Don’t Let Your Koi Die in the Winter – Koi fishpond Winterizing Points

 guest writer  No Responses »
Oct 122010
 
by guest writer Frank Froggatt

Winter is on the way, and if you have just built your Koi pond this will be the first time that your Koi have had to make it through those long winter months.

Think of Winter as a down period for your fishpond, as less events happen during Winter than any other time. If you wish to make certain that your pond and your fish survive through the winter, you are going to need to take some special precautions though.

Koi Pond Clean Up.

Take about a weekend to go over your fishpond. If it has any unwanted bulk material in it or around it, you need to clean it up. Inside your fishpond, clean up all leaves, silt, and other material from the bottom. Also, remove any plants or flowers that will not make it through the winter.

If there is any rubbish around your fishpond that could blow into it, clean that up as well as you are not likely to notice any of this stuff until spring arrives. Taking the time to make sure that as much debris is removed as possible will prevent potentially harmful bacteria and parasites in the future.

Stop Feeding your pond fish.

This is a very vital thing, then do not forget that you must not give food to your Koi during the winter. When your water temperatures get around 55 or sixtyF, you should only give your Koi food one time daily. When the outside air temperature reaches the 50 mark, you need to wholly stop feeding your Koi.

You might think that it’s okay to feed your fish when the temperature rises above 50 again, but don’t. Koi in general, take about four days to entirely digest their food at temperatures above fifty mark. If you mistakenly give food to your fish to late the food will not digest and will end up killing your fish.

You also need to realize that when a Koi is opening its mouth to you it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is hungry. This is just something that they do out of habit and reflex more than hunger. If you are worried about not feeding them, remember that fish eat other things besides the food you provide them, in particular if your fishpond contains a large amount of natural plant life. Your Koi will fill up on this other stuff if they get hungry and you’re not feeding them.

Check on your pond regularly.

Doing a regular check up on your pond equipment is vital.This includes everything from your filtration system to your store of preventable medications. During those extensive winter months it can be a little more difficult to come up with these pond supplies as a lot of carriers don’t keep them on their shelves during this time.

You also need to make sure that you have an crisis kit ready and up-to-date. This kit needs to include your water testing kits, bags, nets, and any of the medications required.

Get Ready for Cold Weather.

You need to make sure that you are ready for the cold weather, by investing in the required items while it is still summer. Koi have been known to withstand constant temperatures as low 39 degrees, and temperatures slightly lower then 39 degrees, for short periods of time.

If the area that you living gets extremely cold, it is going to be required for you to buy a pond heater. If you do not your pond can freeze over which will potentially trap dangerous amounts of gas inside the water. If the area that you have drops into the extremely low temperatures, you might really want to think about having an crisis tank available inside your home.

Turn Off All Water Sources.

When temperatures get really low, your heater is going to have to toil extra hard in order to keep the water temperature at a point that will allow your fish to remain alive.

If you have water features such as waterfalls, streams, or constant moving fountains, make sure to turn them off during Winter. The circulating action will only labor to thwart your pains at maintaining a warm temperature your pond. With these switched off, the only water that your heater will be responsible for is the standing water in your fishpond.

About the Author:
With this information now on hand, I hope that you can understand how vital it is that you make preparations for your small garden pond now before winter hits. Read more information on Koi Pond Care by visiting gardenpondtips.com.
Posted by Denise at 12:49 pm  Tagged with: , , , , , , , ,

Use Low maintenance techniques in your Landscape Design

 landscaping  No Responses »
Oct 042010
 

Using low-maintenance landscaping techniques can reduce much of your yard work. Why add to your mowing, weeding, watering, and pruning? By selecting different plants, shrubs, trees and landscape plans you can cut back on yard work you will have more time to enjoy the backyard.

Here are a few tips that will help you cut back on gardening and landscape work:

1.  Choose the right plants

Native plants (plants that are native to your growing area) have less insect problems; they adapt to surroundings more easily than exotic species and need less water than plants that have been brought into your growing zone.

Group plants that have the same cultural needs will save time when watering and fertilizing. For example a rock garden is am area that requires less work and will do well will low plants. While a perennial shade garden will add color to a quiet area of the yard where grass may not grow well.

A shrub that grows to six feet tall will require regular pruning if planted under a window that is three feet above the ground. Read the planting instructions on a shrub before you buy it and match it for the area you plan to use it in. There are many dwarf varieties of trees and shrubs that are ideal for small areas and may never need pruning. I just bought several shrubs that only grow two to three feet tall.

It helps to keep the planting beds narrow for easy access to interior plants. Design the garden or flowerbeds with long, sweeping curves so that the mower can reach the edge, eliminating hand trimming. Border edging will also cut down on weeds entering g the garden bed areas.

2.  Mulch, mulch, mulch

Mulch is my best friend. A thick layer of organic mulch around plants help to control weeds, conserves soil moisture, adds nutrients to the soil and can give the yard a flowing balanced look. Popular organic mulches are tree bark, shredded leaves, pine needles, compost and plant wastes such as cocoa shells. (If you have any pets, please note that cocoa mulch contains theobromine, which is lethal for dogs and cats.) If weeds are a serious problem, lay down several layers of newspaper or a layer of cardboard before mulching.

3.  Keep the lawn as small as possible

This is my problem in my backyard. Due to the creek I need to mow to keep control of snakes and river rats. I really have too large of a yard, so to help cut down the mowing time I use ground covers, have a wildflower area, terraced garden areas, and mulched beds. Walkways, decks and patios will also cut down on the size of the yard that needs tending to.

4.  A healthy lawn

A healthy lawn is less likely to be bothered by weeds, insects, and diseases. It will not need to be repaired as much for bare spots.

Keep the grass a little taller; let it grows to three or four inches and then mow off one-third. High grass shades out weeds and won’t dry out as quickly as closely cropped turf. This is very important if you are suffering from a drought. Watering the yard takes time, money and is not as eco friendly as a low maintenance lawn.

Learn to water less frequently but deeply. This will encourage your plants to develop deep roots.

The most important rule you can remember when planning your garden is to remember “the yard is for enjoyment.” Do you really want a landscape design that takes 20 hours a week to maintain?

Posted by Denise at 9:52 pm  Tagged with: , , , , ,

Tips for easy Fall Bulb Planting

 backyard projects  No Responses »
Oct 022010
 

Garden centers have a full and impressive selection of bulbs for next years landscaping needs. As fresh as the bulbs are this is a great time to select new varieties of start a bulb garden.

A bulb garden or addition of bulbs to your backyard will make a easy backyard project that will take little space and be affordable.

Tips for planting bulbs in the fall

One mistake many new gardeners make with planting bulbs is finding the right time to plant them. This has been a mistake I made for many years.

Always wait and plant the bulbs after the first frost. You can prepare the soil and garden beds before so that you are ready to plant the bulbs in a few hours.

A bulb planter will also help you to get the correct depth for the bulb. Most large bulbs are planted around eight inches deep and six inches apart. Smaller bulbs are placed around five inches deep and three inches apart. Read the directions on the package for how deep and far apart to plant your bulb variety.

If bulbs are bought individually, there is usually a guide in the store for planting. Make note of the planting directions. I usually take a note pad with me when buying new plants to write down any additional information form the store or employees.

Bulbs do not need fertilizer, but a bulb releasing food is good. Avoid using bone meal because it attracts some animals.

Place the bulb with the tip up and replace the soil. If you are not sure which end the tip is, plant the bulb on its side. The side of the bulb is always easy to tell and the plant will grow correctly. (If you plant the bulb upside down it will struggle to grow.)

Pat the soil in place and water thoroughly. You may want to mulch the area to help retain water.

Note: if you live in an area where animals may bother your plants you may want to plant the bulbs in a metal net container, in a pail with no bottom or place chicken mesh over the soil to protect the bulbs.

Posted by Denise at 10:15 pm  Tagged with: , , , , ,

Easy Composting with Black Garbage bags

 backyard oasis  No Responses »
Sep 292010
 

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, yard waste such as leaves accounted for more than 13 percent of the 250 million tons of garbage that Americans put in landfills in 2008. Just think of the impact that has on landfills and townships collecting leaves and disposing of them.

An environmentally friendly and garden friendly was to clean your yard of leaves is to use a black bag composting method. I use this method when I am in a hurry and want to collect leaves and forget about them until spring.

All you need are black garbage bags and a place to set them until spring. I will often set them in a place where I might want to put in a new garden the following year – if its out of site and not in the front yard! Along a garage or by a storage shed or woodpile is also a good location.

Why black garbage bags? They will attract and hold heat from the sun helping the leaves to compost faster.

First rake the yard and fill the black bags with leaves. Add a little water and close them with tie wraps. If you have grass clipping you light want to mix some of them in. Place them in an out of the way place and ignore until spring.

In the spring check the leaves to see how they are breaking down. You may want to add grass clipping or straw if you have it. I lightly sprinkle the leave mix and seal it up.

Usually by march the leaves have broken down and can be used in gardens or added t o compost and stirred in. I use the leaf compost around new shrubs or perennials. Its a cheap green gardening technique for your home and garden areas.

One thing that will also help leaves to break down quicker is if they have been mowed. By mowing the leaves you break them into smaller pieces that will decompose at a quicker rate.

Composting by black garbage bags works well in towns and suburban areas where you might not be able to set up a composting bin. They can be easily moved and tucked into small spaces. And within a few months you will have a rich soil mix to add to the soil.

Posted by Denise at 7:48 pm  Tagged with: , , , , ,

Growing Potatoes in Small Spaces

 Small Space Garden  No Responses »
Aug 092010
 

You can grow potatoes in small garden areas, even on patios, balconies or in cities. With planning the backyard oasis will be a perfect place for a crop of potatoes.

One of the easiest ways to grow potatoes in a small area is in  a garden basket or wire cage, Using this method you actually grow the potato above ground.

This you tube will give you ideas on how to plant potatoes using this method.

One advantage of growing potatoes or other ground crops using a method like this it that harvesting is much easier. And for a more festive look add vines near the container or flowers and create a mini garden area.

There are many root crops that can be grown in baskets or wire cages. And depending on how the growing area is set up you can extend your growing season or even move the crop indoors.

Just because you live in a city or don’t own a lot of land does not mean you can not have a successful garden. You will have to learn how to plant in small spaces and make the most of the soil you have.

Posted by Denise at 9:18 pm  Tagged with: , , , ,
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