Author Topic: Container pond fun, how's yours (Read 11688 times)

Rad Michelle · « **on:** May 18, 2010, 09:57:07 AM »

hey guys I thought it'd be fun to follow plant growth throughout season, post your early ponds and well keep em going!

As some know I am moving (again) bleh. So I am restricted to container and abov ground pond due to my nomadic nature... I dunno what it is but I keep rolling through plces, but I jut set up one... And here is her first pic.. Sorry bout quality I'm still on iPhone.

In her I've got horsetail, different taro, Carolina bacopa, Texas dawn, queen of siam, corkscrew, and some magically surviving mares tai. (thanks kat love it Does it grow dense?) and a few fish who need a bigger home comin soon, some some water snowflake, hyacinth and lettus. Think that covers it.

mmerry · « **Reply #1 on:** May 18, 2010, 10:31:57 AM »

Your container pond is nice!!! What a great idea to still enjoy ponding

Rad Michelle · « **Reply #2 on:** May 18, 2010, 04:36:34 PM »

thanks mmerry! They are alot of fun though I must admit I can't wait for own place for inground pond and big fish, though I can't seem to keep fish alive :-/ haha

mmerry · « **Reply #3 on:** May 18, 2010, 05:24:59 PM »

hehe... I killed all my fish last year too :/ so far so good this year!

I think the container pond is perfect... you've had me thinking about a supplemental water garden area all day!!

Rad Michelle · « **Reply #4 on:** May 18, 2010, 05:35:26 PM »

Lol been thunkin all day too because I have a whoole bunch of above grounders to relocate and reorganize

PondmaninAL · « **Reply #5 on:** May 18, 2010, 06:25:50 PM »

Michelle, you should have had to move mine.

Julles · « **Reply #6 on:** May 18, 2010, 07:16:29 PM »

That looks super, Rad Gal. It's huge - what the heck size is that container, anyway?

You could try a Siamese Fighting fish. They do well by themselves, and don't need filters or aeration. Beautiful, too. But you have to bring them indoors in the winter.

Rad Michelle · « **Reply #7 on:** May 18, 2010, 08:07:37 PM »

oh my gosh!!! That's a brilliant idea julles! I hear I can put females together, I wonder if I can have a male and females the dudes tails are so cool.

Scott I know right you've tons! Did u keave behind the spa with your... Was it a Victorian? Since u have so much experience I'll fly you out here to move for me. Haha it's like pulling teeth to get loved ones to help.

They are great containers! Got them on sale for 19.99 hehe, they are 35 gallons w little shelves

miguynmkoi · « **Reply #8 on:** May 19, 2010, 09:35:30 AM »

Nice set up Rad! I have a similar if not the same container but alas I cannot keep anything especially fish in it unless I put chicken wire over it >> raccoons

Esther · « **Reply #9 on:** May 19, 2010, 10:10:58 AM »

That will be so pretty when things get filled in. Don't forget to show pix later. Did I miss if you have fish in it? I have two pots about that size and I put a couple of feeder fish in hoping they'll go after the skeeters. But it is a pain to have to feed them and then in the winter to dig them out, put them in the big pond and then catch them again in the spring to put them back in the pots.

LeeAnne151 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 19, 2010, 10:26:33 AM »

I have multiple container ponds but they are all currently trashed from raccoons so no pictures.

I use Mosquito Dunks in all of them rather than fish. They do work like a charm and don't harm wildlife or pets.

Esther · « **Reply #11 on:** May 19, 2010, 11:15:05 AM »

Would I use a whole dunk if I didn't have fish? Or does it tell how much to use per size pot?

Joyce · « **Reply #12 on:** May 19, 2010, 11:31:22 AM »

I use Beta Fish in mine too. (Siamese Fighting Fish)

Problem is...they like to jump.

So keep the water level down at least 2" from the rim. 3-4" is even better.

If you use mosquito dunks...instead of floating them, bury the in the soil of one of your plants so just a bit is poking out of the soil.
This way it doesn't wash away in the rains and slowly releases the Bt into the soil and water which will kill off mosquitoes, sandwich caterpillars and glassworms.

Rad Michelle · « **Reply #13 on:** May 19, 2010, 03:32:45 PM »

How many can I put in there? Or only females right?

PondmaninAL · « **Reply #14 on:** May 19, 2010, 05:49:16 PM »

Quote from: Rad Michelle on May 18, 2010, 08:07:37 PM

oh my gosh!!! That's a brilliant idea julles! I hear I can put females together, I wonder if I can have a male and females the dudes tails are so cool.

Scott I know right you've tons! Did u keave behind the spa with your... Was it a Victorian? Since u have so much experience I'll fly you out here to move for me. Haha it's like pulling teeth to get loved ones to help.

They are great containers! Got them on sale for 19.99 hehe, they are 35 gallons w little shelves

Michelle, it was a Victoria cruziana and I didn't leave the spa behind. The Victoria died after an early cold spell in Florida. The hot tub is here waiting for the next Victoria, either V. cruziana or V. "Longwood". By the way, I'd rather have my teeth pulled than get on an airplane.

Now, if you could wait for the bus to drop me off, maybe.

Kat · « **Reply #15 on:** May 19, 2010, 06:41:30 PM »

Looking good. Yes, the Mare's Tail will get bigger & fuller when happy. My racoons have left my patio ponds alone just until this morning. Some of my baby hardies got trashed. Will have to scrounge up some type of screen cover to go over it.

Junie · « **Reply #16 on:** May 19, 2010, 09:17:23 PM »

hi

my name is Junie. I have been a member here for awhile but have just recently started up my first water garden. It is in a half barrel. Sadly, it does not have the nice shelves like the one Michelle has shared with us has . But it makes me smile.

I hope to soon find smaller round bricks to make shelves for 1 or 2 of my pots.

I have 1 water lily (I think it will be red), 1 water hyacinth, and some blue-eyed grass.

I was encouraged to share a photo of my half barrel here, by a friend of mine.
so here it is.

I also want to ask--where are you finding the water dunks?? so far all I have is a product that says it is a tension releaser--which is supposed to prevent mosquitos from landing on the water. Plant-fish & animal friendly.

SueSTx · « **Reply #17 on:** May 20, 2010, 04:48:21 AM »

Your pot is cute and will fill in nicely.

Lowes had the misquito dunks when I was in the last time.
I have also bought them at WalMart in the past.

KatFish · « **Reply #18 on:** May 20, 2010, 05:04:45 AM »

Yep, dunks at Lowes and Walmart. The packets can be opened for use in smaller areas, the 'biscuits' can be broken up for smaller container - Esther they list how much right on the package. They're wonderful for keeping down the skeeters.

PondmaninAL · « **Reply #19 on:** May 20, 2010, 05:24:58 AM »

Junie, it's exciting isn't it? What water lily do you have? I've been in the hobby for over 30 years.

Esther · « **Reply #20 on:** May 20, 2010, 09:18:23 AM »

Junie, you have a good start. I don't have shelves in mine either and have collected various size bricks to use. I like the ones that are about 4" square because I can fit them in better than when they are all regular brick size. One thing I'll warn you about though besides raccoons, you've been bitten by the ponding bug now I see so watch out because that pot won't be large enough or you'll need another pot, before too long.

LynneNY · « **Reply #21 on:** May 20, 2010, 09:24:42 AM »

Hiya Junie!!! So glad to see you posting about your container pond here!

It looks like it's off to a great start - everything looks nice and healthy.
I really like the way the blue eyed grass looks - can't wait to see when it's in bloom, as well as your lily.

Esther is so right - once you've been bitten, you'll keep wanting your ponding experience to expand larger and larger!

Rad Michelle · « **Reply #22 on:** May 20, 2010, 09:51:34 AM »

Hey junie!
How freaking exciting!! Your half barrell looks awesome just wait until everything takes off! My very first pond was exactly like this! Lily, hyacinth, and I had pickerel instead of grass. I was driving back from Ventura after getting sleeve tattoo work done, and saw this place off the 126 in Santa Paula and a cute little old man helped set me up w everything and I wa bitten! He was so great and generous I wanted to be just like him and own a nursery an everything and help new ponders like he helped me. I'll have to find a pic of when it first planted but here's what it looked like when everything grew in and it hid the bricks and everything I used to prop up pickerel

LynneNY · « **Reply #23 on:** May 20, 2010, 09:53:38 AM »

That's great, Michelle! So glad you will be able to help Junie!

Tell me - about your pickerel - did it bloom all summer? I just bought some about 2 weeks ago and the nursery told me it would - when can I hope for the blooming to start?

Esther · « **Reply #24 on:** May 20, 2010, 09:55:45 AM »

Yes, about the propping thing----my tall stuff likes to tip over too in a strong wind. Guess I just have straightened it up after the wind is done.

Rad Michelle · « **Reply #25 on:** May 20, 2010, 09:58:30 AM »

There are great fish tank fish that do well in container ponds For Mosquitos u just have to winter them indoor. Fancy tail guppies are my favorite they breed like crazy and you never have to feed them they eat out of your hands if u do often enough, white clouds are a great fish too! I really want to heck out the beta fish.

Pickerel blooms all pond season, as soon as they get mature the tall flowering stalks will emerge, do u have a picture of how big it is ? My white pickerel is alreaDy blooming and it's a HUGE variety of pickerel will take pics today

Rad Michelle · « **Reply #26 on:** May 20, 2010, 10:02:03 AM »

Scott... A bus???! Haha cmon now meet me in the middle somewhere a bus will take too long I have a moving deadline cmon now

LynneNY · « **Reply #27 on:** May 20, 2010, 10:09:00 AM »

My pickerel is pretty small still though I did buy the one with the most fans on it. I will get a picture when I go outside today.

Rad Michelle · « **Reply #28 on:** May 20, 2010, 01:07:17 PM »

hEre is my white pickerel first bloom they get fuller throughout year

PondmaninAL · « **Reply #29 on:** May 20, 2010, 03:59:12 PM »

Quote from: Rad Michelle on May 20, 2010, 10:02:03 AM

Scott... A bus???! Haha cmon now meet me in the middle somewhere a bus will take too long I have a moving deadline cmon now

Well, if you buy my wife the Corvette that she wants and pay all the tickets, we can be there sooner.