colored cheeses.

This is calendula - it's an annual here, but I was thrilled to find some very small seedlings growing early in the season, and moved them to one area.  They are doing quite well and I am thrilled that I didn't have to buy more this year - need to keep the budget lower this year.




This is dwarf cosmos - I didn't know of this variety before, I've only seen the very tall, pink varieties.


And marigolds!  I'm crossing my fingers because I've never been successful with them before.  They usually burn out or all the flower heads get bitten off by the  woodchuck, which surprises me because animals are supposed to stay away from them due to their pungent scent.


Anyone else have some cheesey flowers to share here?

30

Terrestrial Gardening / blue lacecap hydrangea

« on: June 19, 2010, 09:19:36 PM »

I've had this plant for about 10 years, but until last summer, it was growing in too much full sun.  We moved it to where it gets morning sun only, and it seems to be very happy there this year.  Due to the early warm/hot weather this year, it's blooming way ahead of schedule.  I'm very glad it has reverted back to its blue coloring - the other spot had it flowering pink/purple no matter what I amended the soil with.  Also... when we moved this plant, it actually broke into 2 pieces, and the other piece is doing as well, on the other side of this garden in the front of the house.