Whatcha doing today?

[mrsclem]

I cut down a huge beech tree last year. The darn thing like to hold its leaves till january or february!

 

[Alice_Bee]

I have a water oak between 3 of my ponds, but 2 are small and the 3rd is an easy to clean, actually all are, no gravel. For now, I'm trying to get filtration back up on plugged up pump on one, and the system I took out of the big one for the liner change

 

[addy1]

Our huge maple right next to the pond, nicely died, now it is just dropping branches. We need to a chop down eventually, but the birds and hawks love that tree.
The leaves never bothered it they blew away, usually, from the pond. But the spinning seeds where a real pita.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

vacuumed the pond. CLEANING OUT ALL I COULD FIND.... Anyone building a pond cut down any oak trees that will be close to the pond, The oak leaves don't like to be vacuumed up ..

This only works if you don't live in the middle of the woods. I have an entire forest of trees (many oaks) that, when the wind gets to blowing, send them down into the pond. It's a fight I can't win, so I don't let it bother me & simply learned to love the little chore of 'leaf scooping'. We do put up a horizontal run of plastic deer fence on the NW side of the pond during the winter to stop all the dropped leaves from blowing up out of the ravine & straight into the pond during wind storms. It's one thing to scoop them when they are actively dropping - it's something else to scoop them out again & again & again & again....

 

[GBBUDD]

it's something else to scoop them out again & again & again & again....

Amen. the oak that I have is a biggin there's no way I would take it down. oak leaves are like the tree they are strong they do not like to fold and get sucked up by the vacuum. My problem was a son who thought like leaves falling on the lawn that they could sit on the pond. well I am paying the price the pond is pretty well cleaned up now but the oak leaves are a little battle. maple, chestnut, Norway maple, and sycamore are all leaves the vac can handle with little fight. But them oak them oak them damn oaks.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

Honestly, I think I dislike the Oak pollen chains even more than the leaves. When they start dropping there is no way to get them out fast enough to keep the water from being stained like a nice cup of Earl Grey. Not to mention that nice coating of yellow 'dust' all over everything in & out of the house!

I do really love the old oaks, though, no matter what issues they seem to cause. We had to take three down from the uphill/front side of the house recently because they would have hit the house, had they fallen down (we've had three others in the past year fall, one that ruined our front gate but fortunately missed the house) There were mixed feelings - sad to see the 80' + tall trees go, but relieved not to have to worry & cringe every time the wind starts howling.

 

[j.w]

Sun came out yesterday so I managed to get some much needed weeding done. Today is a running around day, therapy, Costco to by gas and stay out of the crazy inside of the store w/hoarding scared of getting the c-virus people! They just declared a State of Emergency for our county (Snohomish).

 

[Alice_Bee]

Going to work! probably won't be around much

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Planted some of my Royal Catchfly seedlings today. I collected seeds from the single plant I bought last year. The hummingbirds loved it, so that means I need more of it.

 

[GBBUDD]

Started up the main pump today..... got the skimmer running and both active bogs ...... yea warming weather

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Started up the main pump today..... got the skimmer running and both active bogs ...... yea warming weather

I noticed my ice was getting thinner. Starting to see open water around the edges. Warmer weather for at least another week, so if things stay good I'll have my pond going in the next few weeks. Noticed vole activity, so I'm worried they may have chewed my hoses again. Wouldn't be a huge deal, just hope they don't chew anything else.

 

[addy1]

Turned on the ponds and calling for snow, but not really here. 31F right now pond is 43f

 

[pondering_life]

Ordered my pond yesterday , so I can have the satisfying feeling of being a pond owner now just praying the weather will Improve soon so I can start to get out and get working in the yard

 

[GBBUDD]

Instead of cutting back the remaining dead vegetation i left as focal points over the winter i decided to be lazy ... i broke out the blow torch removed the dead veg and all the remaining leaves that were stuck in the vegetation from last fall. i little carbon is a great boost to this years growth. Time will show if the plants liked it or not. don't forget there wasn't much besides some rush that were still alive above ground and i cut them back two weeks ago . Idea was to encourage lots of new growth

 

[Burd]

I always wanted a Bay window nook, with a seat, but the way they did the one here at my new place is just awful
I have to redo most of it.