Hearthside
Garden & pond — the Nelson family
Dad
The dahlias are finally coming in. Planted them too close to the pond edge last spring and honestly expected the worst — but they seem to like the moisture. Big full heads on them.
Mom
The koi have been hovering near that corner — the big orange one keeps nosing around under the dahlia overhang. Wonder if the roots are doing something to the water.
2 replies in thread
thread — Mom's reply
Em
Dahlia roots release trace compounds — some leach into standing water and attract insects. That's why the koi are interested. Not harmful at normal concentrations.
Mom
That makes sense. Little surface ripples all morning — I thought it was the breeze but they must be feeding near the top.
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Jake
The water hyacinths on the far side are going to take over if we don't thin them before August. They double every two weeks in this heat. Beautiful but completely ruthless.
3 replies in thread
thread — Jake's reply
Dad
I want to leave a section of them. The koi use the root systems as cover when the heron comes around. Pulled three plants last year and lost two fish that week.
Jake
Fair. Thin the northwest corner, leave the southeast cluster near the dahlias. The heron always lands on the north fence post first anyway.
Em
Leave an 18-inch gap between the hyacinth and the dahlias so the roots don't compete. Both will do better for it and the fish get a clear swim lane between zones.
Mom
Should we talk about adding some native marginals along the north edge while we're at it? That corner has always been bare and it would give the heron less of a clear landing zone.
Thread promoted — continued in Native marginals & north edge planting
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Dad
Saturday morning then. Bring gloves — hyacinth sap stains. I'll get the pond net out so we can move any fish before we start pulling.