flowerbug
Super Self-Sufficient
it may pull a lot of water out of the pond... but on the other hand shade would help keep the pond cooler... hmm, trade-offs...
(i feel like an elf)...
Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey
- Thread starter frustratedearthmother
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it may pull a lot of water out of the pond... but on the other hand shade would help keep the pond cooler... hmm, trade-offs...
(i feel like an elf)...
FarmerJamie
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Love this. Great job
Mini Horses
Sustainability Master
Amazing! So glad you got it filled. The surrounding area shows just what an impact 3" at once can do!
Happy for DH (AND YOU) getting help at home. He's really had the health issues of late.
to you both.
Happy for DH (AND YOU) getting help at home. He's really had the health issues of late.
to you both.- Thread starter
- #13,474
frustratedearthmother
Sustainability Master
I think weeping willows are beautiful. I've been reading a forum dedicated to ponds and they've indicated that there can be problems with willows and ponds...I dunno. One guy suggested bamboo. I've been intrigued with bamboo for a long time as fodder for the critters. Good windbreak too.
Bottom line - I haven't totally decided what I'm going to do around the pond. I have ordered two mulberry trees. I like multi-purpose plants. Food and shade and bird treats are fine with me. I'd love to plant some black berries on the berm, but goats would decimate them in a heartbeat.
Now that we've finally had enough rain to fill the pond - I'm concerned at how OVER filled it is, lol. If I had fish in there they would have had an easy avenue for escape because pond is totally out of banks at this point. Feast or famine I guess, lol.
I definitely want a couple of benches, maybe covered benches, for shade to start with. I'll need to get out there with the FEL and scrape up some of the big clods of mud so I can mow around it easily. A lot of those clods will melt down over the winter so I don't need to worry about doing it now.
May or may not have a goat birth coming soon. When DD was in the hospital there was a buck escape. I wrote down the date that it happened. All FOUR of the bucks were with all of the does. This happened in July so I thought we might be ok - not many of my does cycle in that heat. But, apparently one of the Myotonic does did. She started building an udder several weeks ago and her ligaments are softening up somewhat. If she was bred from that incident she would be due soon! Worst part of that is not knowing who she might be bred to. Ugh.
Bottom line - I haven't totally decided what I'm going to do around the pond. I have ordered two mulberry trees. I like multi-purpose plants. Food and shade and bird treats are fine with me. I'd love to plant some black berries on the berm, but goats would decimate them in a heartbeat.
Now that we've finally had enough rain to fill the pond - I'm concerned at how OVER filled it is, lol. If I had fish in there they would have had an easy avenue for escape because pond is totally out of banks at this point. Feast or famine I guess, lol.
I definitely want a couple of benches, maybe covered benches, for shade to start with. I'll need to get out there with the FEL and scrape up some of the big clods of mud so I can mow around it easily. A lot of those clods will melt down over the winter so I don't need to worry about doing it now.
May or may not have a goat birth coming soon. When DD was in the hospital there was a buck escape. I wrote down the date that it happened. All FOUR of the bucks were with all of the does. This happened in July so I thought we might be ok - not many of my does cycle in that heat. But, apparently one of the Myotonic does did. She started building an udder several weeks ago and her ligaments are softening up somewhat. If she was bred from that incident she would be due soon! Worst part of that is not knowing who she might be bred to. Ugh.
murphysranch
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Dang it all!!!! Dammed if you do, dammed if you don't....
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frustratedearthmother
Sustainability Master
Story of my life, lol!
baymule
Sustainability Master
Yep, you got a pond! I’ve seen ponds with a drainage ditch for overflow and a wire grill in it to prevent fish from washing out.
I’m in the willow by the pond camp.
I’m in the willow by the pond camp.
flowerbug
Super Self-Sufficient
wow, amazing that it has filled up so fast.
without controlling the goats grazing there's very little you will be able to plant around it.
after hearing about and seeing so many horror stories with bamboo getting out of control i'd not want that anyplace unless it was in a large pot.
what i wonder about with a pond that has no cover in it to start with is how many fish it can support and then also how to give them some protection against predators. around here we have blue herons that will fish anyplace they can get at. i wonder if old terra cotta pots would work for that as then if you get a hook on them you just know to reverse direction and they'll likely come off. or at least if you put them in certain spots you know where not to fish too deep.
without controlling the goats grazing there's very little you will be able to plant around it.
after hearing about and seeing so many horror stories with bamboo getting out of control i'd not want that anyplace unless it was in a large pot.
what i wonder about with a pond that has no cover in it to start with is how many fish it can support and then also how to give them some protection against predators. around here we have blue herons that will fish anyplace they can get at. i wonder if old terra cotta pots would work for that as then if you get a hook on them you just know to reverse direction and they'll likely come off. or at least if you put them in certain spots you know where not to fish too deep.
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frustratedearthmother
Sustainability Master
I'll build guards around any trees I plant, but will likely not put much else out there.
As far as cover for the fish, I've already been working on that. I have done enough research to know that it's NOT absolutely necessary to have anything for cover. You just accept the fact that fish will be fish and eat each other, lol. Some predation is necessary so the fish don't overpopulate which would stunt their growth.
However, I like the idea of a more "natural" environment for them so I added several objects that can be used for cover. I had a terra cotta "fish" fire pit that DH bought for me years ago. Similar to this:
At some point in time, it had its tail broken off. We still used it, but it was definitely compromised, lol. That tailless fish now resides at the bottom of the pond. Also, a large, broken terra cotta planter was added. Some sections of pine logs that I had been soaking for weeks so they would sink were placed in three different locations before the big rain. I'll be watching for discarded trees after Christmas as they are widely accepted as great habitat for smaller fish.
IF I ever get bamboo I'd definitely stick with the clumping types and not the running type. I had a former co-worker who bought a house with a bamboo border along her back fence. Her husband would simply mow around it, and it kept the runners in check. He was very diligent about it!
We've got some sunshine today, yay! It was 47 when I got up and headed for a high near 70. Should be a great day to be outside - with mud boots of course!
As far as cover for the fish, I've already been working on that. I have done enough research to know that it's NOT absolutely necessary to have anything for cover. You just accept the fact that fish will be fish and eat each other, lol. Some predation is necessary so the fish don't overpopulate which would stunt their growth.
However, I like the idea of a more "natural" environment for them so I added several objects that can be used for cover. I had a terra cotta "fish" fire pit that DH bought for me years ago. Similar to this:
At some point in time, it had its tail broken off. We still used it, but it was definitely compromised, lol. That tailless fish now resides at the bottom of the pond. Also, a large, broken terra cotta planter was added. Some sections of pine logs that I had been soaking for weeks so they would sink were placed in three different locations before the big rain. I'll be watching for discarded trees after Christmas as they are widely accepted as great habitat for smaller fish.
IF I ever get bamboo I'd definitely stick with the clumping types and not the running type. I had a former co-worker who bought a house with a bamboo border along her back fence. Her husband would simply mow around it, and it kept the runners in check. He was very diligent about it!
We've got some sunshine today, yay! It was 47 when I got up and headed for a high near 70. Should be a great day to be outside - with mud boots of course!
FarmerJamie
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Looking forward to seeing a picture of that first fish hanging from a line. Lolol.I'll build guards around any trees I plant, but will likely not put much else out there.
As far as cover for the fish, I've already been working on that. I have done enough research to know that it's NOT absolutely necessary to have anything for cover. You just accept the fact that fish will be fish and eat each other, lol. Some predation is necessary so the fish don't overpopulate which would stunt their growth.
However, I like the idea of a more "natural" environment for them so I added several objects that can be used for cover. I had a terra cotta "fish" fire pit that DH bought for me years ago. Similar to this:
At some point in time, it had its tail broken off. We still used it, but it was definitely compromised, lol. That tailless fish now resides at the bottom of the pond. Also, a large, broken terra cotta planter was added. Some sections of pine logs that I had been soaking for weeks so they would sink were placed in three different locations before the big rain. I'll be watching for discarded trees after Christmas as they are widely accepted as great habitat for smaller fish.
IF I ever get bamboo I'd definitely stick with the clumping types and not the running type. I had a former co-worker who bought a house with a bamboo border along her back fence. Her husband would simply mow around it, and it kept the runners in check. He was very diligent about it!
We've got some sunshine today, yay! It was 47 when I got up and headed for a high near 70. Should be a great day to be outside - with mud boots of course!
