Autumn

Fall Changes

We hope you have enjoyed your water features this summer.  Hopefully it has provided a place to relax, gather with friends and family and a place to learn. 

Cooler weather means changes in the water garden.  Gradually, most marginal and lilies will be heading toward winter dormancy.  Simply cut these back when the foliage browns.  Be careful with your lotus not to cut stems back below water level while still green as this can lead to fungal and bacterial damage to the root tubers.  Tropical lilies and tropical marginals are grown like annuals--they can't handle the cold winters and almost always die before spring.  After frost simply remove them from the garden.  This is the case with floaters like hyacinths and water lettuce as well.  These floaters provide great filtration and shade through their growing season so they are valuable.  Watch as they spread, that they don't create dams in your falls and cause you to loose water.

Your fish will slow down to hibernation by the time the water reaches 50 degrees.  Feeding food with lower protein, like Aquascape's Premium Cold Water Fish Food Pellets is healthier for your fish's digestion up until that time.  Then they will do best with out feeding until the water temperature rises again in spring.

With the ever changing color and movement of our water gardens, there is still plenty of time to enjoy your water gardens.

This video has excellent reminders for both fall and winter water garden maintenance.





Fall Maintenance

Fall is a great time to add a few improvements to your water garden area.  Will adding underwater lighting  (like this Aquascape photo illustrates)  allow you to enjoy your water feature longer with the shorter days ahead?  A new patio built up close to your feature may be in order, or a fire pit.                                      



After working with your water feature all summer, you may have in mind a few adjustments to your water garden itself--more falls, a larger pond, better filtration.  Call Nature's Beauty Watergardens if you live in our area for help.  It is way easier to find Steve and the crew available in the fall rather than in spring during clean outs.

Netting the water garden before leaves start falling will cut down on spring maintenance and keep water healthier.  To help maintain water quality through the cold season, don't forget Cold Water Beneficial Bacteria as well.

Fish

Now that the heat has subsided and the water temperature is still moderate, it is a good time to add fish to your water pond.  Nature's Beauty Watergardens shop has a variety of fish to choose from--koi, butterfly koi, yellow, orange and white comets, we have two Chinese shubunkins left, several apricot blushings and American shubunkins.

Sept and Oct FISH SALE!

Buy 1 select koi or comet and get 1 FREE!

 

 

The Shop

Nature's Beauty Watergarden shop carries all of the products discussed in this newsletter.  We have been building water gardens for over 20 years and can help you with all your fall maintenance.

 

We are open through fall  Friday 9-5 and Saturday 11-5

372 College St

Marshall MO

660-886-4449

CAC?  

You may have noticed we often include our CAC logo in our ads and headings.  This video explains why this is so important to us and why it is important to you.

Check out our web site at www.nbwatergardens.com  At the bottom of our home page watch a short video to see why so many have chosen the water garden life style.



Summer

Plants in the Water Garden

No water garden is complete without plants.  Plants play an important role in creating a healthy ecosystem.  Submerged plants live completely under water.  They pull excess nutrients from the water, add oxygen, and provide habitat for baby fish.  Submerged plants include hornwort and anacharis.

Floaters pull all their nutrients from the water.  They float at the surface with roots dangling freely in the water--no planting necessary.  Floaters include water hyacinths and water lettuce.

Marginals grow in soil or gravel along the edge of the water gardens.  They too pull nutrients from the water but they also naturalize the feature.  They do this by softening the edge between rock and water and blending them into our lawns and landscaping.

Perhaps the hallmark for water gardens are the water lilies and lotus.  They root near the bottom of ponds and produce their signature round leaves on the surface.  Lilies come in many colors and sizes and can be hardy or tropical.  Hardy water lilies bloom during the day while tropical lilies bloom day or night depending on the variety.

Each type of water plant plays an important role in the garden.  Together they help create a naturally balanced water feature that is both healthier and more beautiful.  Nature's Beauty Watergarden's has a nice selection of all the types of water plants.  Our tropical water lilies include 'Director T Moore' an intense violet blue with a yellow center;  'Evelyn Randig' leaves are splashed with purple and has hot pink blooms;  'Green Smoke' chartreuse blooms with smoky blue tips and speckled leaves;  'Red Cup' a night bloomer with a red rose flower;  'Alice Tricker' white blooms with green leaves with red flecks;  'King of Siam' a double dark purple bloom.

 

 Watch this short video to see what water plants can do for your water garden!

 

Water Garden Myth No.1

None of us want to invite mosquitos into our yard and with 150 species in the United States there are plenty to go around.  We know we don't want any containers left out that accumulate rain water, but what about water gardens?  A properly built water garden, with or without a pond, should have plenty of water movement as the water falls and is recirculated.  Ponds should have a turn over rate of 100% water volume going through your filter system per hour.  Mosquitos are attracted to stagnant, still water to lay their eggs.  If a mosquito forgets her place, your fish view mosquito larvae as a delicacy.  If you have areas in your water feature that concern you Mosquito Dunks or Bits are safe and effective.

 

Go to nbwatergardens.com to learn how Nature's Beauty Watergardens build water features that have constant current and skimming action that do not attract mosquitos.





Mosquito heaven-time for a new pond!

 

 

"Ponds done right, oh what a beautiful sight!"

June Sale

Come into Nature's Beauty Watergarden's shop where all 'select koi' are 1/2 price!  Any size during the month of June.  See you here.

 Nature's Beauty Watergardens is located at

372 W College

Marshall MO

Shop hours are MWFSat 9-5 in June

Call Steve at 660-229-3777 with any shop or construction questions.

 

 

Pond Cleanouts

For a fresh, clean start, its time for that once a year cleanout.  There are several videos available for diys.  Here's the procedure we recommend. 

Every Spring Nature's Beauty Watergardens preform many watergarden clean outs.  Contact us if you are in our service area, near Marshall Missouri, to schedule your Spring clean out.  660-229-3777

Reminder:  Hibernating fish don't start digesting well till the water temperature reaches 50 degrees.  Then begin feeding a low protein food that is designed for fish in cold water. 

New Demo Pondless

Nature's Beauty Watergardens has teamed up with our local Orscheln Farm and Home store to demonstrate what water can bring to the landscaping.  The store is located at 818 W. College St. in Marshall MO behind McDonald's.  The beautiful new demonstration pondless is inside the front of the store.

 

                                 Orscheln's Demo Pondless from Nature's Beauty Watergardens
                                             (enter the drawing for your own free pondless kit)

Brace Up Your Pond For String Algae

String algae can be very invasive any time of year.  Now, before the plants can get good growth esteblished after winter (for those of us in colder areas), string algae seems to go crazy.  The new Ion Gen™  from Aquascape Inc. is getting great reviews from our customers. 

They now offer an IonGen™ G2 that has tool free probe installation and a digital control panel.  One of our customers told us his pond was staying so clear, he didn't need to use any algeacides anymore since he had his IonGen™ installed.  Just keep the setting as low as is effective in your pond or pondless system.  Call us to order yours today.  660-229-3777  Or come by the shop in Marshall MO opening for Spring April 15th  MWFSat 9-5.