Spring Pond Clean-Up

[aruarian_dancer]

Ew... I had no idea the bottom of my garden pond was going to be this yucky. XDD I have water lilies and they've been in there for 3 seasons, so I figured I should clean the bottom of the pond up a little bit and throw away the old roots. Wow. The bottom of the pond was matted with roots of reeds and the chunky part of the waterlily root looked

Comments

[keelieinblack]

Ewww, what a mess! Amazing how such beautiful things can leave behind such ickiness. I have to admire your dedication in keeping it going, though--after one cleaning-out I probably would have sworn never to do it again!

(It's funny you should post this today. I walk by a big fountain/reflecting pool on my way to work every day, and today the campus maintenance had obviously decided it was time for its spring cleaning--and apparently they decided the best way to start this was to dump in some soap and then turn the fountain on. So I was very startled to pass by this morning and see the huge bowl of the fountain full of churning foam and tons of soapsuds. XD)

[aruarian_dancer]

When I first got the roots they were smallish and it took them two seasons to become prolific bloomers, but boy, I had no idea that they were choking themselves like that! XD

Haha, it's a spring clean-up day all over the place! It was almost 80 degrees today, and it was too hot for me. XD I didn't know they put soap to clean fountains. 0_0

[theamazingfetus]

Your water lilly is so pretty and pink.

[aruarian_dancer]

They're really cool flowers, although they don't last very long in my sunny pond. Maybe 3 days. After they're done they disappear into the water (and rot where I can't see them... XD).

[aruarian_dancer]

^_^ Yep, I give them fishtank water, too.

[hidden_gems]

Urgh, sounds lovely. But how beautiful they are...

And interestingly, I had no idea that roses liked yucky water.

[aruarian_dancer]

Pond water and fish tank water are some of the best organic fertilizers. I stopped using chemical fertilizers years ago. My favorite organic fertilizers is liquid made with sea weed powder. Plants go nuts. :D

[bftly]

I love water lilies but I'm too lazy to bother to grow my own since they can be so much work... I have fuschias instead, generally lower maintenance except they don't take the heat well :(

Random question: I heard somewhere that giving some beer to plants/flowers might be good - is this true at all? Other ones I've heard include egg shells and tea bags?

[aruarian_dancer]

I've heard of giving beer, too, but I've never been a big drinker so I've never tried it. I have heard that giving plants straight beer may not be a good idea (smell, attracts bugs, etc.), but diluted with water, it may do some good (I've heard something about the vitamin C in it...). And beer is used as the liquid to lure slugs in slug traps. Egg shells for slow release of calcium. Tea bags and coffe grounds are used in garden (rather than indoor plants) to acidify soil as well as to repel slugs, I believe. If it's azaleas, rhododendrons, blueberries, etc. (acid-loving plants), they'll respond favorably. At any rate, these are great stuff to add to the compost pile. Most any kitchen scrap (vegetable and fruits) can go into the compost pile (but absolutely positively no meat stuff). If someone uses primarily chemical fertilizers such as Miracle Grow which tend to only have a handful of elements in the mix, most any organic substance will add valuable trace minerals that will boost the plants by providing more of a complete

[bftly]

I see! All those years of just throwing out the tank water... smelly but useful.. will definitely give it a go and see, thanks so much, my flowers will love you :)

[aruarian_dancer]

Hehe, I joke about it at my house calling the smelly water "gardener's gold".