Just sharing with people who will appreciate... Today I went outside intending to hose off the matala pad in the skimmer. 2 hours later, I was submerged in water up to my armpits!
When I sit outside by the pond, I've noticed a planter bag at the bottom of the pond. It had fallen off at some point and was on its side way down there. It was driving me crazy. Also down at the bottom of the pond: a lily pot (planter bag) that I dropped down lower last year. It is too deep, I think -- AND I learned I made the common mistake of planting it with the wrong end against the side of the pot. All the new stems have been squished up against the side of the pot - nothing going towards the pot center. Leaf and flower production has slowed down too.
So -- I get out there today and think -- I could lower the water level and get in there and pull some plant over growth. So - shoes and socks come off and I get in the pond. While I'm standing on the first shelf, calf-deep in the water, I notice that pesky pot that was on the bottom on its side. Hmm. Maybe I can reach that if I walk down to the second step. Now I'm in mid thigh. I lean over, and can't quite reach it. So, I hop out of the pond and open my drain gate. The water goes down a couple of inches. I get back in and try it again. I can ALMOST reach it. At that point, I decide to just get in. There I am! The water is up to my bra line.
I bend over and get the fallen pot out. Even moving slowly, it stirs up all sorts of crud and gunk. I get the pot out. I look around and wait for the murky stuff to settle a bit. Now I'm thinking about all my body parts submerged in that swampy water. I decide to stop thinking about that, since it's too freaky. I'm already in. Might as well keep going.
I bend over slowly and lift my chin to keep my mouth out of the water. I've got the edges of the lily planter!!!! Slowly I lift it off the bottom and move it to the second shelf. This REALLY stirs up the crud and the stank. The fish are delirious with joy! Since I can't see the bottom, I use my monkey toes to feel around and pull some aggressive growers. The root of these plants have all kinds of yuck and crud. I saw an interesting worm that looks for the world like a tiny earthworm. Pinky reddish. Not a leech. I wonder what he was? As the water began to clear a little, I noticed that the lily had started to bust out the bottom of the planter.
So - later this week, my plan is to come back with an oil pan and some cat litter. I'll repot the lily - this time in the right direction. And that is how hosing out the filter pad required full body immersion and ended up taking two hours!
When I sit outside by the pond, I've noticed a planter bag at the bottom of the pond. It had fallen off at some point and was on its side way down there. It was driving me crazy. Also down at the bottom of the pond: a lily pot (planter bag) that I dropped down lower last year. It is too deep, I think -- AND I learned I made the common mistake of planting it with the wrong end against the side of the pot. All the new stems have been squished up against the side of the pot - nothing going towards the pot center. Leaf and flower production has slowed down too.
So -- I get out there today and think -- I could lower the water level and get in there and pull some plant over growth. So - shoes and socks come off and I get in the pond. While I'm standing on the first shelf, calf-deep in the water, I notice that pesky pot that was on the bottom on its side. Hmm. Maybe I can reach that if I walk down to the second step. Now I'm in mid thigh. I lean over, and can't quite reach it. So, I hop out of the pond and open my drain gate. The water goes down a couple of inches. I get back in and try it again. I can ALMOST reach it. At that point, I decide to just get in. There I am! The water is up to my bra line.
I bend over and get the fallen pot out. Even moving slowly, it stirs up all sorts of crud and gunk. I get the pot out. I look around and wait for the murky stuff to settle a bit. Now I'm thinking about all my body parts submerged in that swampy water. I decide to stop thinking about that, since it's too freaky. I'm already in. Might as well keep going.
I bend over slowly and lift my chin to keep my mouth out of the water. I've got the edges of the lily planter!!!! Slowly I lift it off the bottom and move it to the second shelf. This REALLY stirs up the crud and the stank. The fish are delirious with joy! Since I can't see the bottom, I use my monkey toes to feel around and pull some aggressive growers. The root of these plants have all kinds of yuck and crud. I saw an interesting worm that looks for the world like a tiny earthworm. Pinky reddish. Not a leech. I wonder what he was? As the water began to clear a little, I noticed that the lily had started to bust out the bottom of the planter.
So - later this week, my plan is to come back with an oil pan and some cat litter. I'll repot the lily - this time in the right direction. And that is how hosing out the filter pad required full body immersion and ended up taking two hours!
