Spring is in the air

[Ernst]

Nice Rip that little "pond" sure looks good

[Riprap]

Smurf - I normally leave my cuttings in water for at least a month in the shade and once I see roots I add a bit of water soluble fertilizer (hydroponic ok) to the water and give it a good shake up. Dig the hole and mix a bit of compost (or manure) with the bottom soil - put the rooted cutting in and fill hole with water - backfill with soil and the cutting looks as though it's standing in sludge - don't compact, it will settle on it's own same as your and my grave would!!
In dry times, I try to water them where possible until the root: shoot ratio is sufficient for the plant to look after itself. Livestock and some game relish the new shoots, this is sometimes problematic.
Hope this helps.

[smurf]

Thanks Rip,I am going to try to plant in about a foot of water...kwaggas is still rising and has about a meter to go before full,that is if it gets full this wet season.The 18 trees planted at clan had leaf sprouts,but the sheep keep trimming the saplings,so they are taking strain...out of every 10 or so planted,only one will get going...I have to up this by planting like you mentioned.Oh,my grave will be on a huge rock next to a wild fig tree,where the fish eagles nest at clan...no soggy ground for me...I will watch my favourite place for good !

[Riprap]

I had the same problem @ Wriggleswade for two reasons: One was the sheep and the other I couldn't get to water them when they needed it - was a drought!
The other option here is to plant truncheons????
I have only ever seen a few willow trees that can grow in full water and like a po*pol I didn't take cuttings to grow so as to keep these genes - now they are lost forever but I'm looking for more......

Agree with the grave.......mine will be 17NM out to sea at a place known to a few as "Thunder Bay", in the Aghulas Current, which might carry me down the East coast and onto Bergies lawn.......imagine that! :blue-lol:

[smurf]

Hold on,Bergies lawn is NOT the place to settle as he frequently has to relieve the bladder pressure after he consumes large doses of whisky....which is often!

[Riprap]

A week after planting, the cuttings see sunshine for the first time – couldn’t have picked a better planting time. They are looking good though.

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The waterlilly flowers are starting to push and the shallows are black with tadpoles – spawn looking likely for next full moon, its new moon on Monday.

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Check the pure rain water trapped on the leaf!

Since fertilizing, the water has gone a nicer tinge of “tea” and yellow billed ducks seem to preferring the pond more now?

[Riprap]

This one just for you Smurf. This is new to me with this species – the damn rats are ring barking some of my young plants………..



Anyway, the following pic shows new water teeming with the biggest masses of tadpoles I’ve ever seen. A week ago this was dry ground and at least my two ponds are once again one and the fish can move freely. The water lillies have just started flowering (although submerged but I now know they stretch) and full moon on the 29’th. The fertilized “tea” colour still remains and it’s starting to rain again for the whole weekend! The spawn she is a coming.

[Navrik]

Sounds like a Rat Race to get the trees to grow fast enough :blue-biggrin:

[Riprap]

Haha Navrik, very quick boet!

Well, I didn’t anticipate 300mm of rain for October (so far) and neither did we expect 100mm in the last 24 hrs! My pond is the fullest I’ve seen it in a very long time and the recently planted willows have all gone for a swim - time will tell how they do but I have lots of cuttings so will plant some more on higher ground.

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The papyrus too has all been submerged deeper but I don’t know yet up to what depth it will survive. This is a trial for a bigger project.

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The lilies amaze me how they stretch in 24hrs to keep their leaves on top. Full moon was on Monday and the lilies are blooming and the water temp is perfect for spawning however the sudden rise in water level may have had an effect. Since fertilizing the pond the water clarity has decreased and due to lack of sunlight, I can’t see bedding fish this year and we don’t fish them around the spawn to check.

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[Josvanheerden]

Looking very nice Rip - suppose it must be torture not to throw a line everytime you are down there.

Like braaing the the perfect rump and then just looking at it :blue-cool:

[Riprap]

Its hell of a hot today and judging by the lilies, summer is in full swing! Went to feed the crabs some fish guts and the fry that hatched nearly 3 weeks ago are far fewer and are dodging being eaten in the shallows. Since fertilizing, the water has gone a lovely dark ginger beer colour and I can only see males making nests in the shallower water. Deeper I just see shadows of wannabe submarines! Males in breeding mode are not worried at least about any form of disturbance and I’m confident to say you could tickle one!

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What is a bit worrisome is the number of dead tadpoles in the shallows. This water feels like warm coffee and perhaps the heat and lower O2 content are too much for them. The new hatch of tiny tadpoles is slightly deeper and they appear to have moved there due to this. Tadpoles are food for tadpoles are food for baby bass. The crabs should enjoy their feast.

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[PeterH]

Riprap
Great report, dam is looking fantastic, wouldn't mind a dam on mine, only got a river which is dirty most of the year and thick bush. Those tadpoles that have died, is it because of the water temp ?

PeterH

[Riprap]

Hey Peter, howzit boet. Yep I reckon hey, as the tolerant water was clearly definable by the line of millions of newly hatched 'poles that seemed to mark it offshore. This pond is alive but the evidence of a tin with half dehydrated worms means my poachers (probably kids) are back.
Next step - cheap motion detection trail camera and anyone caught is going on YOU TUBE!

[Riprap]

I was going through my sons latest pics after a recent fishing outing with his mates, catching FAT bass near the coast and came across these pics he took on our last outing to our pond. Seems he is trapped in the same fascination I have for our special place:

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[breedesmallie]

Ja Rip, treasure every moment you have with your children. It's a gift from God. My son was my best fishing partner I've ever had, we've spent days on the water sharing the passion for bass fishing. We did everything together, he was my only son and first born. This coming 1 December 2012 it is 8 years God decided it's time to took him home. He was only 15 years of age. I never had and never will have a fishing partner like him again.