New Year Announcement

admin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:26:41 +0000

Well Happy New Year! We here at Gordon’s Landscapes LLC are excited for this year. Some of our long term goals have just become short term goals, and we have started some new ideas to benefit our loyal customers. January is an excellent time to take a soil sample to find out what your plants need for the new year. Gather about 1 pint of soil in a zip lock bag and take to the County Extension Office. They will send you the results in 2-3 weeks. There is a small charge for this service.

Kill winter and early spring weeds in your bermuda lawn now. Bermuda will be dormant so the spray will not hurt it now. For best results the temperature should be above 60 degrees for 3 consecutive days. See us for details.

•Fertilize pansies

•Mow cool-season grasses

•Prune trees and shrubs

•Apply dormant oil spray to fruit trees

•Till garden beds (this brings the insects to the surface and the cold weather will kill them)

•Recycle Christmas trees (for the birds)

•Feed winter birds

•Water plants as needed

•Buy an Amaryllis for Valentine’s Day

•Check mulch on landscape plants

•Mulch around strawberries

•Once again, make sure leaves haven’t blown in and covered up any cool season grasses.

Pond Construction-(General)

Gordon — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 15:12:57 +0000

When we install we are well trained by classroom time and many step by step instructional videos to properly install the pond of your dreams. Construction materials generally are of three types: concrete, preformed rigid liners or EPDM liner material. Concrete has two serious shortcomings; the tendency to crack and, unless properly sealed and/or cured, the propensity to make the water too alkaline for fish or plants to survive.

Preformed rigid liners, due to their small volume capacity, poor volume-to-surface ratio and their depth restrictions, are very inappropriate for the inclusion of fish other than for the rearing of fry or use as a hospitalization facility.

EPDM 45 mil liner material is the viable alternative offering excellent value when cost is related to useful life. Draped in a hole and filled with water, it will mold itself to every contour of the excavation. It can be obtained in almost any size giving the pond-maker freedom to design a pond which fulfills all his specified ideals of shape, size and profile and exactly suits the needs of his particular site. EPDM also stretches and can absorb the stresses resulting from ice pressure or soil movement. We only use a liner specifically approved for ponds. Materials designed for other uses may contain toxic chemicals.

To determine the size of the liner required, add twice the maximum pond depth to both the maximum length and width measurements. Add one additional foot to each measurement for overlap around the pond edge.

Come to a preliminary decision as to how big the pond will be and then MAKE IT BIGGER! This will allow for improved water quality, greater versatility and greater stocking capacity. Most first ponds are enlarged in less than two years; this process being more labor intensive and expensive than the original installation.

Maximum surface area is of primary importance. The amount of gaseous exchange available at the surface will determine the stocking capacity of your pond. In the middle Tennessee area, the pond should have at least one area with a minimum depth of 18 to 24 inches.

The pond should be located where it will receive the maximum amount of sunshine both in terms of intensity and longevity and as far away from trees and overhanging bushes as possible. Water lilies, the most popular pond plant, require a minimum of four hours per day of intense sunshine in order to develop to their maximum potential. Trees, in addition to casting shade, annually shed large quantities of leaves, pollen, petals, twigs, seeds, berries and fruit. This detritus, rotting in the pond, pollutes the water with the by products of decay having at least harmful, and possibly fatal, results to the fish.

Further, the pond should be located and designed so that it does not receive run-off during heavy rainfall. Lawn and garden fertilizers will add concentrations of phosphate and nitrate to the pond water causing severe algae problems; insecticides and weed killers will poison the pond, resulting in fish death, and least problematical, silt will create brown, cloudy water. We hope to hear from you please send us e-mails if you enjoy our website. Thank you!

POND VOLUME-(GENERAL)

Gordon — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 15:10:34 +0000

It is imperative that you know the total gallonage capacity of your pond. Equipment size, stocking levels, water quality adjustments and medication dosages are all expressed in terms of total gallons. Guessing the total gallonage, particularly in the case of administering medication, could be lethal to your fish.

Rectangular pond volume can be calculated by multiplying the length (in feet) by the width (in feet) by the average depth (in feet) by 7.5; the answer being total gallons.

For circular ponds multiply ½ the diameter (in feet) by itself, by 3.142, by the average depth (in feet); the answer being total gallons.

If your pond is too irregularly shaped to use either of the above formulas to calculate total gallonage, it must be determined at the time of the initial filling. Turn on your water and fill a measured container such as a five gallon bucket, recording the amount of time taken to fill this container. Fill the entire pond, recording the time to do so, and equate the two to determine total gallonage. For example: if it took one minute to fill the five gallon container and sixty minutes to fill the pond, the total pond volume would be 300 gallons (60 X 5).

Note: For determining the proper size pump(s) and filter for a pond, the following modifications must be made to actual total gallonage:

Average pond water depth less than 30 inches: Add 25%
Pond located in full sunshine: Add 25%
Climate (Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama); Add 15% Stocking level: Any variations in stocking level above the 1 inch per 10 gallons norm will require a pro-rata increase in the size of all equipment provided. Thus a 2,000 gallon pond stocked at 1½ inches of fish per 10 gallons will require an equipment package appropriate to a 3,000 gallon pond, i.e., 50% more fish requires 50% greater equipment capacity.

For more information and more resources please feel free to contact us. gordonslandscapes@sbcglobal.net

Undesirable Water Conditions: Cause and Prevention

Gordon — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 15:25:41 +0000

Green Water

An outdoor pond will never be totally free of algae, nor should it be. Algae serves as a source of food for many micro organisms and is a critical part of the food chain.

Green water is caused by single-celled free-swimming algae. They are individually microscopic but may be present in such numbers as to make the pond appear as though it were filled with pea soup. Their existence depends on the presence of light and nutrients (primarily phosphate and nitrate) both of which are abundantly available in a newly filled pond in which plant growth is still relatively undeveloped. As the pond plants mature they will provide shade for the water and begin to absorb the dissolved nutrients required for the algae to survive. The algae begins to die and sinks to the bottom where it is eaten by the fish. The water clears, and it very often happens abruptly. There is no “normal” period for this; it depends on many variables… water chemistry, plant density, livestock levels, seasonal weather… that are different for every pond. Water changes will not accelerate the process. They may alleviate the problem temporarily, but in reality the newly added water is rich in nutrients which merely serve to start the cycle again. Plants and patience are the answer to most green water problems.

Brown Water

Murky brown water is the result of muddy sediment being stirred up by fish or by water turbulence. It may have a greenish cast because such stirring tends to encourage algae growth. The sediment must be allowed to settle and then be siphoned off or removed by filtration.

Milky Water

Milky, clouded water indicates decay and water pollution. It is caused by the decomposition of organic matter, particularly of fleshy origin. Change the water and search for the source of the problem; usually a decomposing fish.

These Topics are on misc. topics but most helpful when needed.

admin — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:35:52 +0000

Diseases

Well-nourished fish in a well-managed pond have a strong natural resistance to the potentially harmful organisms that always surround them. Continuing health depends more than anything else on keeping the water free from pollution in the form of organic debris. The water may look perfect but still be lethal. That is why a water change is often a necessary part of the treatment of disease problems.

The fish can only symptomatically inform us of the nature of its malady. Consequently diagnosis must depend on intelligent observation of the owner, particularly of behavior and appearance before death. Water quality values (pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and dissolved oxygen) must be known quantities before a diagnosis can even be attempted. If the problem is a result of poor water quality, medication will serve no purpose whatsoever. The systematic use of test kits is a mandatory part of pond keeping.

Parasites

Parasites are the most common pond fish ailment and are usually of the ecto-parasite variety… that is, living on the outside of the fish. They may enter your pond from bird droppings, occur in live foods, or even be introduced from a fish purchased from The Aquatic Critter, though we make every effort to insure otherwise.

Symptoms of parasitic infestation include clamped fins, listlessness, poor appetite, excess mucous secretion and/or rubbing (flashing) against the bottom or sides of the pond. Parasites affecting the gills will generally cause symptoms of rapid gill movement or gasping at the surface. It is generally the weakest fish in the pond or one with a damaged mucous coating that becomes the host.

Fungus

Fungus spores are present in all water; fish are surrounded by them all their lives. As long as the fish are well nourished, undamaged, and living in well oxygenated, unpolluted water their resistance to infection is complete. Fungus infection is always a secondary problem and a clear indication that there is something else amiss. In addition to treating the fish, it is vitally important to discover and correct the conditions that made the fish susceptible to infection.

Fungus is not infectious from fish to fish. However, if a number of fish share the same unhealthy situation it is likely they will all develop fungus; but they will not have caught it from each other.

Fungus, which destroys the area to which it is attached, appears on fish as a white cotton, wool-like growth on the skin, fins, or gills. It’s commonly known as “cotton-wool” disease.

Bacterial Infection

The buildup of bacteria that can affect pond fish is generally caused by poor water conditions due to the accumulation of organic debris. Medication may provide temporary arrest of the infection but the condition is likely to reoccur if the underlying cause is not corrected by at least a partial water change.

Symptoms may include clamped fins, listlessness, poor appetite, fin and tail deterioration, cloudy eyes, body film, blood red streaks in the fins and tail, and bloody patches on the skin.

Dropsy

There are many suspected causes of this disease, but the primary causative is thought to be poor water quality. The most noticeable symptom is the protrusion of the scales away from the body, giving a “pine cone” appearance. The disease severely affects all of the internal organs and medication rarely provides long term benefits. The best course of treatment is to destroy the infected fish. The disease is not thought to be infectious from fish to fish.

Unexplained Fish Death

When the process is gradual, fish being lost at intervals, one or two at a time over a period of time, there must be a strong suspicion that they are suffering either from some form of water pollution or from flukes (parasites). All the possible causes of pollution should be considered and any necessary steps taken to correct them. The most common are too many fish, overfeeding and too much decaying debris. In all cases where pollution seems a plausible explanation, a water change is called for.

The sudden death of a number of fish which had seemed to be in good health can only be explained in terms of some very drastic form of pollution rather than disease. The only action possible is a complete water change.

Tips for Planting

admin — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 19:40:09 +0000

Preparing the Ground for Planting:

The first step would be to remove any existing sod or other unwanted plant materials from the area to be planted. Generally speaking, with the high clay content of our soils here in the South, you should mix in a three to four inch layer of well-rotted cow manure, or mushroom compost, as well as incorporating an adequate amount of peat moss, along with ten pounds of super phosphate per each hundred square feet of planting space to be prepared. Small gardens can be worked over and prepared by hand with a shovel or spade.

For best results, the soil should be worked and prepared to a depth of not less than twelve inches; you will find that plants will produce noticeably better if the soil can be worked to this depth.

What is the Best Time of Year for Planting?

Annual flowers can be planted in the spring, once the winter frost is out of the ground. In Texas, that typically occurs around late March to early April. They can continue to be planted throughout the summer and into late fall, even early winter, as long as the ground has not frozen up again.

When to Water:

Many homeowners wind up and store their hoses and watering equipment once the trees and shrubs have finished dropping their fall foliage. This is not in the best interests of your plants. Trees and shrubs will continue to take water from their roots right up until the time the ground freezes. As long as the temperature of the soil remains at 38 degrees Fahrenheit, or above, plants will continue to grow.

If not properly hydrated the extreme temperatures and humidity of the summers in Texas can have some disastrous effects on your outdoor beauties.

Water early in the day. Watering in the cool of morning (even before dawn) minimizes evaporation if you’re using a sprinkler. It also allows foliage to dry off quickly, preventing fungal diseases.

Avoid wetting the blooms. Some blooms close up if wet or fall off in a hard spray.

Water occasionally and deeply rather than often and lightly. You want water to soak in as deeply as possible, encouraging the plant to send down deep roots. The soil should be moist to the bottom of the plant’s roots when you insert your finger into the soil.

Additional Gardening Tips:

Early Spring:

Early Spring is a great time to cut back ornamental grasses. (small grasses may be cut back to a few inches above ground and larger grasses should be cut back to about 12 inches) Clean up winter-damaged foliage on perennials. Apply a slow-release fertilizer according to package directions.

Mid To Late Spring:

Mid to Late Spring is a perfect time to enjoy the blossoms of early perennials like Iris, Blue-Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium), Bleeding Heart (Dicentra), and Dianthus. Simply deadhead faded blossoms to keep plants looking neat.

Peonies are about to bloom, and may be staked with bamboo poles or grow-through grids to keep heavy blossoms upright.

Apply pre-emergent after planting landscape beds to prevent weeds throughout the growing season. Both standard and organic pre-emergent products are available in our nursery.

Refresh mulch to retain moisture and keep landscape beds looking tidy. Add only enough mulch to maintain a 2-3 inch depth, making sure to keep mulch away from stems and trunks of plants.

When to Prune:

The first rule of thumb to follow is that nothing should be pruned from the beginning of August until the beginning of December.

When to Prune Flowering Shrubs:

Some plants bloom on new growth while others bloom on the previous years growth. Pruning at the wrong time may prevent blooming during the upcoming season. Typically, shrubs that bloom in Spring or early Summer should be pruned right after they finish blooming. Shrubs that don’t bloom until late Summer or Fall should be pruned in early Spring.

When to Prune Trees:

The best time to prune trees is during the winter. When there are no leaves it is much easier to determine growth pattern so that you may predict future growth.

When to Prune Conifers:

The best time to prune False Cypress, Leyland Cypress, Juniper, Yew, and Arborvitae is right before a flush of new growth (usually early Spring).

What About Fertilizing?

As a general rule, a slow release fertilizer is best applied between November and early Spring. Liquid, organic, and plant-specific fertilizers vary in application rates, times, and methods. When using any type of fertilizer, always follow instructions on product packaging to protect your plants, yourself, and the environment.

How About Mulching?

Mulching is an excellent way to add nutrients to the soil and also help plants retain moisture. New landscaping benefits from a 2-3 inch layer of mulch. As mulch decomposes, more mulch can be added to maintain a depth of 2-3 inches. The very most important rule to remember is to always keep mulch away from the trunks of trees, shrubs and other plants. Excessive organic material will cause them to rot. Though it is very common to “over-mulch”, it is actually extremely harmful, often deadly to plants.

Planting Tips:

One of the leading factors to unsuccessful planting and transplanting is the tendency to plant the root ball too low. Keep approximately 1/8 inch of the root ball above the soil level to prevent drainage problems and encourage healthy growth.

We hope these tips have been helpful and will provide with a beautiful landscape season after season. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to please do not hesitate to contact GORDON’S LANDSCAPES LLC.

LAWN MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS -

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:03:39 +0000

Did you know…

Well-cared-for lawns can significantly increase your property values.
A healthy lawn is of utmost importance to our environment. A 50-foot by 50-foot lawn produces enough oxygen for a family of four!
Lawns cool the atmosphere. Eight healthy front lawns have the cooling effect of 70 tons of air conditioning, which is enough for 16 average homes.
Grass converts carbon dioxide to oxygen, a process that helps clear the air.
Dense, healthy grass slows water runoff, removing contaminants and trapping soil. Fresh, filtered water returns to the underground water supply.

Be proactive this Fall and ask about GORDON’S LANDSCAPES LLC lawn care programs that ensure both a healthy and beautiful lawn throughout the year.

The experts at GORDON’S LANDSCAPES LLC’s Turf Maitenance Division want you to enjoy the pleasure that a thicker, greener, more healthy lawn will bring to your whole family. A well-maintained turf grass will provide a comfortable, safe setting for your leisure activities, games and sports. You may also choose a “country lawn” for a less manicured look and in keeping with environmental concerns and lower use of fertilizers and chemicals. GORDON’S LANDSCAPES LLC is proud of its commitment to caring for the environment.

Our trained, knowledgeable staff are licenced by the State of Oklahoma and are insured. Taking care of the environment begins in our own back yards…

De-thatching, slice seeding, core aeration – Renews your lawn areas by the removal of dead grass build-up, insertion of grass seeds directly into soil layer, or removal of small plugs of grass for complete rejuvenation.

Fertilization & Lime Application – Spring, early and late summer, and fall programs to add pre-emergent weed control, balanced, complete fertilizers, broadleaf weed control, grub control and applications of lime as needed for proper acid/alkalinity balance.

Inspections & Soil Testing – Periodic inspections of lawn for insects or diseases and sampling of soil to determine nutrient needs.

Organic Applications Program – You may choose our organic fertilizer/weed and pest control program in keeping with an ever-increasing awareness of environmental stewardship. If you live within 250’ of a water body, new regulations limit the use of pesticides and fertilizers.

Problems with algae in your Pond? Two choices: Kill the algae or get rid of its food source!

admin — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 18:03:28 +0000

Kill the “algae”

If you can kill the algae faster than it is growing even if there are high nutrient levels in the water or if you can remove the nutrient source then the water must remain clear because the algae population cannot build up to levels which cloud the water. Under normal conditions it is difficult to remove the nitrates and as such there is always food on which the algae thrive. Plants to some extent help in removing nitrates but never reduce the nitrate to zero levels otherwise the plants would die.

The UV light has one single function. It is designed to kill algae. The action of an UV light is to kill the algae faster than it forms … it does not eradicate algae! This is an important point to understand. Suspended algae in water, is pumped through the UV unit. The living algae is irradiated and killed. If there is enough power in the UV unit to completely suppress algae growth then the water will remain clear. If the power or irradiating effect of the UV is insufficient then water will remain cloudy.

If a UV unit is not clearing the pond water then there are 3 possible reasons.

1.) The lamp has gone beyond its active period (max 8000 hours or approx 1 year running 24/7) after which it must be changed. After a period in use the capacity to irradiate is completely lost. Lamps do not always last 8000 hours.

2.) UV may not have enough power ( Watts ) for your specific situation. You have very warm water and your pond is probably overstocked with fish. Remember also your fish have grown over the last year and thus produce more nitrate nutrients. This might mean that what worked last year will no longer be sufficient. However without knowing dimensions of your pond or volume and your existing UV wattage I cannot really comment. Suffice to say UV works every time if correctly sized and maintained for prevailing conditions. Send me this information and I can comment further.

3.) If your UV contains a quartz tube (and most do) there is a possibility that it is “fogged up” thereby reducing light transmission. In this case it needs cleaning since this also results in reduced irradiation levels. Irradiation capacity is expressed as Watts … thus an UV is specified as 8 watts, 15 Watts and so on.If I have to guess I would say your UV is undersized for the prevailing pond conditions.

It is true to say that most UV claims are overstated since the specification is provided for a low fish stock in ponds of lower temperature and in a partial shade situation. These conditions rarely exist in climates like yours. In practice this means if you see a specification based upon your pond volume then by virtue of your location/climate you probably need double that specified wattage.

Don’t feed the “algae”

All living creatures need nutrients (food) to grow. Deprive the organism of nutrients and the organism dies. Certain types of bacteria in an anaerobic environment consume nitrates and produce nitrogen gas in the process. The nitrogen gas escapes from the water surface and the nitrate levels drop.

By introducing these bacteria and providing areas where anaerobic conditions exist (as is the case in boundary surface layers in all ponds and all biofilters) the nitrate levels will ultimately be reduced to zero. Under this condition algae cannot survive for any length of time and water remains clear.

Curb Appeal – mission impossible?

admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 21:31:26 +0000

But Gordon you say: I don’t know any annuals or perennials plants to start with to even begin my flowerbeds. Do your homework “do not do your landscape project at the nursery”.

Using landscape magazine pictures, landscape books and other resources such as plant encyclopedia, or even your computer to assist you the homeowner in creating curb appeal is not discouraged.

Do a little homework before bring the plants home. You’ll save a lot of time and frustration being able to look up plants according to your specific zone, type of plant, color, characteristics, by name, and so on. They’re also very handy to carry with you into the garden or to the nursery.

Let these tips on curb appeal from our landscapers inspire your new yard makeover. Curb appeal may increase the real estate value of your property or home by as much as 15 to 20%.