Pond-erings

Spent yesterday afternoon taking down the photo contest exhibit (winners come pick up your photos asap!). Then as we have a heat wave, thought it was high time to clean out my pond and set it up for the season. I had ordered my annual water plants and bags of barley straw from dealers in NC and PA respectively on Ebay. With those coming in Priority Mail, it was added pressure to get the perennial plants repotted, set upright, cleaned out, etc. It took me about three hours in the muck, but it is right as rain now. Thank goodness this is only an annual event.

I topped off the water this morning, then threw in the annual plants and barley. Poured in some dechlorinator and sediment settling potion too. Now all I need to do is get to a pet store to buy a new crop of feeder goldfish -- the 10 for $1 kind -- and a few sprigs of anachris to add some oxygen to the mix. Both the fish and my anachris bit the dust in that deep freeze we had last February. They'd survived the past two winters just fine and I even had some of my "annual" parrothead plants overwinter. This year, no dice. All turned to blackened mush at the bottom of the pond. Oh well, this is why I do not name my fish or get attached (at least I try not to). They just have to many predators and are too fragile -- still, sad to see them go. Pictured is my pond last summer with 7 live fish in it -- they were camera-shy so you'll have to take my word for it.

My NBC4 appearance went reasonably well last Thursday. Here is where they linked to me as well as what they said on their blog. I left them the rose we demonstrated planting on-air. It was not in the best of shape by the time it hit the ground and with this heat wave it is not getting the best start. Will see if it survives for them on my next visit. http://www.nbc4.com/news4at4/10662869/detail.html
http://www.nbc4.com/news4at4/index.html

For The Love Of Roses
I call it my annual "Behnke Run".
After I rake up all the dead leaves ... after I pull up all the stubborn weeds ... after I sweep up the dirt and other debris from my backyard patio ... it's time to plant flowers!
That means ... a "Behnke Run" ... as in the nursery in Beltsville. This isn't meant to be a plug for the company. It just happens to be the destination for my favorite May outing -- buying a bunch of glorious, colorful annuals for my patio pots.
Please don't tell Kathy Jentz that roses are not on my flower shopping list this year. Jentz is the editor and publisher of "Washington Gardener" magazine and today during a live segment on News 4 at 4 she explained that -- despite common belief -- roses are not difficult to grow.
In fact, she says roses:
- are hardy.
- don't need full sun.
- don't need extra room.
- are disease resistant.
- are easy to prune.
- and mix well with other plants.
I may have a green thumb, but a yellow stripe runs down my back when it comes to red roses.
Maybe next year.
Posted at 2:43 PM by Kathy Banks, Show Writer