Messages

421

Terrestrial Gardening / Re: cool plant, what is it?

« on: August 23, 2009, 03:38:27 PM »

It is also called "Crown of Thorns".  I have had one in a pot in my familyroom for many years now.  I never put it outside, it does lose leaves from time to time, and most of my 5 cats know not to go near it.  One cat will nibble on the leaves on occasion, but thankfully it hasn't done her any harm.

It is in a western window and gets the setting sun year round here in zone 6.

422

Pond Chat / Re: Random pics

« on: August 21, 2009, 08:38:08 AM »

    I am just chuckling so hard now over that last unexpected picture - WAAAAAAAY too cute!!!

Very nice pics of your pond too!

423

Pond Chat / Re: Free Giant Goldfish (pic)

« on: August 21, 2009, 08:36:51 AM »

I can still see it - it's a huge coppery looking goldfish mounted on a brick wall - very cute!

424

Pond Chat / Re: My Floating Plant Solution....

« on: August 18, 2009, 08:03:11 PM »

I just stuck the stem through the "X" in the foam.  My fish don't seem to be bothering it at all, as they also don't bother the 2 pots of parrots feather that I have on shelves in the pond. 

The one potful was getting leggy so I cut pieces off of that one to put into the foam.

425

Pond Chat / Re: Foxfire, Gonnere, and some hyacinth (Pics)

« on: August 16, 2009, 05:51:27 PM »

jw - I've never had any healthy enough to even try to save, though I don't think I will try with these this year either.  I only have so much room to take plants inside, and I have lots of "regular" plants to winter indoors, plus now some pond plants!

426

Pond Chat / Re: Foxfire, Gonnere, and some hyacinth (Pics)

« on: August 16, 2009, 02:41:47 PM »

jw - mine were doing the same thing, and did that last year as well, but this year I soaked them in miracle grow bloom booster for a week in a small tub a few weeks ago, and now they are growing well.  No blooms yet, but I'll take the healthy plants for a change anyday!

427

Pond Chat / Re: My Floating Plant Solution....

« on: August 16, 2009, 02:39:57 PM »

Yep Howell - if you read back, that's what I wrote in the post with the picture.

428

Pond Chat / Re: My Floating Plant Solution....

« on: August 16, 2009, 09:24:23 AM »

Thanks everyone.

jw - I answered in another thread that I haven't seen Lynne22 lately either.

Howell - we had to give in and buy a UV filter to finally get rid of the pea soup algae, but now we have a terrible case of string algae, as you can see in the picture it attached itself to the floater just about as soon as I put it into the pond.

429

Pond Chat / Re: My Floating Plant Solution....

« on: August 16, 2009, 08:18:18 AM »

I have had this in mind ever since Lynne22 posted it earlier this summer and I finally remembered to look for some foam when I was in a craft store the other day - jeeeeeze - ya think I could remember BEFORE summer is almost over?!?   So while I was at ACMoore, I found the sheets of thin foam for 59 cents each, but then I came across some flower shaped foam in the dollar aisle.

I thought this would look cute since it's close to the color of my water lily blooms.
I cut an "X" in the center, and then slipped some parrots feather cuttings through it.  Had to tether it, but I like the way it looks (if you don't count the string algae that I simply cannot get rid of - yes I tried the cat litter, barley straw, pulling it off by hand!).  Too bad they only had 1 pink one - the other colors did not go with my pond at all.  Might have to go back and get some pink sheets and trace this one to make more for less $.

430

Pond Chat / Re: A few tropical water lily photos

« on: August 16, 2009, 07:55:03 AM »

I am absolutely drooling here - such beautiful lilies!

431

Pond Chat / Re: Foxfire, Gonnere, and some hyacinth (Pics)

« on: August 16, 2009, 07:52:12 AM »

Hey Lynne what happened to Lynne22............I never see her here anymore or do I just miss her posts somehow?

I haven't seen her here much either lately - she was the one who sent me over here from another website.

432

Pond Chat / Re: Foxfire, Gonnere, and some hyacinth (Pics)

« on: August 15, 2009, 07:00:54 PM »

Very pretty indeed!

433

Pond Chat / Re: Do I have a new predator?? :(

« on: August 15, 2009, 06:59:19 PM »

WOW - I am so sorry you had to find that today.  I have no clue what would have done that, but am interested to see if anyone has an idea.

Again... so sorry.

434

Pond Chat / Re: TGIM Pix for Steve

« on: August 10, 2009, 01:00:53 PM »

What a serene view!  I am enjoying all of your pictures very much - thanks so much for sharing them.

435

Pond Chat / Re: Blue gigantea today

« on: August 10, 2009, 09:06:05 AM »

I love the color combinations on that lily - they really make it pop.

436

Pond Chat / Re: water lily newbie question

« on: August 10, 2009, 09:04:29 AM »

Thanks Mike.  I am learning as I go, and I do appreciate all the explanations!

437

Pond Chat / Re: TGIM Pix for Steve

« on: August 10, 2009, 09:02:40 AM »

Such a pretty variety of colors!

438

Pond Chat / Re: Lindsey Woods

« on: August 10, 2009, 09:01:10 AM »

SOOOOOOOOOO PRETTY!

439

Pond Chat / Re: You won't believe this !

« on: August 10, 2009, 09:00:15 AM »

Fantastic pictures!  Thanks for sharing them!

And that lily is so very pretty!

440

Pond Chat / Re: Gardening by the Yard is still on TV - is this for good?

« on: August 09, 2009, 11:20:16 AM »

I read that he is on Sunday mornings at 7:30 here.  There are some new shows - I am not up that early on Sundays, and don't have a recorder right now - oh, well.  You can go to his website and watch some episodes there too.

http://www.gardenerguy.com/index.html

441

Pond Chat / Re: Tenuki - What Happened to Your Pond??

« on: August 09, 2009, 11:15:30 AM »

Thanks for asking that - I was wondering the same thing too!!!

442

Pond Chat / Re: Yasuhiro

« on: August 08, 2009, 08:52:19 PM »

I cannot stop looking at this spectacular flower!
It's calling out to me - it is too pretty for words!

443

Pond Chat / String algae

« on: August 08, 2009, 08:16:17 PM »

I have posted before about the string algae that was covering the waterfall rocks.  About a week and a half ago, I scrubbed it off when my husband turned off the waterfall, and THAT is when the BIG problem began!  It is now covering EVERYTHING in the pond!  I am constantly removing it from the sides and pots, but it is even on the waterlily pads, and seems to be strangling the stems of the pads?  I am afraid it might prevent them from growing, and from buds to grow as well?

This is on a very small Sioux waterlily that I potted up just a couple of weeks ago.


I bought this basket earlier this summer.  It reminded me of the kind of baskets that driving ranges keep golf balls in - my parents were obsessed with golf!!!  Anywho... I thought that if my husband cut off the handle and I turned it upsidedown, the fish might enjoy swimming in and out of it, and could "hide" in there if a predator came along.  They do love swimming through it, and he has seen some sleeping in there early in the morning when he leaves for work at 5a.m.  He will cut some of the wrungs out when the fish get bigger so they will still be able to fit through them.

BUT... here it is all covered in that "lovely" string algae! 
I went out and bought the kitty litter last Wednesday and put 2 knee high stockings full of it under the waterfall, and a bag at the top where the water first comes out of the fall.  I also took out the old barley straw and put in 2 bags of fresh straw.  What else can we do - it's really taking over!

 

444

Pond Chat / Re: water lily newbie question

« on: August 08, 2009, 10:05:17 AM »

Thanks Tim - just put more spikes in the pots yesterday, so now I wait for the show!

445

Pond Chat / Re: water lily newbie question

« on: August 07, 2009, 10:10:23 PM »

Ahhhhhhh - now I get it - thanks so much for clarifying that, HollDoll!!!

I'm going to have to take a better look at it if it blooms again tomorrow.
There are such subtle differences in the different types and since I am a newbie I am still learning.  Thanks so much for being patient with me, everyone! 

446

Pond Chat / Re: water lily newbie question

« on: August 07, 2009, 09:50:27 PM »

Thanks Julles.

Turtlemike - I am not quite following your post.  My lily looks just like the one you posted that you are saying is true fabiola.  Here is another picture I took today of another bloom.

447

Wakin, Shubunkins and Goldfish... / Re: young comets spawning?

« on: August 07, 2009, 07:42:45 AM »

Awwwww Sue, I'm so sorry! :'(
I was just looking at that picture again last night and marveling at that beautiful tail!

448

Wakin, Shubunkins and Goldfish... / Re: young comets spawning?

« on: August 06, 2009, 05:54:12 PM »

Thanks again for all the information, and for sharing all your experiences.  The remaining 11 have been doing well so far.  They have become inquisitive - coming up to the net when I'm fishing some debris out, and have more than doubled in size already!

No sign of any fry yet, and we haven't seen the two 5 inch koi that overwintered last year either, since early spring.  I'm thinking that some critter must have gotten them a while ago.  My husband checked all the hiding places that we could think of, and they have never come up for any food while the comets eat either.

449

Aquatic and Terrestrial Plant Exchange / Re: My lotus wall

« on: August 06, 2009, 08:08:01 AM »

Thanks for letting me know about the price - I look forward to seeing your post about when they are ready next spring!

450

Pond Chat / Re: water lily newbie question

« on: August 06, 2009, 07:40:06 AM »

Updating this thread...

I found an old post on a gardening forum I participate in, and the 2 water lilies that I have from WalMart are both Fabiola.  I've had a second bloom on the first plant, and now the first bloom on the second plant.  This is all very exciting for us!  The current bloom is a bit more intense in color than the other plant, and already has the second bud, but they are both Fabiola.

Has anyone had experience with this particular water lily?
Will they ever have more than 1 flower blooming at a time?