I Forgot To Put My Pond Heater In

I just realized that I haven't put my pond heater in the pond yet and there is already a thin layer of ice forming on top. We had our first minor snowfall early this morning; luckily it didn't amount to much. The net is still on the pond, so tomorrow morning when the temperatures are supposed to be in the forties I will have to remove part of it to install my pond heater. I'm going to leave the net on a while longer because the leaves haven't all fallen from the trees yet. The pond heater will turn on when the water is cold enough because it has an internal thermostat.

My suggestion is get your pond heater or de-icer in now as well as you aerator or bubbler, if you are going to use one. It's not a good idea to smash through the ice once it forms on top of the pond. You can order a pond heater online at www.aquaticconnections.com. Aquatic Connections has several varieties of pond de-icers in stock. I personally use the "rock" heater from Tetra. For more pond winterizing tips you can read the full article in the FAQ & Tips section of our website.

A Bird Was Stuck Under My Pond Net

I went outside this afternoon to fill my bird feeders up with seed, so the birds would have something to eat during tomorrow's snow/ice/rain storm. As I walked by my pond, which is covered to keep out the leaves, I was startled by a flapping noise and frantic motion under the net. It scared the daylights out of me and I actually jumped! Here, a mourning dove had found his way under the net but couldn't seem to find his way out. I don't know if he was actually ready to get out, but I'm sure I scared him as much as he scared me and he wanted to make a quick get away. Problem was he couldn't figure out where the exit was. So I carefully started to pull back some of the pond netting to make an escape route for him. I had to untie several of those fuzzy pipe cleaners that were holding two pieces of netting together(they work great, by the way, if you have to attach several nets together) I was on my fourth one, and he decided he couldn't wait any longer. He just burst through a small opening of net which was attached to a brick wall and flew away.

The lesson here: Keep an eye on your pond every so often to make sure there aren't any stranded creatures underneath. You may need to rescue them.

What was he doing under there, you ask? He needed a drink, of course! Water is very important to birds, squirrels and other wildlife, and it is sometimes difficult to find in the winter. I have seen many varieties of birds under my pond net, including morning doves, wrens and the dark-eyed junco. This was not the first time that I have had to rescue a bird from under my pond net. I wish they would use my heated birdbath instead!

Aquatic Connections is certified as a Backyard Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. At Aquatic Connections we recommend using birdbath heaters, which will help provide a source of water for birds (and squirrels) all winter long. They are available on our website www.aquaticconnections.com.

Extend the Life of Your Tropical Water Lilies

A brand new product is on the market that will extend the growing season for your tropical water lilies. The Thermoplanter is an innovative new tool for anyone who wishes to grow and enjoy tropical waterlilies. Whether you have a water garden in your back yard or a container on a patio, the Thermoplanter will make growing these wonderful plants easy. The Thermoplanter will allow you to place your lily outside 4-6 weeks earlier in the year than normally possible. In more southern climates the Thermoplanter will insure winter survivability only possible in the deep south. In the north the tropicals can be wintered in the Thermoplanter by simply bringing it indoors and plugging it back in, no difficult storage methods or techniques.
The Thermoplanter is available at Aquatic Connections Water Garden Center. It will be available for purchase online at www.aquaticconnections.com shortly.

Berry Producing Plants aren't Producing Berries!

According to P. Allen Smith, there a several reasons why a plant may not produce an abundance of berries or any at all. Some plants need a male and a female plant to produce berries. Maybe you have the female plant but not the male. Many hollies need a male plant within 300 feet of the female plant to produce berries. The male plant is the pollen producing plant. Another reason for lack of berries may have to do with the decrease in bees. Bees pollinate the flowers and if there aren't many bees there won't be many berries. This is a big issue in the news right now and it is affecting the farming community. Apparently, honey bees are disappearing and bee keepers are finding hives diseased and empty. And finally, sometimes plants just need a break. They need to rest and therefore produce less berries one year than they did in the past. P. Allen Smith reccommends using a slow release all purpose fertilizer AFTER the LAST freeze date in your area.

Winter Tips for Aquatic Plants

As cold weather approaches there are a few tips for trimming your aquatic plants. You can cut back hardy marginals to within 2-3 inches of the crown of the plant. Make sure the crown of the plant sits below the surface of the water. Remove any dead or decaying leaves. Take water hyacinths and water lettuce out of the pond so they don't rot and sink to the bottom. (Unless you live in an area of the country that does not experience cold winter temperatures) Remove dead leaves and stems from water lilies. Tropical plants need to be brought inside. If anyone has some success stories about overwintering tropical plants indoors, please post them here for others to read. Thanks.