***OFFICIAL Lawn and Landscaping Thread***

[loochy]

So, who out there is obsessed with having green grass?

Are you installing a flowerbed and some shrubs?

Do you need a sprinkler system installed?

Do you just want to brag?

Let's talk about lawns in here.

[Mr_Tomahawk]

Anyone have a Koi Pond?

I am thinking of going there....

Just finished a flagstone patio with a berm. I would like to integrate the pond with a waterfall next to the patio.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Mr_Tomahawk

Anyone have a Koi Pond?

I am thinking of going there....

Just finished a flagstone patio with a berm. I would like to integrate the pond with a waterfall next to the patio.

Unless you can make it deep and shady enough, I wouldn't even think about it. One existed at our old house, and it was a nightmare. I spent a good 30 minutes to an hour every day maintaining it.

[GloryDayz]

Better option for Koi:

http://www.3planesoft.com/fish-scree...d-screensaver/

[Mr_Tomahawk]

Originally Posted by Donger

Unless you can make it deep and shady enough, I wouldn't even think about it. One existed at our old house, and it was a nightmare. I spent a good 30 minutes to an hour every day maintaining it.

Why so much on a daily basis? I understand they are maintenance...but I was thinking maybe a day a week?

Was it because you were full sun?

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Mr_Tomahawk

Why so much on a daily basis? I understand they are maintenance...but I was thinking maybe a day a week?

Was it because you were full sun?

Full sun and too shallow. It was basically an algae pond at the start. It even had blue gill in it... I over-sized the bio-filter and pump eventually, but had to clean the filter twice a day (not a fun job). By the time it was perfect, my wife was pregnant and ordered it filled in. By that time, I didn't really care either way.

[KurtCobain]

So, in the first 23 years of my life I believe I probably mowed three or four lawns(poorly) and never glanced at a garden or even dared to eat anything out of one. Then I was sent to Booneville correctional center where I obtained a job in the garden. This is a decent sized deal(3 acres) with all kinds of crap, about thirty different crops throughout the year. They donate the food to various pantries and food banks in central Missouri through the Restorative Justice Program and average 45,000 pounds donated a year.

The very first week I started the three leadmen in the garden got fired for suspicion of drug peddling, and there I was all alone left to get this big ass thing started. The first part of year one it looked like crap. The lines were all wrong, the strawberries were planted too late, the radishes and corn weren't growing right and the damn grass around everything was even poorly maintained. Later that year my skills improved through trial and error and it ended up being successful thanks largely in part to huge pumpkins and watermelons. 48,500 lbs.

Year two I was on one. Everything was pristine, I was out there 12 hours a day, so tan I looked Mexican. Year end total was a record for a Missouri prison garden, 67,000 lbs. Everything ran smooth and looked great. Warden came through and told my boss he'd never seen the garden look so easy on the eyes.

So, I think I found something I enjoy and am good at. I just wish I could find a way to apply in out here.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by KurtCobain

So, in the first 23 years of my life I believe I probably mowed three or four lawns(poorly) and never glanced at a garden or even dared to eat anything out of one. Then I was sent to Booneville correctional center where I obtained a job in the garden. This is a decent sized deal(3 acres) with all kinds of crap, about thirty different crops throughout the year. They donate the food to various pantries and food banks in central Missouri through the Restorative Justice Program and average 45,000 pounds donated a year.

The very first week I started the three leadmen in the garden got fired for suspicion of drug peddling, and there I was all alone left to get this big ass thing started. The first part of year one it looked like crap. The lines were all wrong, the strawberries were planted too late, the radishes and corn weren't growing right and the damn grass around everything was even poorly maintained. Later that year my skills improved through trial and error and it ended up being successful thanks largely in part to huge pumpkins and watermelons. 48,500 lbs.

Year two I was on one. Everything was pristine, I was out there 12 hours a day, so tan I looked Mexican. Year end total was a record for a Missouri prison garden, 67,000 lbs. Everything ran smooth and looked great. Warden came through and told my boss he'd never seen the garden look so easy on the eyes.

So, I think I found something I enjoy and am good at. I just wish I could find a way to apply in out here.

You can't use that to get a job?

[KurtCobain]

Originally Posted by loochy

You can't use that to get a job?

I'm attempting to. Hasn't worked thus far. It's experience, but it's also saying hey I'm a felon. I'm working right now doing something else, but I'm hoping soon to get someone to give me a chance to prove myself in this field.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by KurtCobain

I'm attempting to. Hasn't worked thus far. It's experience, but it's also saying hey I'm a felon. I'm working right now doing something else, but I'm hoping soon to get someone to give me a chance to prove myself in this field.

Man, I swear that there has to be a landscape company that would be glad to have you.

Isn't there a thing that identifies businesses that are willing to hire former felons? I swear I read about something like that....some website.

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by Mr_Tomahawk

Anyone have a Koi Pond?

I am thinking of going there....

Just finished a flagstone patio with a berm. I would like to integrate the pond with a waterfall next to the patio.

Don't do Koi. Do comets and shubunkin goldfish instead. Koi are too big and destructive and they require a much larger pond. They require a large pond because of their size and that they need it to be deeper for the winter than the goldfish. Koi also eat and destroy plants so all the lotus and lilly flowers that are so striking and colorful will never really develop.

Plants help keep the water clear which is why it is important to have them growing well. Koi really prevent this from occurring. Those goldfish are also much cheaper than Koi. And if you are going to have some type of waterfall, I highly recommend at least a small water basin above it. Up there you put water hyacinth which are a great natural filter. The floating roots trap all kinds of debri just like a man made filter. All you do is throw away the big ones and let the new ones grow. They grow very fast and keep the water very clear.

It is hardly any maintenance at all if you do it right. I clean the filter once every few weeks and that is it until it is time to winterize. I will try to post our pond from my phone but the uploading hasn't been working.

[mr. tegu]

Here are some photos of our water garden. The first photo is before the surrounding landscaping is done and early in the season a few years ago. The next three are later in the year when everything is grown in better. The lily flowers can get up to as many as 12-15 at once. Then the next one is the close up of one of the lotus flowers.

[mr. tegu]

This last photo is earlier this year before everything started regrowing, but the surrounding landscaping is much more complete.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

Here are some photos of our water garden. The first photo is before the surrounding landscaping is done and early in the season a few years ago. The next three are later in the year when everything is grown in better. The lily flowers can get up to as many as 12-15 at once. Then the next one is the close up of one of the lotus flowers.

Beautiful...

[Mr_Tomahawk]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

This last photo is earlier this year before everything started regrowing, but the surrounding landscaping is much more complete.

Thanks for all the info...I really wanted to do KOI, but I am going to check out these fish now.

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by Mr_Tomahawk

Thanks for all the info...I really wanted to do KOI, but I am going to check out these fish now.

Here's a resource in St. Louis.

http://www.pondmarket.com/Fish.htm