president’’s pp ad · 2019. 8. 18. · avoid using salts with additives such as iodine and...

1

Water Garden Society of Oklahoma Newsletter: Pond Life May 2015 Volume 29 Issue 5

PPRESIDENTRESIDENT ’’SS PPADAD

President’s Pad ......................... 1 Meeting Information ................... 1 New Members / Renewals .......... 2 Word Find .................................... 2 Board Meeting Info ..................... 2 Ad Rates ...................................... 2 Event Calendar ............................ 3 WGSO Board Contact List ............ 3 Last Month’s Recap ..................... 3 To Salt or Not To Salt ................... 4 Water Gardens: Sound & Motion ... 5 Pond Fish Anatomy 101 ............. 6 & 7 Advantages of Terra Cotta Pots ... 7 Plant Sale & Silent Auction .......... 8 Members Bus Tour ..................... 9 Local Pond Retail Shop Advantage .... 9 WGSO Vendor Discounts ............ 9 DIY Drilled Stone Fountain .......... 10 Upcoming Events Details ............. 11 Birthdays ..................................... 12 Club Contact Info ......................... 12 WGSO Membership Card ........... 12

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

It’s time for WGSO’s Annual Members Only Plant Sale & Silent Auction, so I hope everyone is digging up their extra plants to donate to our club. You can even donate those gently used items you have in your yard that aren’t your favorite pieces. Who knows, maybe you will see it another members yard and they love it! Don’t forget to bring a container for your purchases with your name on it so that they don’t get mixed up with someone else. This annual event is always is one of our most attended meetings because everyone finds great deals on something they want and they get to thin out overgrown planting bed in the pro-cess. Don’t forget this month we are changing refreshments up a bit and asking those coming to bring something with a Mexican theme as we are celebrating Cinco de Mayo. If you have a special Mexican recipe, share it with us. We will still have deserts as usual, but we thought it would be fun to do something different. If you missed the OKC Spring Remodel and Landscape Show last month you missed our amazing water feature. It was designed and constructed by WGSO volunteers who I’m sure some of them were really impressed with themselves because it turned out absolutely gor-geous. I would like to thank everyone who helped either working on the water feature, working our booth, speaking at the seminars on Saturday and Sunday, helping set-up and tear down the display, donate materials and time. It was a great success. We had several visitors who wanted to purchase the water feature. Our first two workshops were a success. Both the Gutter Vertical Garden and Wine Bottle Tiki Torch were both hosted by the Garrett’s. We had a good group even though we had a rainy start. Everyone showed up and worked on their projects. So thank you, Jim and Mary Garrett. We will be announcing more workshops soon. Our Members Bus Tour will be Saturday, July 18th. If you would like to reserve your seat on the charter bus we will be selling tickets at our May meeting. Seats are just $20.00 per per-son. First paid, first reserved, clear your calendar because once we sell out of seats they are gone. It’s a fun filled day where members share baked goods, knowledge, sometimes seeds and plants, but always lots of laughter. Seats general go fast, so don’t wait too long. Hope to see everyone at the May Plant Sale. Diane Clark, WGSO President

N e x t M e e t i n gN e x t M e e t i n g 1st Tuesday of the Month1st Tuesday of the Month

May 5, 2015 @ 7 pm Donations Accepted @ 6:30 pm

Bring A Dish To Share

Northwest Church of Christ Family Living Center

4301 NW 23rd St, OKC 73107

PROGRAM

Details on page 8

2


WGSO AD RATES If you would like to place an ad in the Pond Life, the rates are as follows:

Business Card $10.00 1/4 Page $25.00 1/2 Page $75.00 Full Page $100.00

Ads are to be CAMERA READY PREPAID in advance. Send payment to the WGSO Treasurer, Jim Maida, 10612 Turnberry Ln, OKC, OK 73170.

Send ad to the newsletter editor, Paullei Mumme at [email protected].

Ad must be in editor’s possession no later than the 15th of the month preceding publication.

EX: August issue must be received by July 20th.

Tuesday, April 28 @ 6:30 pm

RSVP Required to [email protected]

Diane Clark 947-6999

Jim Conner’s House 17304 Toledo Drive Oklahoma City, OK

801-2891

All Executive Board Members and Committee Chairs are encouraged to attend.

Spouses Welcomed.

NEW MEMBERSNEW MEMBERS : : Cheryl Adams, Roy & Patti Brower, Mary Davis,

Charles & Jackie Hester, Les & Patti Johns, ick & Debbie Lang, Andy & Kathi McMinn,

Chris & Danielle Shannon, John & Joan Spall,

RENEWALS: RENEWALS: John Bushman, Mary Merrill, Deloris McVay, Roy & Shirlee Ruedy, Tom & Jodi Tracy, Kim West

As of the 20th of the month:

WW ELCOMEELCOME WGSO MWGSO M EMBERSEMBERS

Open to all WGSO members - RSVP Required - Bring a Dish.

If you paid your 2015 Membership Dues and DON’T see your name, contact Patty Smith at [email protected]

Tickets are $1 @ Meetings & Club Events.

$ 5 7 0 . 0 0 4/9/15

DIY DRIP IRRIGATION

Make a slow drip irriga-tion device by cutting small slits in the bottom and sides of a plastic soda pop bottle, milk jug, juice bottle or other plastic container.

Bury the bottle partway in the soil near your plants. You can fill the bottle quickly and the water will drip slowly into the soil.

3


Members Only Plant Sale May 5 Meet-N-Greet Pond Pro - Plants/Fish/Algae May 16 Board Meeting May 26 General Meeting June 2 Meet-N-Greet Pond Pro - Pond Build June 6 Public Pond Tour June 20-21 Board Meeting June 30 General Meeting July 7 Members Bus Tour Seats $20 each July 18 Board Meeting July 28 General Meeting August 4

Summer Social August 8 Leaf Casting Workshop TBD Leaf Casting Finishing Workshop TBD Faux Rock Wall Fountain TBD Board Meeting August 25 General Meeting September 1 Board Meeting September 29 General Meeting October 6 Board Meeting October 27 General Meeting November 3 Members Only Christmas Dinner December 1

2 0 1 52 0 1 5 W G S O B O A R D W G S O B O A R D

EXECUTIVE OFFICER*/ COMMITTEE CHAIRS NAME CELL OTHER E-MAIL

*President Diane Clark 802-6200 947-6999 [email protected]

*Vice-President Ellie Miller 243-7380 [email protected]

*Secretary Connie Kaye 826-0157 [email protected]

*Treasurer Jim Maida 691-7630 [email protected]

*Historian Martha Garrard 245-3601 [email protected]

*Past President Jim Conner 317-6016 801-2891 [email protected]

Newsletter / Activities Paullei Mumme 642-4767 [email protected]

Activates Sue Jones 341-4179 [email protected]

Membership Patty Smith 694-0886 717-9995 [email protected]

Plant Sales/Tour Guide Sales Gary Guild 397-5758 390-8112 [email protected]

Programs Connie Fisher 350-3378 [email protected]

Refreshments Phil & Sarah Grissam 454-3571 [email protected]

Refreshments Tonah Tharp 973-4209 340-6495 [email protected]

Tour Guide Publication Tom Thompson 693-5098 [email protected]

Website Jim Porterfield 799-7974 [email protected]

Tour Guide Ad Sales/Members Tours Diane Clark 802-6200 947-6999 [email protected]

Tour Guide Ad Sales Karen Wolf 799-8434 [email protected]

LAST MONTH’S RECAP

At our April meeting Don Connelly spoke on fish health. He told specifics on certain type of fish disease and what medicine to use and how to use it. We also were told that what medications doesn't work together or with salt. If you have a problem as this is the time of year most pop up, Always remember you can log onto Crosstimber Koi’s website because there is monthly information of what you should be doing and what med-ication will work for your problem. If you are planning to us salt only use Diamond Crystal Salt in the blue bag that you find at Lowe's. Also, remember to wait until may before you put your tropical plants in the pond. We also met the new owners of Crosstimber Koi of Edmond, Chad and Ashely . When you need products or fish they will be open the same hours. Be sure to let them know you are from The Water Garden Society of Oklahoma to receive a discount on qualifying purchases.

300 Wade Martin Dr. Edmond, OK 73034

(405) 340-9130

w w w . c r o s s t i m b e r s k o i . c o m

Summer Hours: (March 15th - September 30th) Monday thru Saturday: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

We are closed on Sundays.

mailto:[email protected]



4


TO SALT OR NOT TO SALT? While we agree that there are certain reasons for using salt in your water garden, oftentimes it is used improperly. Consequently, plants and fish in the system often suffer and can even die. Listed below is important information that should assist you in decid-ing whether to use salt in your pond and, if so, how to apply it correctly.

Why should I salt my pond? - Salting your pond can help remedy certain fish health problems. It can also protect fish from high levels of nitrite and ammonia that are occasionally found in your water garden. Salt can also help control the long stringy algae that we often refer to as blan-ket weed (filamentous algae). However, in each of these situations, we would most likely recommend another product to solve these problems before we would ever suggest using salt.

What kind of salt would I use in my pond? - Salt comes in many different forms. Pure non-iodized salt is the weapon of choice for water garden-ers. Avoid using salts with additives such as iodine and other minerals, as well as those with anti-caking agents which can out-rightly suffocate your fish. If you're unsure about your choice of salt, please contact us before you apply it to the pond to verify its' safety.

How much salt do I add to my pond and how do I add it? - If it is determined that salt is necessary, it is very critical that the correct amount be used. The first and most important step is to determine what your pond volume is. Use the following formula to calculate the number of gal-lons: length x width x average depth x 7.5. To begin killing algae in your pond, it is necessary to raise the salt level of the water to 0.25% and to 0.30% to protect your fish from nitrites and various illnesses and parasites. Be aware however, that most aquatic plants can't tolerate high lev-els of salt and some will even die at low rates such as 0.10%. Refer to the chart at the end of this article to get an idea of which plants can toler-ate what levels of salt. To obtain a 0.10% salt level, add one teaspoon of salt per gallon of water or one pound per one hundred gallons of wa-ter. Do NOT add the salt all at once though. Add the appropriate dosage over the course of several days to slowly approach the proper salt level. Buy a salt level test kit and test often to verify that your calculations are accurate and to avoid both overdosing as well as underdosing. The salt should first be dissolved in a bucket of pond water and then poured around the perimeter of the pond or it can be placed in a stream to dissolve it. Do not add the salt directly to the pond as fish can be 'burned' by it if they lie directly on a pile of undissolved salt. Plants can also burn if salt is placed directly on them.

Is there any other way to 'salt my fish' besides adding it directly into my pond? - There are a couple of different ways to treat your fish with salt. One way is to set up a separate quarantine tank with an airstone or pump and to place your fish in such a system. Salt the water in the quaran-tine tank as described above to achieve a 0.30% solution after three days. Allow your fish to stay in this tank until they are no longer ill. If they do not get better, reconsider your initial health diagnosis and plan for a different form of treatment. You can also prepare a short-term salt bath, sometimes referred to a salt dip. To do this, you would set up a container with a 2.0% salt solution which would be achieved by adding 20 teaspoons of salt per one gallon of water. Place the fish one by one into the aerated salt bath/dip solution until it seems to be tiring, but re-move it before it has rolled onto it's side. After a maximum of ten minutes, remove the fish to a quarantine tank. Repeat this treatment after 12 hours for a total of three separate baths.

What are the drawbacks associated with salting my pond? - Salt may affect your plants and cause them to die. When salt is used constantly in a system, even at low levels, various parasites can become resistant and pose an even bigger threat to the overall health of your fish. It would be better to use salt as a preventative for disease in the springtime and to do monthly water changes to dilute the salt back to normal levels over time. Massive die-offs of algae due to the addition of salt can also cause a substantial drop in oxygen levels in your pond, causing stress and/or death to your fish.

Before deciding to use salt in your water garden, we strongly recommend that you discuss your situation with us. Do your homework and make sure that you are approaching the topic well-informed of the risks as well as the benefits. Investigate all options before making a final decision and monitor the situation closely.

Salt Level Mortality for Common Aquatic Plants 0.10% - Anacharis (oxygenators), water hyacinths, water lettuce, lotus 0.20% - Waterlilies, aquatic mint, lavender musk, water snowflake 0.30% - The majority of other marginal plants such as cattails, forget- me-not, zebra rush, floating heart, and duckweed

SALT BATH BASICS

To treat koi in a salt bath have two (2) containers on hand. One for salted pond water and one with unsalted pond water. A timer to ensure accuracy. Pre-dissolve salt with pond water for accurate salt to water percentage ratio BEFORE adding koi.

Koi should only be allowed to remain in salt bath up to five minutes and immediately put in UNSALTED pond water. Do not reuse salt bath or pour it into pond!

PAY ATTENTION! DO NOT USE THE PHONE, TEXT, OR STEP AWAY WHILE KOI ARE IN SALT BATH!

At first sign of koi flopping to side, promptly remove koi and place in UNSALTED pond water.

Diamond Crystals Solar Naturals (Blue Bag): Safe for Koi Available in 40 lb bags at big box stores.

5


WATER GARDENS: ALIVE WITH SOUND AND MOTION BY DAVID B. DUENSING, ASLA

Making a water feature an important aspect in a landscape or garden is something that has been done in other countries for centuries. But here in the U.S., widespread use of water in our landscapes and gardens has taken hold only relatively recently.

For centuries, water has been the element that has attracted both humans and wild-life for the purpose of survival. However, during the last several years, there has been a strong and steady demand to create more inviting and personal environ-ments at home, work and public gathering areas. Nowadays, water is being used to enhance views, create personal paradises, and add value to property.

Some of the most remarkable elements that water brings to a landscape are sound, motion, and wonderful reflective qualities. In addition, water has a calming and soothing side effect that provides important health benefits. Many landscapes and gardens are quite beautiful with their colorful flower variety and tasteful hardscapes, but all these are typically static—they usually do not move or make any sounds. This is not to imply that this is bad, but if you desire to take your project to a higher and more complete level, adding water sounds and motion are key elements to consider. A great way to experience these qualities is to stroll through a Japanese or botanic garden where paths meander through the grounds. Oftentimes you will hear a stream or waterfall before it becomes visi-ble. Notice too, that when it is finally in view it is not typically entirely revealed at any one time. There is a lot to be said about creating a destination, as well as a bit of mystery. Professional garden designers often use water sounds to mask noise from surrounding highway traffic and other distractions. Water allows the designer to create a more desirable environment. The intent is not necessarily to create a louder sound to overpower other noise; instead, it is to generate a variety of water tones for the hu-man subconscious to pick up and actually focus upon.

The aspects of sound that we work to create fall into three categories: volume, pitch, and directional control.

Volume – The loudness of the sound we wish to create is important to understand, as is the effect it will have in the area around the water fea-ture. If the surrounding area is large and/or open, there may be more need to generate greater volume. On the other hand, if the water feature will be indoors or near one or two walls, the sound will be reflected off the hard surfaces. This can create too much sound, making the space less useful and enjoyable for conversation or relaxation.

Pitch – This aspect of sound is not commonly understood or controlled by waterfall builders, but is crucial, regardless of the size of the waterfall. Generally, waterfall pitches range from low, medium, to high. Designers should understand which pitches will be most useful in each specific application, and how to effectively generate them. Higher-pitch waterfall sounds help tune out car and airplane noise, whereas low-pitch sounds help make the waterfall feel more forceful and make an overall impact. However, be cautious because too much low-pitch sound also tends to mute the human voice.

Another aspect to consider is that, any time you create a steady and continuous pitch, the human subconscious will tend to disregard it and attempt to focus on other sounds. Therefore, it is important to create a ‘melody’ of sounds that are ever-changing through a variety of different pitches.

Directional control -- The third aspect of waterfall sound control is the ability to project sounds to various locations (within reason). Projecting sound towards a deck, patio, walk, open window, etc. is possible but not typically understood or managed well. Much of sound directional control is affected by how the rock formations are constructed, and oriented to the key viewing or enjoyment areas.

An additional and wonderful aspect of water features that is too often ignored is the reflective qualities of a pool of water. Many people desire to light a pond at night (which is a nice effect) but sometimes the biggest bang comes from lighting what is behind the pond and enjoying the reflections on the waters’ surface. A nice trick to add motion to your landscape is to work with shadows resulting from a waterfall. Focus landscape lighting onto the pond surface, which then will bounce off onto the surrounding landscape. The waterfall creates disturbances, often in the form of ripples on the surface, causing any reflected light to have motion. The result is a beautiful movement effect on the landscape. Using this technique will in a very subtle way, make your landscape stand out more because the human eye is drawn to motion.

Source: http://www.asla.org/ppn/article.aspx?id=1696

6


POND FISH ANATOMY 101

Hey guess what? Koi and pond fish have a simple heart with only two chambers! Who the heck cares and when will that be relevant to any-thing you might see or do with pond fish? Probably never, so the purpose of this article is to make you aware of anatomy that does actually matter.

THE FINS A pond fish like a koi or goldfish is pretty typical in its finnage –they have the usual dorsal (top) fin, an assortment of bottom fins, and then the caudal (tail) fin, as well as a few others.

The dorsal fin in koi is extremely vulnerable to ulceration and it's not uncommon for the mildest of bacterial infections to erode a hole right in the middle of it. Once the ulcer has healed, the fin can remain incom-plete. When purchasing a new fish, inspect the dorsal fin to make sure it’s whole. The paired pelvic fins emerge cranially (head end) to the anus, and they're the fins that define the landmarks for injection because it is the safest site with good absorption.

THE SCALES The scales cover the body and are of variable size, depending on the location, and they overlap at five points. People tend to think the scales overlap on the obvious four sides but the center of the scale is underlapped by the scale behind and in front of it.

When a fish gets a deep wound, they may dislodge, or even shed, scales. The dead tissue and loose scales that surround a wound can provide bad bacteria with fuel to continue to infect the fish. To avoid this, gently scrub the wound with a piece of gauze soaked in grocery store hydro-gen peroxide. The term for this process is debridement. It's not meant for all wounds, and should not be overdone. Over-cleaning a wound re-moves cells that are trying to heal the wound, so usually one debridement is needed.

Fish do a good job of replacing lost scales over the course of several weeks after their loss. However the replacement-scale is of a finer (thinner) quality and sometimes unevenly marked compared to the original scales.

THE GILLS AND OPERCULUM The gills are to a fish what your lungs are to you – a delicate organ system that exposes all of your blood to oxy-gen. The gills are exactly the same structure only they're pushing the blood through capillaries that exchange with water, not air.

What most people don’t know is that the gills perform another important function – the excretion of fish waste in the form of ammonia. The gills are the most important waste excretion organ in the fish’s body.

You can see that damage to the gills by way of infection with bacteria, destruction via viruses such as Koi Herpes Virus, infestation with para-sites, or just damage from medications or poor water quality, can impact the fish far more than just breathing.

The operculum is the thick boney covering on either side of the head, and protects the gill arches. You may need to lift the operculum to exam-ine the gills, but don't lift it too far or it might tear. The gills of any sick or dead fish can be photographed to provide important forensic infor-mation after a fish disease outbreak.

THE EYES Koi and goldfish don't need eyes to live. In fact, there's a genetic mutation that causes one out of ten thousand fish to hatch out with-out any at all. If a fish loses one or both of its eyes through trauma, there is no need to euthanize it because it can find and apprehend food perfectly well with their barbels, lips, and mouths, which are absolutely loaded with sensory structures (taste buds, no kidding).

There's a fat, cushiony blood supply to and from the eye, called the choroid plexus, designed to protect they eye from any trauma. Sometimes the choroid swells due to a blow to the eye. This is temporary and the eye may sink back into the socket over the coming week. A popped eye for an indefinite period of time could be the sign of another problem that may require the help of a fish professional.

AN OVERVIEW OF THE GUTS Koi Anatomy Koi and goldfish have a very simple digestive tract. They have an esophagus that comes from the mouth and goes to the stomach … wait, check that … koi and goldfish don't have a stomach in any true sense. A stomach means a valve at the top and bottom of an acid-secreting, digestive organ, but koi and goldfish just have a stretchy wide spot in the top of the intestine for food stor-age while they pass it into the intestine.

Koi tummies hate to be full in cold water. When this occurs, the lining of the intestine is damaged and bad bacteria can get through the dam-aged lining into the blood stream. Of course, the fish show no obvious sign of this, but may die later in the Spring when the water warms and the bacteria go to work on the poor fish. This is one reason we recommend that you not feed fish in wintertime, when cold snaps are possible or when the water temperature will be below 55° F.

THE AIR BLADDER The air bladder is an amazingly delicate structure. It fills with air via a thin veil of capillaries extending over its surface, and air is released by way of a thin tube that comes from the caudal sac. The air is burped into the esophagus, which then escapes through the mouth. The air bladder is balanced to the weight of the fish against the water, which is the primary means by which the fish can hang in the water with-out paddling the whole time.

If a fish is floating upside down on the surface, something has happened to the air bladder's ability to let air out, so it is then too large and too buoyant for the weight of the fish. A problem with the air bladder can also cause the fish to sink to the pond bottom. This usually occurs when the spinal cord is damaged near the point where the nerves that regulate the air bladder emerge. Examples include electrocution through a stray voltage released into the water. Sometimes the air bladder can be removed or surgically corrected, enabling the fish to swim normally.

7


Pond Fish Anatomy 101 Continued from page 6.

THE SKELETON Fish are boney, and ornamental pond fish are no exception. They're full of bones and, unlike the bones of sharks and stingrays, their bones really are bones – not cartilage. The bones of a fish are not meant for bearing weight because, in water, the fish is pretty much weightless. The two principal stresses on the fishes' bones are hydrostatic pressure from the water, and the push and pull of the fishes' mighty muscles on those bones. That's it.

That’s why, when you net a fish and carry it in that net, you're putting a unique force on their skeleton which can damage them. The fish is bent into a u-shape and its full weight torques the skeletal bones. Broken backs are a common result. Instead, use your net to catch the fish and then slide a big plastic bowl under the fish to carry it in.

If a fish has a broken back, the cure is simply time. The fish may compensate the injury – even if crooked from that day on – or it may simply starve to death.

THE MUSCLES Your muscles and fish muscles are really different. If you've ever seen a fish filet you remember that there are red and white lines in the meat. The muscles of a fish are oriented in thick bands called somites. These bands are stacked all down the sides of the fish in thick, or-derly rows. Let’s go back to carrying fish in nets to find out why this matters. When the process causes damage to the back, it also destroys at least some of the nerves to at least one of the bands of muscle.

Whenever a somite dies, the muscle gets smaller and a kink in the fish will be seen. The concave side of the bend is the side with the dead so-mite. If you don't carry fish around in nets, this is unlikely to ever have been seen in your collection.

KOI TEETH Koi Teeth In the back of the koi throat, emerging from the lower gill arch in the back, there are three to four molars. These molars have serrations on the top like our molars. They're broad, crowned teeth and they're used to destroy shells and pulverize insects and crusta-ceans scavenged from the pond bottom. These teeth are shed and replaced continually through the life of the koi. They are too far back for you to ever be bitten by a koi.

So there you have it. The basics of fish anatomy as it relates to the fish living in your pond. Not meant to cure any issue or ailment, but simply to better understand the inner workings of your finned friends.

Source: http://www.aquascapeinc.com/blogs/contractor-articles/Pond-Fish-Anatomy-101

ADVANTAGES OF TERRA COTTA CLAY POTS

Clay pots are beautiful, practical and affordable. Your choice of pot is im-portant. It will influence the look, cost and upkeep of your project for years to come. In theory, anything that holds soil can function as a flowerpot, but most gardeners tend to develop preferences, and sometimes strong opin-ions, on the subject. Clay pots are a common favorite, and with good rea-son. In addition to being attractive and affordable, clay pots are ideally suit-ed for a plant's physiological needs.

Economy: Clay pots are usually affordable enough to suit any budget. Large, ornate or customized planters can be expensive, but unglazed terra-cotta pots are usually comparable with plastic pots of the same size. Part of the beauty of clay pots is their tendency to beautify with age as they weath-

er and absorb mineral salts from the soil. Reused clay pots are perfect for the budget-minded and have a delightful rustic feel to them that can't be duplicated with synthetic materials.

Weight: Moderate weight can be an important feature in a flower pot. Lightweight pots may be easy to transport or store, but they can be prone to tipping in windy conditions or with top-heavy plants. Very heavy pots avoid this problem but can be tricky to move without help. Clay pots are heavier than wood or plastic and make it harder for your cat to repeatedly knock over your aloe vera plant, but they are lighter and less cumbersome than stone or concrete planters.

Aeration: Plant roots require oxygen in the soil to function. Too much water will damage the root system and the overall health of the plant. In the "California Master Gardener Handbook," author Dennis R. Pittenger explains that unglazed clay pots "absorb and lose moisture through their walls," creating a natural safeguard against overwatering and allowing oxygen to enter the soil and aerate the roots. For plants requiring wetter conditions, customize the permeability of the pot by pre-treating the interior with a breathable latex sealant or adding a nonporous lining to the pot.

Insulation: Container gardening requires mimicry of a plant's natural growing environment, including soil temperature. As a thick, porous material, clay naturally slows down heat transfer between the soil and the external environment, thereby avoiding sudden extremes of temperature. Clay pots hold the warmth of the sun and are also able to dissipate heat through water vapor, giving you more options with which to tailor your plant's environment.

Source: www.homeguides.sfgate.com/advantage-growing-plant-clay-pot-44614.html

Terra cotta is a type of clay pot - but they are not necessarily synonymous. Unsealed terra cotta is gas permeable & allows air in and water vapor out of the soil. This makes it necessary to water more frequently, but is a GOOD thing for plants, even if not for you.

Plant performance in a sealed terra cotta container would be indistinguisha-ble from performance in a pot of plastic or other impermeable material.

Unsealed clay can "breathe", allowing for healthy roots, and I like how they look as they age because they help ex-cess salts and minerals to leach out through the pores in the clay.

8


WGSO ANNUAL PLANT SALE WGSO ANNUAL PLANT SALE

& SILENT AUCTION& SILENT AUCTION Tuesday May 5, 2015Tuesday May 5, 2015

PURPOSE OF SALE:

Here’s your chance to acquire a start for something you do not have or cannot find; t thin your crowded garden beds and water plants; and change your landscape elements.

This is not an opportunity for a total garden overhaul!

All profit from donations to the WGSO Plant Sale & Silent Auction go into the WGSO General Fund

PLANTS: 1) Water & Land plants are accepted! All plants must be in containers and labeled.

2) WATER PLANTS must be in waterproof package (Ziplock bags, etc)!

3) LAND PLANTS: Plant in plastic drinking, nursery pots, disposable food containers, etc.

4) Label all containers with the name of the plant it contains. Add the color and sun/shade if that in formation is know. It is also nice to add your name so members can ask care questions.

5) Donations to the Plant Sale & Silent Auction accepted from 6:30 pm to 7:00 pm ONLY!

Don’t bring then any earlier because our set-up team has to have time to prepare. 6) If your plants are not in containers, they will not be accepted for the WGSO plant sale.

NON-PLANT: 1) NO FISH! Do not bring fish of any kind to the sale.

If you have too many fish and want to share, let a WGSO Board Member know and we can announce it at a General Meeting, via e-mail, or in the newsletter. 2) Yard décor, fountains, pond equipment, etc. donations are accepted for the Silent Auction.

BUYING: 1) Only current paid 2015 WGSO members can participate. Membership dues may be paid at door.

2) Bring cash in small bills. You must pay for your items after each trip.

3) Only one (1) family member per membership can participate in the Plant Sale.

4) Prearranged selection process. Each group can select only three (3) different items per trip.

All items MUST be different! No two items can be alike.

5) All sales are final. All items will be sold and removed from building at close of sale.

SILENT AUCTION: 1) Large and/or unique plant donations will be sold at the Silent Auction. All plants must be in

containers (Water Plants must be in waterproof containeers). All plants must be labeled.

2) Yard décor and pond equipment donations are accepted for the Silent Auction. Please label what the item is along with your name in case there are any questions.

3) Each item will be sold to the highest bidder. Bidders can write a check for all Silent Auction

purchases. All winning bidders must pay for items at close of Silent Auction and remove

items from the building.

Questions? Contact Gary Guild, Plant Sale Chair, 390-8112 or [email protected]

Bring something to hold your purchases. Trash bags, boxes,

or buckets work great.

WGSO Plant Sale & Silent Auction Timeline

Set-Up Team Only 6:00 to 6:30 Donation Delivery 6:30 to 7:00 Plant Sale 7:00 to 8:00 Silent Auction 7:00 to 8:30 Clean-Up 8:45 to 9:00

WGSO Plant Sale Helpers WantedWGSO Plant Sale Helpers Wanted

Set-Up Crew @ 6:00 pm

Three (3) Cashiers

Clean-Up Crew @ 8:45 pm

9


2015 WGSO MEMBERS BUS TOUR

SATURDAY JULY 18

Seats go on sale at the May General Meeting. Tickets are $20.00 and it includes your bus seat on the bus, 2 water bottles and door prize ticket. Seats will be sold on a first

come, first served at the May, June, and July General Meetings. You MUST pay upfront to reserve your seat.

Members will bring their favorite baked goodies to share - cookies, brownies, etc. WGSO has the best cooks! 50/50 tickets will be on sale. Pack a sack lunch, extra beverages, and a folding chair. Remem-ber to bring your camera/phone fully charged! Lunch will be at a member’s home during the tour.

We will be departing from the back parking lot the Northwest Church of Christ, where WGSO meetings are held. The bus will leave at at 8:30am sharp (trust us, on this, the bus doesn't want for any-one) and returning somewhere about 6:00pm.

If you would like to put your pond on tour please call Diane Clark at 947-6999. You don’t have to ride the bus to put your yard on tour. We’ll visit each yard for about 15 minutes and load up to go to the next yard - all in the comfort of an air-conditioned bus. NOTE: Some locations may not be eligible due to time constraints, route limita-tions or bus company restrictions.

WHY SHOP AT A LOCAL POND RETAIL STORE?

I’m often asked by fellow pond enthusiasts “Where do you recommend me to buy my pond equipment”. My first response is a local pond retail that offers you a knowledgeable, friendly staff, a variety of prod-ucts and manufacturers, and stands behind what they sale. Yes, you can get the same products on-line but you won’t receive the personal customer service that your local retailer will patiently provide as you bombard them with endless questions about different scenarios.

The bottom line is not about the dollars you spend but the dollars you save. Where do you really save money on a pond build? The first time you build based on a hodge-podge of information and/or equipment and then when the first round of money saving tidbits failed and you had to dish out even more money to fix it or by seeking the advise of in store professionals, who can assess your needs and give you options for every budget. This is where your local pond retail shop can really save you time and money. Get to know your local pond retail store. If they aren’t satisfying your needs, ask for referrals from your local water garden club. As for prices, well let me tell you that as a bon-a-fide on-line shopper, I research everything and have found that in general a short trip to my favorite pond retail store gives me a comparable price, first class customer ser-vice, and a chance to see what’s new in the market.

I know of a few stores in the metro with awesome customer service, competitive prices, with a variety of merchandise. Be aware though that not all pond stores are created equal nor do they treat their customers equally fair. A WGSO member told me that she had purchased a pond kit from a water garden retailer on South I-35 that charges a 20% restocking fee. OUCH!

If you are contemplating adding a water feature, visit all of the area pond store retailers. Ask questions and see which stores only wants to SELL you their products and which stores wants you to be their CUSTOMER for life.

Other Retailers May Offer Garden Club Discounts, Just Ask! Know of a retailer that offers garden club discounts, let us know.

Buckley’s Sticks & Stones - Flagstone, Building Stone, Outdoor Fireplaces, Crushed Granite, etc.

CrossTimbers Koi of Edmond - Koi & Pond Supplies, Water Plants

ESupply - Mostly Little Giant Pumps, Lights, etc.

Pond Pro Shop - Everything Pond Related, Pottery, Koi, Water Plants, etc.

See Stores For Details - Some Restrictions Apply

10


DIY DRILLED STONE FOUNTAIN A fountain Is composed of three things: water, which flows up a pipe and trickles back down in a continuous cycle; a pump, which propels the water; and a piece of sculpture, over which the water flows. The sculpture can be built from any material that will withstand constant water. For the project shown here, we used large stones found on-site, but pavers, some metals, or pottery will all work.

Regardless of the fountain material, the guts of the system remain the same. It starts with a waterproof tub or basin that lines a hole in the ground to make a reservoir for the water. Above that is a rigid mesh screen that blocks large debris from getting into the tub. The screen is topped with a support system made from a strong but water-resistant material, such as composite decking, to keep the body of the fountain from falling into the basin. The submersible pump is the heart of the system. It sits below the water line in the basin, recirculating and fine-filtering the runoff from above. Since the pump is electric, the fountain needs to be within reach of an exterior outlet—pump cords rarely reach beyond 50 feet, and manufac-turers discourage the use of extension cords. It also needs to be accessible for maintenance after the fountain is built, so you’ll need to cut a trap door in the screen that’s big enough for you to reach in, unhook the pump, and pull it out. (The screen and support decking can be camouflaged with small stones or even mulch.) The pipe that carries the water to the top of the sculpture screws onto the pump. It also includes a small ball valve that will allow you to adjust the fountain’s flow, giving you the option of creating anything from a calming trickle to a formidable geyser.

SHOPPING LIST

1. Pump Available at home or garden centers. Look for one labeled “submersible.” Pumps are rated in gallons per hour (gph), a measure of how much water they can handle and how high they can push it. Anything larger than 250 gph is overkill for a basic fountain with a ½-inch pipe. We used Pondmaster's 250-gph model 2 2. ½-Inch Copper Pipe to carry the water from the pump to the top of the fountain. Buy a piece 2 feet longer than your fountain’s height. 3. Waterproof Basin such as a plastic storage bin, mason’s mortar-mixing bucket, or washtub, to hold the pump and collect the water. It should be 6 inches wider than the fountain base’s diameter and 1 foot taller than the pump so that it fits all the pipe connections while still keeping the pump submerged. 4. Stones or other material to make the fountain body. Choose something that stacks easily; stones should have flat faces. The copper pipe will give some support, but the materials should stand well on their own. 5. Small Rocks or large aggregate, such as terra-cotta shards or tumbled glass, to cover the top of the pit. One 5-gallon bucketful should be enough. 6. ½-inch-by-½-inch Compression Female Adapter to connect the pipe to the pump. 7. ½-inch Ball Valve to regulate the water flow. 8. Screen to protect the pump from debris. A fiberglass or aluminum window screen or grille, or anything that comes in a rigid frame, is best. Get one big enough to span the basin. 9. Composite Decking such as Trex or Tim-berTech, to support the fountain. 10. Drainage Gravel for in and under the catch basin. Get two 50-pound bags. 11. 1-inch PVC Conduit to carry the pump’s power cord underground to the outlet.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Garden-Fountain-Out-of-Well-Anythi/

11


Are you r eady to ge t cr ea t i v e ? WORKSHOP HOST DATE Gutter Vertical Garden Mary Garrett April 11 Wine Bottle Tiki Torch Mary Garrett April 11 Leaf Casting Diane Clark Sept TBD Leaf Casting Finishing Diane Clark Fall TBD Faux Rock Wall Fountain Diane Clark TBD Faux Bamboo Fountain Diane Clark TBD

RSVP is required on all workshops due to limited space. Waiting list will be started when spaces are filled. Please let us

know if you can’t make it so someone else can join the fun.

Some workshops will have a flat fee for all inclusive material kits, other workshops will have a partial fee for bulk materials provided, and a few workshops will have attendees bring all of the materials.

Sign Up Sheets will be at the General Meetings

Got questions? Contact, WGSO Activities Chair, Paullei Mumme [email protected] or 642-4767

WWGSOGSO MeetMeet -- NN -- Greets Greets

Pond Pro Classes Start @ 10 am - Earn Pond Dollars*

Pond Pro - Plants/Fish/Algae May 16

Pond Pro - Pond Build June 6

Pond Pro - Controlling Algae July 11

Pond Pro - Other Water Features July 25 WGSO Demonstration

*See Pond Pro Shop for Complete Details & Class Schedule

WGSO MEMBERS ONLYWGSO MEMBERS ONLY ANNUAL PLANT SALE & SILENT AUCTIONANNUAL PLANT SALE & SILENT AUCTION

Tuesday May 5, 2015Tuesday May 5, 2015

Here’s your chance to acquire a start for

something you do not have or cannot find; t

thin your crowded garden beds and water plants;

and change your landscape elements.

Bring Cash in $1, $5, & 10.

Donations accepted at 6:30 pm.

Bring something to hold your purchases. Trash bags, boxes, or buckets work great.

TIP: Label Buckets, Boxes, etc. with your name.

Gary Guild, Plant Sale Chair 390-8112

[email protected]

Check Out the Events at Myriad Gardens in May!

http://oklahomacitybotanicalgardens.com/events/calendar/

Become a Myriad Botanical Gardens Member and Save $$$

12

WGSO POND LIFE Paullei Mumme 645 E Frolich Dr Midwest City, OK 73110

Mailing Label

The 15th of each month is the deadline for articles/advertisements for next month’s issue of Pond Life. E-mail articles and advertisements to Paullei Mumme at [email protected].


www.wgso.org [email protected]

Rita Chapman John Clark

Braven Dyer Joni Dyer

Mary Fields Robin Green

Sarah Grissam

Leah Maida Kathi McMinn

Paullei Mumme Mary Trujillo

Elynn Wagner K im West

president’’s pp ad · 2019. 8. 18. · avoid using salts with additives such as iodine and...

Documents