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POLLY PONDERS
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Click On the
Subject below to go to that Polly Ponders article: Plants for In & Out of the Water Running Biofalls in the Winter
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“Polly Ponders” is the Ann
Landers of water gardening. Her
column has been appearing in the Fins and Friends newsletter since February
2000. Besides having lived in
numerous ponds in her lifetime, she has traveled extensively and visited
ponds and gardens nationwide.
Therefore, her expertise extends not only to water gardening but also
to gardening in general.
Polly also enjoys hearing from her readers. She says, “It’s never too
late to teach an old frog new tricks.” We are so lucky to have access to such
a wealth of information.
You may send your questions and comments to: Polly
Ponder or e-mail Polly at: Polly@finsandfriends.com
From the October 2005 Newsletter – Running Biofalls in the Winter Dear Polly, If we plan on leaving the biofalls running through the winter are we supposed to take the filters out of the biofalls or leave them in? I also read where someone took two layers of felt and a 1/2" of plywood and put them over the top of their biofalls to help retain the heat. Is this a good idea? Pam Anstiss Berrien Center, MI Dear Pam, I see that you are in Michigan where the winters can be very cold. Leaving your waterfall running in the winter is fine as long as you watch that the ice does not build up somewhere that will cause the water to back up and overflow the stream. I would leave the filters in the biofalls. I have not heard of putting felt and plywood on the biofalls to keep it warmer. That may work but it will block the sun which is the main source of heat in the winter. You may want to give it a try to see if it helps. You did not say if you have a skimmer with your filtering system. If you do, that will help keep the leaves off the pond in the fall and winter. If you do not have a skimmer, the pump is probably on the bottom of the pond. That situation will pump the warm water from the bottom of the pond and distribute it around the pond. This is not a good thing since the fish will stay in the warmer water to survive the winter. If you do not keep the waterfall on in winter, try to keep a hole open in the ice using a stock tank heater or a heater for water gardens. This is important only if you have periods of 4 or more weeks when the pond ice never thaws at all. This will trap gases in the water and will kill your fish. A winter waterfall can be a beautiful sight with the snow on the ground. I hope you enjoy your winter water garden. Polly From the August 2005 Newsletter – Water Hyacinth Blooms Dear Polly, I am having trouble getting my water hyacinth to bloom. I have plenty of sunlight and the temperature has been wonderful, humid and warm (85+ degree temperature). I live in Michigan and it hasn't been better. The water hyacinth is in a pond and gets plenty of sunshine late morning to dark. What do I need to do to get it blooming. It is the end of July already and the plant has been growing, but no blooms. I do cut the new growth so that they don't over-take the pond. The plant(s) look very healthy and green as with the forget-me-nots, water lillies and fish. I thought that sunshine, humidity and warmth was a prime factor in the blooming process. Any additional help would be great. Nadine Dear Nadine, You are describing the "great hyacinth mystery". My experience with hyacinths is that you never know for sure what they will do. Some years they will do great and you end up throwing buckets of them in the compost to thin out the pond. Other years they turn yellow and either don't grow or die. I can give you some ideas that may help but are not a sure thing. Hyacinths like running water and do best when water flows through their roots. If you have a stream or waterfall try placing them where the water is moving. Hyacinths that flow freely around the pond will have more little hyacinths. The ones that are crowded up get taller and have more blooms. Try containing some of them in a corner of the pond using clear nylon line around the bunch to hold them in place. Also avoid any chemicals to kill the algae. There are also two types of hyacinths--a miniature and a larger one. I think the larger one blooms best. I hope this will help you get a better bloom. The hyacinth bloom is beautiful and is worth the effort. Polly From the July 2005 Newsletter – Plants for In & Out of the Water Dear Polly, I have heard that you can plant some garden plants in the water garden. I tried some of my plants and they died in a few weeks after I put them in the water. So I am assuming that I had the wrong plants or that you have to have special water garden plants to put them in water. Can you help me? Becky Dear Becky, Both of your assumptions could be right. Some garden plants will not grow in a water garden but some will. Yes there are special water garden plants just for the water garden. Some regular garden plants that do well in the water garden must only have their “feet” wet and not completely submerged. These are usually referred to as bog plants. Putting some of the same plants both in and around your pond will create a beautiful “flow” of color and texture that will tie the various areas of your landscape together. Siberian and Japanese iris are two plants that do well in water. The Louisiana Iris and the Blue Flag Iris also live in water. These iris plants will do well in water but be careful that they do not take over your water garden. You will need to grow them in pots and divide the pots about every year. You might want to share the extra plants with your water gardening friends. Some other hardy plants that do well both in and out of the pond are: Purple Loosestrife Ribbon Grass Creeping Jenny Houttuynia cordata Some tropicals that do well both in and out of water include: Calla Lilly Caladiums There are other garden plants that will do well in water. Do some research and check with other water gardeners to see what has worked for them. Bog plants can expand the plants in your water garden either in a bog or sitting on a shallow edge of your pond. Try it you will like it! Polly
Polly Ponder From the April 2005 Newsletter – Cleaning Preformed Ponds Dear
Polly, I have had a pre-formed fish pond for 3 years and it is a pain when it comes to cleaning. I remove the fish, who are also 3 yrs. old , put them in a large bucket of fresh water., drain the pond with help of pump, then get in with scrub brush in hand and spend 3 hours scrubbing. What can I use to make cleaning the sides much easier and painless, that won't hurt the fish? Any, I mean any, help will be much appreciated. Susan
Dear Susan, I frequently get this question about scrubbing the sides of ponds. It doesn’t matter if it is pre-formed ponds or a liner pond everyone scrubs the sides of the pond. Maybe I am just a lazy water gardener, but I don’t spend much time cleaning the sides of the pond. I feel that all you need to do is hose off the loose dirt and then use an old broom to knock off any big pieces that stick to the liner. The fish certainly don’t care if you scrub every little spot off the sides. In fact it is better to keep some of the microorganisms in the pond to get the natural balance back in the water when you fill it with the tap water. It is recommended that you store the fish in water from the pond while you are cleaning it and then pour that water back in to the pond to help restore those important organisms. Once the water is back in the pond, it takes only a short time for the sides to become coated with algae and slime so why spend so much time taking it off. The situation might be different if you were fighting some type of fish disease. Then you may want to spend time disinfecting the pond surfaces. I think water gardening should be fun not a chore, so let the snails do the cleaning for you. Polly
Polly Ponder From the May 2005 Newsletter – Pond Size and Fish Size Dear Polly, I have been busy with my pond. This is the second year for us and we would like to have a larger pond. Maybe a 500 gallon. We have 7 Koi and they are all pretty good size. Our largest Koi is approx. 8 – 9 inches long. Our fish are all hand fed. Then we have 4 Koi that are approx. the same size, which are approx. 5 inches long. Our two smallest Koi are approx. 2 1/2 - 3 inches long. Our gold fish (4) are so pretty also, we have 2 of the gold fish that have the real cushion on the top of their heads, two other are white with orange spots on them. I am thinking we could have the small pond for the gold fish and have the large one for the Koi. Do you ever have any ponds for sale? And if so could we come down and look at them. I would like to join your club after we get in the larger pond. I enjoy your web site so much. Thanks for reading my email and I hope you answer me even though I don't belong to your web site yet. Thanks Jo Dear Jo, It sounds like you really care about your pond and the Koi and goldfish. With the number and size of the fish you described, I would recommend a pond larger than the 500 gallons. Koi need lots of space especially when they get larger than the ones you have now. You didn't say if you had a waterfall or any kind of running water. The running water would help to add oxygen to the water which would allow for more fish. I think you will want a water garden of at least a 1000 gallons, larger would be better. You asked if we had any ponds for sale. We do not sell any kind of water garden equipment. I assume you are talking about pre-formed ponds. For Koi you really need a pond larger than most pre-formed ponds. I would suggest an in-ground pond using a rubber liner. I am glad you enjoy the club website. We try to keep it up to date with the latest activities of the club. I hope you will join our club and are able to attend our meetings and activities. Polly
Polly Ponder From the March 2005 Newsletter – How to winter Water Hyacinth I started to winter Hyacinth about two months ago with fish in a pool setup in my basement. Everything was going quite well until we did a cleaning and 30-40% water change for the fish. Now the Hyacinth seem to be losing the bright green color. We have not seen any new grow since we cleaned up the bottom of the pool, did the water change. We have grow lights, filter system, heated water, fish, etc. I was told to use 10-10-10 fertilizer in the water;” this would help” with wintering Hyacinth. Will this stuff harm the fish I have in the wintering pool? Also can granules be used if they are dissolved first? Freak’n out Thanks, Mark g.
Dear Freak’n Out, Keeping water Hyacinth over the winter is like going to the casino---sometimes you win but you usually lose. It is very difficult to keep them over the winter. The most success has been with people who have a greenhouse and can keep them in natural light but with the changes of day and night. It sounds like you are doing as much as possible to keep them alive. I do not know about adding the fertilizer to the water. I think it would be risky to the fish for the benefit to the water Hyacinth. You might want to weigh the importance of keeping the Hyacinth alive in the winter with the cost of lights, electricity, etc. Most people buy new Hyacinth in the spring and have more than they need by mid-summer. If you are successful in keeping your Hyacinth alive, remember to wait until the water temperature is at least 65 degrees to put them back outside. I know it is hard to see your plants die, but is it worth “freak’n out” about it.
Polly Polly Ponders from the November 2004 Newsletter - Dear Polly, I have heard that it is best to turn off your pump and leave it in the pond over the winter. All my friends take out their pumps and store them for the winter. What is the best thing to do? Wet or Dry Dear Wet or Dry , This question is about as bad as which came first, the chicken or the egg. My research has told me that it really doesn’t matter which one you do. The theory behind leaving the pump in the water has to do with keeping the seals in the pump from drying out. But this is hard to understand when most pumps are stored in warehouses for a long time before they are sold. Wouldn’t the seals dry out then? I think the important thing is that the pump does not freeze. Freezing could cause the chambers to expand and crack the pump. If your pump is deep enough that it will not freeze, you can keep it in the water. If there is a chance that it will freeze, take it out and store it. I have noticed that once in a while it might be necessary to give the pump a little nudge with a screw driver to get it going the first time in the spring. But then most of us need a little nudge to get us going in the spring, too. Polly Polly Ponders from the October 2004 Newsletter Dear Polly, Is there a way to heat my water garden in the winter? I am concerned about my fish when the water gets cold. I know that sounds silly but my fish are special to me. Getting Cold in Columbia Dear Getting Cold, You can get pond de-icers that are floating heating elements that keep an area of the pond surface from freezing. This allows toxic gases to escape from the pond as things continue to decompose during the winter as well as provide an "opening" for oxygen to enter the pond. Pond heaters to keep the water warm are expensive to buy and expensive to operate. You can find them in some farm supply centers since they are primarily to thaw the ice in a water tank for cattle. Your fish should have enough fat on them to make it through the winter. They will be fine if your water depth is at least 18 inches. If you want the company of your fish during the winter, you can bring them inside and put them in an aquarium. Be sure the aquarium is large enough and has an air bubblier. I prefer to give my fish a rest from me in the winter. I don’t sleep in their house and they don’t sleep in mine. Polly Polly Ponders from the September 2004 Newsletter Dear Polly, Help! I have a small preformed water garden about 6 feet long. It is a nice little water garden with gold fish and one small lily. My problem is that I have always wanted a bog garden with my water garden but I can’t figure out how to connect a bog to the preformed pond. Every idea I have would leak water between the pond and the bog. How can I have a bog with my water garden? Bogless Dear Bogless, You are right about the difficulty of connecting a bog liner to a pre-formed pond. It can be done if you cut out a small notch in the upper edge of the pond and use liner seam tape to connect the liner to the pond. But I would not recommend that you try this unless you have experience working with pond liners and tape. I think a better idea is to make a separate little bog pond next to the existing pond with either another small pre-formed pond or with liner in a dug hole. Of course, the problem with this is that water from the pond will not keep the bog wet. You will have to add water to the bog on a regular basis to keep it wet enough for your bog plants. There are many ways to construct a bog. You will need to do some research on bog depth, bog fill materials, and what plants to put in the bog. You can get it done if you don’t get “bogged down”. Polly
Polly Ponder
from the August 2004 Newsletter - No Lotus Blooms Dear Polly, I have a lotus plant in my water garden. It has nice large leaves but rarely blooms. A water gardening friend told me that it was too deep in the water. That didn’t seem right since it is only about 2 feet deep to the top of the pot. I would think wild lotus would grow in water deeper than that. What do you think is wrong with my lotus? No Lotus Blossoms
Dear No Blossoms, There could be many reasons for a lotus that does not bloom well. I have seen some plants that needed 2 or more years before they started to bloom. I assume you are fertilizing the plant, that it is in a large round container, and gets plenty of sun. If all this is true, your friend could be right. Lotus varieties range from very large to dwarf plants. If you have one of the smaller varieties deep in the water, it will not bloom well. The top of the pot should not be deeper than 12 inches below water for large varieties and 2 inches for small varieties. You are right about wild lotus plants growing in deep water, but many lotus varieties are not like their wild cousins. I would suggest that you try raising the lotus plant up for one season and see if it blooms better. The lotus blossom is well worth any extra effort necessary for it to bloom. Polly
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? From the November 2003 Newsletter – Muck In
Bottom Of Pond Dear
Polly, I have a lot of
“muck” in the bottom of my pond. Is that a problem and if it is what
should I do about it? Muckey
Dear Muckey,
That
muck in the bottom of your pond is like a big compost pile. It is giving off all kinds of gases
and wastes that are removing the oxygen from your water. I am surprised that your fish make it
through the winter. Your pond is
long overdue for draining and cleaning.
This should be done at least every other year and every year if you
can not keep the leaves out of the pond.
Your fish will appreciate having a clean home to live in.
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? From the October 2003 Newsletter –
Feeding Fish in the Winter Dear Polly,
I do
not understand how my fish can live through the winter without food. I have been told not to feed them when
the water is cold. It does not
make sense that they can live that long without eating. Can you explain how that is possible? Fish
Feeder
Dear Fish Feeder,
You have to remember that fish are not
like humans. They sleep through most
of the winter months. (Well, maybe they are like some people) The fish’s systems slow down to
the point they do not use much energy.
They live on the stored fat in their body until the temperature warms
up in the spring. You have been
told right about not feeding the fish when the water temperature drops below
50 degrees. Fish can not digest
food when the water is that cold.
Don’t get in a hurry to feed them in the spring before the water
warms up either. You should not
feel sorry for your fish in winter, they will be fine.
Polly ? ? ? ? ? ?
Dear Polly,
Hungry Fish
Dear Hungry Fish, Yes you can overfeed your fish. When you feed your fish they should eat up the food within a minute or so. If they are leaving food, they probably are being overfed. There are several problems with overfeeding your fish. In a large well-balance pond, your fish can find natural food. When they are searching for food, they are more active and therefore healthier. Overfeeding puts more waste materials in your water from wasted fish food and amount of waste the fish excrete. This will cause cloudy water and increase the ammonia in the water. Just because you eat three times a day, doesn’t mean your fish need to eat that many times.
Polly
Polly
Ponders
Dear Polly,
I
have been told that I need to leave my pump running all the time to keep the
water quality good. They say the
water will become stagnant if the water does not circulate. Do I have to have my pump running all
the time?
Not
Running Now
Dear Not Running Now, That is a big question that depends on several factors. Some water gardeners do not have a pump circulating water in their pond and still have nice clear water. If the pond has a good balance of fish, plants, and water, it is not usually necessary to circulate the water. If you do not have a good balance, you may need to filter the water to keep the water clean. Pumping the water through a biofalls or other filter cleans the water and adds oxygen to the water. A dirty pond with lots of decaying vegetation or too many fish will need more filtering than a clean pond or one with a balance of fish. If you are using a biological filtering system, it is best to keep the water circulating all the time during the summer months of operation. So to answer your question, it depends on the circumstances of your water garden. Polly
? ? ? ? ? ? From the February 2003 Newsletter –
How to drill a hole in a rock
I am trying to drill a hole in a rock
to make a bubbler for my water garden.
Every time I try to drill the hole all that happens is the drill bit
gets dull and I only get a little depression in the rock. How do people drill a hole in a rock?
Hard
Rock
Dear Hard Rock,
I assume you are using a regular power drill and drill bit for wood or
metal.
That type of drill bit
will not work on stone.
You need
to use a masonry drill bit that is for drilling in concrete or stone.
That drill bit has a harder tip on it
and some masonry drills also move up and down while they are drilling.
If the rock is very soft you might get
a regular drill to work but the rock will probably break first.
You can get masonry drills in most
hardware or garden supply centers.
Polly
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