water garden society of oklahoma newsletter: …...water garden society of oklahoma newsletter: pond...

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Water Garden Society of Oklahoma Newsletter: Pond Life January 2015 Volume 29 Issue 1

TTHEHE PPRESIDENTRESIDENT ’’SS MMESSAGEESSAGE

President’s Message ............... 1 Meeting Information ................. 1 Club News .................................. 2 New Members / Renewals ........ 2 Word Find .................................. 2 Board Meeting Info ................... 2 Ad Rates .................................... 2 Event Calendar .......................... 3 WGSO Board Contact List .......... 3 Last Month’s Recap ................... 3 Christmas Party Photos ............. 4 Christmas Party Photos ............. 5 Pondering Points ....................... 6 Winter Garden Tips ................... 6 Prevent Winter Fish Kill ............. 7 2015 Membership Application .. 8 Upcoming Events Details ........... 9 Birthdays ................................. 10 Jan Garden Chores................... 10 Club Contact Info ..................... 10

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year with their family and friends. Well, another year has passed and 2015 is now here. Can’t believe a year can go so fast.

We are well on our way to planning another year with the Water Garden Society. I am excit-ed about this year because we have some new members on the board with new ideas. It takes new ideas to keep the club moving in a forward direction.

Paullei Mumme has made arrangements for WGSO’s 4th year to participate in the OKC Spring Remodel and Landscape Show at the Cox Center in March. She will be announcing more details about the show at our January meeting and we will be needing help getting ready with our booth. It was very successful last year even as Sunday, the last day came a horrible snow storm we still gained several new memberships. Getting exposure at a show like this is great for our club.

There will be some new workshops this year as we are making the final decisions on what they will be. We hope to start with the first workshop in late March or the first of April. This year we will change it up a bit by occasionally having two workshops in one day so that we don’t have give up so many of our weekends. If you have not attended a workshop, you really should this year. Not only for the project will you have learned to make, but becom-ing friends with our fellow members. Getting to know each other makes the club so much more fun. Besides the projects you learn, you do not have to be really crafty. If you can fol-low directions you are have way there and then you having something new for your yard or pond that you have made.

I am once again looking forward to this year as your President with so many new people on the WGSO board. With new people it keeps us from getting into a rut. So if you also would like to help sometime let us know because we can always use the help. It doesn't always take a lot of time. Sometimes it may be only making a few phone calls or just doing a simple task. So be a part of our wonderful club, not just someone who sits on a chair and wishes for change without doing anything to make it different or better. If you would like to have some input or have an idea let one of us know. Who knows, it may be yours that makes a difference. Getting involved is really worth it and not only for yourself, but for all. I have made some great friends by stepping up, you can too.

I hope to see you at our January meeting.

Diane Clark WGSO President

N E X T M E E T I N G 1st Tuesday of the Month1st Tuesday of the Month January 6, 2015 @ 7 pm Bring A Snack To Share - Doors Open @ 6:30 pm

Northwest Church of Christ Family Living Center

4301 NW 23rd St, OKC 73107

PROGRAM:

Water Plants in Research

PRENTED BY:

Robert H. Cichewicz, Ph.D.

Regents’ Professor and INPART Director Natural Products Discovery Group

Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry 101 Stephenson Parkway, SLSRC,

Room 1000 University of Oklahoma

Norman OK 73019 USA

Email: [email protected] Phone: 405-325-6969

Website: npdg.ou.edu • inpart.ou.edu

WGSO MEETINGS NEW DATE

NEW LOCATION

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WGSO AD RATES If you would like to place an ad in the Pond Life, the rates are as follows:

Business Card $10.00 1/4 Page $25.00 1/2 Page $75.00 Full Page $100.00

Ads are to be CAMERA READY PREPAID in advance. Send payment to the WGSO Treasurer, Jim Maida, 10612 Turnberry Ln, OKC, OK 73170.

Send ad to the newsletter editor, Paullei Mumme at [email protected].

Ad must be in editor’s possession no later than the 15th of the month preceding publication.

EX: August issue must be received by July 20th.

Saturday, January 10 @ 10:00 am

RSVP Required to Diane Clark [email protected] 947-6999

Diane Clark’s House 4900 NW 35th St

Oklahoma City, OK

Annual Planning SessionAnnual Planning Session All Executive Board Members and

Committee Chairs are encouraged to attend. Spouse Welcomed.

NEW MEMBERS: NONENEW MEMBERS: NONE RENEWALS: NONERENEWALS: NONE

As of the 20th of the month:

WW ELCOMEELCOME WGSO MWGSO M EMBERSEMBERS

Open to all WGSO members - RSVP Required - Bring a Dish.

If you paid your 2015 Membership Dues

and DON’T see your name, contact Patty Smith at [email protected]

Tickets are $1 @ Meetings & Club Events.

$ 1 2 7 . 0 0 11/20/14

Did you attend the 2014 WGSO Night Tour? Remember the fun WORD FIND game our hostess, Sue Jones, made for us? If you loved it, Sue’s given WGSO a special treat! She has provided Pond Life with a WORD FIND game for every month in 2015! We hope you enjoy Sue’s contri-bution to the newsletter. She also stepped up to help out with Activi-ties this year, so I have a feeling 2015 is going to lots of fun! Enjoy

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General Meeting January 6 WGSO Board Annual Planning Session January 10 Landscape Show Planning Session January 10 Landscape Show Water Feature Build TBD Sweets 4 the Sweet Dessert Contest February 3 Board Meeting February Landscape Show Meeting TBD General Meeting March Board Meeting March

Meet-N-Greet Pond Pro -Spring Start Up March 7 OKC Spring Remodel & Landscape Show March 27-29 Meet-N-Greet Pond Pro - Pond Filtration March 28 Gutter Garden Workshop TBD Pond Tour Entry Deadline April 1 General Meeting April Board Meeting April Members Only Plant Sale May Board Meeting May

2 0 1 52 0 1 5 W G S O B O A R D W G S O B O A R D

EXECUTIVE OFFICER*/ COMMITTEE CHAIRS NAME CELL OTHER E-MAIL

*President Diane Clark 802-6200 947-6999 [email protected]

*Vice-President Ellie Miller 243-7380 [email protected]

*Secretary Connie Kaye 826-0157 [email protected]

*Treasurer Jim Maida 691-7630 [email protected]

*Historian Martha Garrard 245-3601 [email protected]

*Past President Jim Conner 317-6016 801-2891 [email protected]

Newsletter / Activities Paullei Mumme 642-4767 [email protected]

Activates Sue Jones 341-4179 [email protected]

Membership Patty Smith 694-0886 717-9995 [email protected]

Plant Sales/Tour Guide Sales Gary Guild 397-5758 390-8112 [email protected]

Programs Connie Fisher 350-3378 [email protected]

Refreshments Claribel Collier 396-8074 N/A

Refreshments Phil & Sarah Grissam 454-3571 [email protected]

Refreshments Tonah Tharp 973-4209 340-6495 [email protected]

Tour Guide Publication Tom Thompson 693-5098 [email protected]

Website Jim Porterfield 799-7974 [email protected]

Tour Guide Ad Sales/Members Tours Diane Clark 802-6200 947-6999 [email protected]

Tour Guide Ad Sales Karen Wolf 799-8434 [email protected]

LAST MONTH’S RECAP

I hope everyone who had wished to go to our Christmas Party was able to go. We had nearly 90 people attend and it was sure a night filled with fun. WGSO had a Mentalist for entertainment and I am still trying to figure out how he did even one of his tricks even though it looked so simple.

The food was excellent, but that was to be expected as we have so many great cooks in our club. Thanks goes to Chad and Ellie Miller who volunteered to prepare a large chunk of beef as I could not have done it all myself. Then Michael Benson rescued me and sliced almost all of the beef and pork loin. I would also like to thank Phil and Sarah Grissam, Jim Conner, Patty Smith and her beau Alan for coming early to get everything ready for the party.

All of our members who had their ponds on one of our three tours were recognized and given cer-tificates to show our WGSO appreciation. With you stepping up is a major way for the public to learn about water gardening. A HUGE THANK YOU goes to each of you!

We also had some awesome door prizes, so congratulations to those who were lucky enough to win one. I just wish I could have won. Hope to see you at the January meeting.

Hardcopies of WGSO newsletter will only be sent via USPS (snail

mail) if payment is received with WGSO Annual Dues.

See Page 8 for Details .

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

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Another Successful Toy Drive Awesome Door Prizes!

Who is more excited - Diane Clark giving away door prizes or Mary Garrett receiving one of the many prize?

Tonah Tharp Claiming A Door Prize

Minick Materials South donated the boulder Melinda Parsons claimed.

Joy Patton & Judith Hogan recognized for putting their ponds on tour.

Connie Fisher & Larry Davidson recognized for putting their ponds on tour.

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2015 WGSO Christmas Party - A record attendance! Great food, great friends, and great fun! Thanks to all who made it happen. WGSO is looking forward to a wonderful 2015!

Connie Fisher tries to fool the Amazing Magical Mike and wins some cash. Diane Clark is baffled by the card trick.

WGSO members once again out did themselves with a delectable feast! Thanks to all who cooked, set-up, and cleaned up.

The desserts were just as tasty as the main course! Remember WGSO’s Sweets 4 the Sweet Dessert Contest is

Special Thanks to Michael Benson and Martha Gerrad for all the great photos!

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SALT: Adding salt to the pond helps the fish make it through the winter. The immune system is at its lowest point in the winter. Salt helps the fish and kills 8 out of 10 pathogens that attack the fish. The rate is 3 lbs. per 100 gallons of water. The side effect is that it kills string algae. It will also kill your oxygenators. So if you want to save the oxygenators. Put them in an aquarium. Your fish can take more salt, the plants in the pond can't so you need to KNOW how many gallons you have.

SUPERCOOLING: Water, when moving doesn't freeze, to a point. Pond fish are cold water fish. They don't mind being in the pond in the winter. My opinion is that the fish are healthier if they're left in the pond, keeping in mind that the water doesn't freeze. If you run your waterfall pump in the winter you can get the water down below 32 Degrees. If if gets below 30 Degrees, you can lose your fish due to freezing. So, the recommendations are to shut your pumps off and use aerators.

AERATORS vs. HEATERS: Aerators move water very, very slowly. That is what you want. You want the fish to move if they want to move, not because the current in the water makes them move. That's what happens when you run your pumps all winter. Remember, the fish aren't being fed. So if they are moving because of a pump running, they are burning calories. They (the fish) usually make it all the way to late winter or real early spring and then die. They die because they burned all their food stores in them. So DON'T run your pumps. The aerators are a lot cheaper to operate also, big, big, big savings. One of our aerators uses 28 watts, which is about $28 a year to operate. A pond heater uses anywhere from 1000 watts to 1500 watts. This is about $1000 to $1500 a year to run. The aerators have a 3 year warranty and the heaters have a 1 year warranty. This is one of the easiest choices you have to make in your pond department.

GARDEN TIPS By David Hillock

From the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Oklahoma State University

Lawn & Turf Remove leaves from cool-season grasses or mow with a mulching mower. Continue mowing cool-season lawns on a regular basis. Continue to control broadleaf weeds in well-established warm- or cool-season lawns with a post-emergent broadleaf weed killer.

Flowers Apply winter mulch to protect rose bush bud unions and other perennials. Wait until after several early freezes or you will give insects a good place to winter.

Fruits & Nuts Cover strawberry plants with a mulch about 3 to 4 inches thick if plants are prone to winter injury. Wait to prune fruit trees until late February or March.

General Keep all plants watered during dry conditions even though some may be dormant. Irrigate all plantings at least 24 hours before hard-freezing weather if soil is dry. Order gardening supplies for next season. Now is a great time to design and make structural improvements in your gar-den and landscape. Send for mail-order catalogs if you are not already on their mailing lists. Clean and fill bird feeders. Make sure indoor plants are receiving enough light or set up an indoor fluorescent plant light. Till garden plots without a cover crop to further expose garden pests to harsh winter conditions. Visit your county extension office to obtain gardening fact sheets for the new gardening season. Join a horticulture, plant or urban forestry society and support community “greening” or “beautification” projects. Review your garden records so you can correct past mistakes. Purchase a new gardening journal or calendar to keep the New Year’s gardening records. ______________ - See more at: http://oklahomacitybotanicalgardens.com/horticulture-tips-for-december-and-january/#sthash.lXMImpvg.dpuf

Plant All remaining daffodils and tulips that were not planted earlier. Transplant all remaining shrubs that need to moved.

Prune Most deciduous trees and shrubs. Evergreens with both scale and needle like leaves. All dead and diseased branches and limbs. Lower limbs to facilitate mowing and allow for passage down sidewalks. Limbs or branches that are crossing Crowded center branches can also be removed to improve air flow. Summer flowering trees to shape them. Remember not to use pruning paint and not to make flush cuts. Leave the branch collar.

Water Check soils moisture levels. The top of the soil maybe dry to the touch, so you might want to use a long screw driver or 10″ nail to see if the under lying soil is still moist. This can be done by sticking a screw driver or nail down in the ground about 6 inches. If there has been no significant rain fall water all beds and turf. Water 24 hours before a hard freeze

Do not forget to feed and water the birds

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KOI AND GOLDFISH POND WINTER CARE: Prevent Winter Fish Kill

It’s easy to avoid winter kill in your garden fish pond by simply keeping a small area of the pond ice-free for the exchange of gases with the atmosphere, said Jeff Rugg, a University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator.

“Water is a unique substance. At about 40 degrees F. it is denser than water warmer or colder, so the 40 degree water settles to the bottom of the pond. It forms a puddle that if left undis-turbed will not mix with the colder water above it,” said Rugg. “The ice floating on the top of the pond insulates the water from even colder air above it. Koi and goldfish can safely spend the winter hibernating in the 40 degree water.

“Winter temperatures can remain very cold for many months in northern climates. There’s only so much water in a pond. There can only be so much oxygen in the water. If ice caps over the pond for longer than a few days, the fish, other animals and any decaying organic material may eventually consume all the oxygen and the fish will suffocate. “

This result is referred to as “winter kill” and occurs commonly in natural ponds and our over-stocked backyard Koi and goldfish ponds are much more susceptible.

“Air bubblers and small water pumps can be used to keep small pond areas ice free in regions that the ice only forms for a few days at a time,” he said. “Do not allow them to mix the lower 40 degree puddle of water with the colder top layers.

“Any flow of water across the pond that disturbs the bottom puddle of 40 degree water will eventually lead to a fish kill. They cost less to run than pond deicers, but do not work when the air temperature drops below the teens for extended periods of time.”

In colder regions, pond deicers are not meant to warm the pond, but just to keep a small area free from ice cover for the exchange of gases with the atmosphere.

“Most are set to turn on around 34 degrees and off at around 40 degrees,” he explained. “Keep the heating coil on the deicer clean. Mineral deposits can build up on it, insulate it from the water, and cause the unit to fail. The heating coil can be dipped into lime-a-way or vinegar to dissolve the depos-its.”

Low wattage deicers of less than 200 watts, work in the same regions that air bubblers work. Deicers with wattages over 1,000 watts work better in colder climates where ponds freeze over for weeks at a time. Low wattage deicers are not more energy efficient than high wattage deicers.

“All heating devices work the same, because physics is involved,” said Rugg. “It takes a specific number of calories of heat energy to raise the temperature of an object a specific number of degrees. A single candle over a period of time will generate the same number of calories as a blow torch over less time.

“If the object being heated is sitting in the freezer and therefore giving up heat at the same time it is gaining heat, it will take longer to warm up and if the freezer is cold enough, it may not warm up at all. So, smaller wattage deicers run longer in northern ponds to do the same work as a bigger wattage deicer does in shorter time. But, the same amount of electricity is used and the electric bill will be identical too. In the coldest weather, a larger wattage deicer will work to keep the ice open that a smaller deicer cannot.”

To make any deicer more efficient, use something to insulate it. If the deicer can be set in the cor-ner of the pond, so it can be covered with a plastic dome or plywood shelter, so there is some sort of a roof over it that traps lost heat, it will work more efficiently and to colder temperatures. Snowfall will not bother the deicer, since it is just above freezing, the snow will melt around it.

“If the fish are gasping for air at the surface, this may indicate either low oxygen or excess toxic gases, like hydrogen sulfide or carbon dioxide,” he said. “Find a way to enlarge the hole for better gas exchange using another bubbler or heater. Do not pound on the ice. If necessary, use a garden hose to melt a larger hole. Use dechlorinator if the hose water has chlorine in it.”

If the 40 degree puddle is left in the pond, the ice cannot freeze too thick until the puddles gives off some heat. If the water has been mixed, so there is no puddle, the heat is gone and the ice can replace the water very quickly.

“Remember, only liquid water can give its oxygen to the fish,” Rugg said.

Source: http://urbanext.illinois.edu/gardenerscorner/issue_06/winter_04_10.cfm

DIY Pond De-Icer Instructions: http://jennie_in_mt.tripod.com/deicerpop.html

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4th Annual WGSO4th Annual WGSO

February General MeetingFebruary General Meeting DIG OUT YOUR FADIG OUT YOUR FAVORITE VORITE

SWEET TREAT RECIPE SWEET TREAT RECIPE

Only current paid WGSO members are eligible to enter,

but tasting and voting is open to all for the low cost of $1.

1st

, 2nd

, & 3rd

P lace Winners

CONTESTANTS Sign Up At January Meeting

All Desserts Must be HOMEMADE!

Have Desserts Cut into Small Servings

Entries need to be turned in by 6:45 pm

Label Entry on 3”x5” Sign as Follows:

Dessert Name ONLY

DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME ON DISH

Type of NUTS if applicable (Allergy Alert Info)

TASTERS / VOTERS

$1 tasting kit per person*

Each paying taster will receive one voting ticket

When tasting, take just a BITE of each dessert so everyone

will have an opportunity to taste the dish.

After tasting all the desserts, write your favorite dessert

on your voting ticket and place in ballot box.

Winners Will Be Announced and Prizes

Will Be Award After All Votes Are Cast

29th Annual WGSO Public Pond TourWGSO Public Pond Tour

Saturday* June 20 - 9 am to 6 pm Sunday June 21 - 1 pm to 6 pm

*SPECIAL HOURS - Select Homes Public Night Tour - SAT NGIHT ONLY

9 am to 3 pm for Day Viewing

9 pm to 11 pm for Night Viewing

All WGSO Members with WATER FEATURES are eligible to be on the Public Pond Tour. Pondless waterfalls, bubbling rocks, fountains, container

water gardens, small ponds, big ponds - WE WANT THEM ALL!

Entry forms will be at the January Meeting.

2015 WGSO PUBLIC POND TOUR GUIDE COVER CONTEST

DEADLINE TO ENTER IS MARCH 1, 2015DEADLINE TO ENTER IS MARCH 1, 2015

Only WGSO members who have entered to be on the Public Pond Tour are eligible to be on the cover. If you would like your water feature to appear on the cover, check the appro-priate box on the entry form and have your completed entry postmarked by March 1. WGSO members will vote for the best photo at the March General Meeting.

COVER PHOTO ENTRY MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:

Good lighting and in focus

Portrait orientation

A minimum resolution of 600 dpi in TIF or JPEG format only

For More Information Contact Tom Thompson

at 693-5093 [email protected]

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WGSO POND LIFE Paullei Mumme 645 E Frolich Dr Midwest City, OK 73110

Mailing Label

The 15th of each month is the deadline for articles/advertisements for next month’s issue of Pond Life. E-mail articles and advertisements to Paullei Mumme at [email protected].


www.wgso.org [email protected]

January Birthdays Not Available At Printing Will Be Listed Next Month

JANUARY GARDEN CHORES

Ornamentals, Trees, Shrubs: If rainfall has been deficient, water lawns, trees, and shrubs, especially the broadleaf and narrow leaf evergreens. Check moisture in protected areas or raised planters. Generally, most pruning of trees and shrubs is best done in late winter. Spring blooming shrubs should be pruned after blooming. Don't prune unless there is a reason to do so. See OSU Pub. 6409 - Pruning Ornamental Trees & Shrubs.

Use horticultural oil spray in dormant doses to control overwintering insects on deciduous trees and shrubs if not treated in November or Decem-ber. Scale, mites, galls, overwintering aphids, and other insects can be a serious problem of many woody ornamental and fruit plants. Dormant oil sprays should be applied when the temperature is above 40 degrees F. in late fall and winter. Do not use "dormant" oils on evergreens. See 7306 - Ornamental and Lawn Pest Control.

Turfgrass: Mow cool season grasses at 2 to 3 inches high at a mower height of 2 1/2 inches. Mowing should be frequent enough to remove not more than one-third of the leaf blade per cutting. Water turf if rainfall has been deficient. Check moisture in protected areas.

Miscellaneous: Sharpen, paint, and repair gardening tools and equipment (mowers, edgers, sprayers, dusters, etc.) Balance cutting blades on mowers and edgers. Check irrigation lines, hoses, and sprinklers and replace worn or broken parts. Check supplies of fungicides, insecticides, and herbicides. Secure a copy of current recommendations and post them in a convenient place. Also see OSU Pub. 7450 - Safe Use of Pesticides in the

Home and Garden. Source: http://www.tulsamastergardeners.org/tipstechniques/tt_calendar.html#jan

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