Meet Pam Poe, Earth Works Landscape Designer. Pam is an avid gardener with a passion for art and design. As a lifelong learner, her related educational background includes an A.A.S. degree in Horticulture & Landscape Design. Plus, Pam is certified in Florida-Friendly Landscaping with the University of Florida IFAS Extension, and is certified with the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association, For nearly a decade Pam has worked in perennial gardens, garden centers, container design, garden maintenance, and landscape design. “I love learning about new plants and trends in design so I pursue continuing education classes whenever possible. I enjoy the challenge of helping my clients turn their landscape vision into an outdoor space they enjoy coming home to.”
The following are samples of Earth Works videos of landscape designer Pam Poe.
Booking your Landscape Design Consultation with Pam today by contacting us at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions.
Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Earth Works Landscape Designer Jeff Melear’s passion for plants and turf has spanned his entire life, which led to his operation of not one, but two landscape companies in both St. Simon Island and Savannah, Georgia. Jeff’s thirty-plus years of professional landscape credentials include A.A.S Degrees in both Golf Turf Management and Landscape Design and Grounds Management from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC).
Outside of his landscape design career focus, Jeff’s life revolves around his two amazing children of 8 and 10 years old and his love of woodworking, serving in church, and Georgia Bulldog football. Know that Jeff Melear will see your project through and keep you informed throughout the consultation, design, and implementation process. Contact Landscape Designer Jeff Melear by phone at 904-996-0712 or email jeffm.earthworks@gmail.com.
The following are samples of Earth Works videos of landscape designs by Jeff Melear.
Book your Landscape Design Consultation with Jeff today by contacting us at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions.
Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Earth Works, Jason Duffney provides information in the following videos answering our pond equipment and supplies FAQs (frequently asked questions).
Aquascape Pond Equipment Accessories: Jason Duffney explains Aquascape Inc pond equipment accessories that can be included in your installation or that you can add yourself at a later date. These accessories include the Aquascape Dosing System, IonGen, Smart Control Receiver, and Lighting System.
Aquascape Bacteria and Water Clarity Products: Jason Duffney explains Aquascape Inc products that improve the health and water clarity in your pond. These products include Aquascape Beneficial Bacterial, Maintain, Clear, and the Aquascape QuickFix Pond Gummy.
Water lily Transplanting & Care in Northeast Florida: Jason Duffney explains the basics of water lily transplanting and care here in Northeast Florida whether you prefer to grow in a container or directly in the pond substrate. Earth Works provides high-quality water lilies year round along with specialty pots for growing them and fertilizer.
Our Five Key Pond Components: Jason Duffney explains our five key pond components to building and maintaining a healthy ecosystem pond. We pride ourselves on providing clients with healthy pond systems that require minimal maintenance.
Pond Filtration & Maintenance: Jason Duffney explains pond filtration and maintenance in this video focused on the skimmer, which is the mechanical aspect of filtration.
Pond Pump Troubleshooting: Jason Duffney explains the basics of pond pump troubleshooting focusing on the most common problems that a pond owner can check prior to calling us for a service call.
Operating the Aquascape SMART Control Receiver: Jason Duffney explains the operation of the Aquascape SMART Control Receiver used in adjusting the flow rates of variable speed Aquascape pumps.
Check back regularly as Jason provides more pond equipment and supplies FAQs here and on youtube.
Take advantage of Fall Landscaping weather by booking your Landscape Design Consultation today by contacting us at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions.
Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Living the Aquascape Lifestyle is a passion for many and especially Nestor White, an Earth Works client who provides this reporting and testimonial on his pond upgrade.
By Nestor White, Orange Park
In 1999 my two sons and I designed and built three beautiful, connected ponds with four waterfalls where each pond emptied into a lower pond for a total of about 5000 gallons. The deepest part of two ponds was about 42” with shelf ledges around two of those ponds that would hold large pots with plants about 15” below the surface. We used over 30,000 pounds of smaller rocks up to about 14” in diameter with some beautiful flagstone full of shiny, mica flakes. The ponds were stocked with over a dozen varieties of goldfish and about 15 koi. Several years ago, probably because of the excessive number of fish for the size of the ponds, and the realization that we needed a better filtration system than just one skimmer-filter, we decided to completely remove the old ponds and start from scratch. Pressure washing all of that rock and tearing everything apart took about two years doing a bit at a time.
So, over two years ago, we contacted Earth Works to start planning some new ponds. Before we could move ahead with that project we had to complete a 400-square foot screen room addition with roll-up screens to overlook the new ponds. Before I continue I want to make it clear that this review was not solicited. After a 20-year Navy career as a jet pilot and maintenance officer, I had the opportunity to supervise thousands of fine young men and women. For the past 32 years, I have been a financial advisor and have a good sense of what it takes to run a profitable, successful business. The motivation for me to write this stems from my positive impression of the employees I came to know at Earth Works and the realization of what an amazing business it is. A great business needs inspiration and excellent leadership but most of all great employees. Anyone who has already done business with Earth Works already knows that, and I have experience with them dating back to 1999 when I first started my own ponds.
Earth Works only does a couple of pond builds a year that are as large and elaborate as ours. Even though I have seen the great display ponds at the store, I had no idea what was in store for us. Planning began with John Cacchione in sales who is also the pond designer. We met several times at our home and in his office. Long before construction started the youngest owner, Jason Duffney, even made a couple of visits to our property to get the general layout. We were SO ready after waiting several years and having our space so torn up waiting for the build that when Melissia Marinez, the landscape assistant, gave us the build date we were really excited.
The project was scheduled to take two weeks and cost about three times their average installation. In mid-July 2022, Tim Juror, the young foreman, showed up with workers, Patrick Smaglis, Ricardo Orta, and Antonio Santiago. They brought a tracked excavator and another forklift/bulldozer and had them on site for two weeks. Over that time, they must have hauled in about 90,000 pounds of boulders and rocks in addition to using every bit of my 30,000 pounds of rock. About every other day new pallets of rock and other materials arrived lining our driveway for over 100’.
The real genius for the build was Mike Quatromoni, the “artist”, with a background in sculpture and a degree from the University of North Florida. He is one of the premier pond builders in Florida with a keen eye for creating an appealing, natural-looking pond environment. This build was going to be different from our original pond primarily because of the larger rocks, but mainly because we wanted to create a large “bog” area. Water would be pumped in from the bottom of the bog and filtered up through different layers of rocks starting with large rocks on the bottom and getting smaller at the surface. Mike had the brilliant idea to build the bog beneath an upper pond instead of having an upper bog, a middle water lily pond, and a lower pond with the fish. Space constraints actually dictated this decision but he almost regretted it during the actual bog construction phase.
Here in Orange Park, we are on a sand hill like much of Florida. In our Foxridge Subdivision, we have some small hills. Mike was excited to do an install with some elevation changes and not a typical flat pond. As the excavator began to dig the bog, it was apparent that going so deep would cause some of the walls to collapse. What was originally going to be maybe 4’x6’ and about 8’ deep ended up being more than 7’x7’. When two of them were standing in the bottom putting in the piping and plastic crates, the rim of the sand towered several feet above their heads. Just filling the bog with rocks swallowed up at least 60,000 pounds of rock, not including the tons of large boulders around the perimeter. Dozens of cubic yards of sand had to be removed and hauled off by their trucks.
Watching the excavator’s “bucket” pick up these huge rocks weighing maybe 500-800 pounds with straps and lowering each one precisely on the pond liner where Mike decided to place them was interesting to watch and dangerous at the same time. One particular rock about 4’ high and 3’ wide and 18” deep was being placed vertically resting on the 18” base. It was teetering on the edge of the lower pond beside Mike, as he was alongside but mostly below the rock kneeling on the bottom of the pond. Ricardo had his foot on the rock pushing it at the top to get it aligned just right. I finally just had to walk away praying that it would not fall and possibly injure or even kill Mike. The rock finally got shimmed up with some other rocks under it and oriented at a safe angle. The excavator literally made hundreds of rotations lifting and moving rocks and soil around to complete the construction without anyone getting injured.
Twice during the build and once after, John Hawley, the photographer/videographer, came out to take photos during construction. One day, filling in for one of the other workers, Mike Oaks, the paver/service foreman, helped out with the construction and gave me some pointers on how to do the pavers in our new screen room.
I just can’t say enough about this crew. They sent their top, most skilled, workers. To a man, they were all professional, courteous, good-natured, and got along well with each other. There were NO slackers and everyone knew what had to be done and did it without any complaining. I did not hear one cuss word or any type of off-color comment. That REALLY impressed me! The weather was dreadful with most days running about 95+ degrees with high humidity. When it rained they just kept on working. When the job was completed they cleaned up everything as if they were never there. If I were an employer, I would hire any one of them in an instant and be happy they were working for me and not someone else.
After completion, there was a minor problem with some leaks around the edge of the liner. Their “leak” expert, Glenn Stanza, who does all of the pond maintenance, came out on two occasions and located most of the problems and fixed them. He was really helpful in providing information on caring for the pond, taking care of the fish and plants, and had a great knowledge of ponds in general. One day he stayed at our house until almost 8 PM until he had accomplished what needed to be done. The next day we visited the store and he helped us pick out some plants and fish. We also had a nice talk with Jason, the owner, who happened to be there.
We still had at least one leak, so Sean Duffney, Jason’s brother, who acts primarily as the field supervisor and general problem solver, came out to take a look. He located the general area and sent out Mike the next day who finally found the last liner adjustment to prevent any further leaks.
Although I have not met her, there is one person you might not like. Her name is Mandi Futch. She sends the bills! I’m kidding, of course. She is good at her job, communicates accurately and promptly but ensures that the company gets its pound of flesh from each customer.
Overall, I will say that my wife, Cathy, and I are extremely pleased with the finished project. We look forward to completing flower beds and landscaping around the pond to enhance its appeal. There are already hundreds of tiny black Florida toad tadpoles swimming around in the pond along with one large bullfrog. Several green tree frogs have been attracted by the water and start to croak and “bark” after dark. Watching our 40 small starter koi, goldfish, and mollies explore their new home is a relaxing pastime. The five new waterfalls provide soothing background noise and the 20 lights that were installed under the water highlight the fish and rocks after dark.
If you have been thinking about building a pond or want to expand or improve the one you already have, you can’t go wrong by hiring Earth Works. Check out some of their other services too.
We here at Earth Works appreciate the White family as clients living the Aquascape Lifestyle and for this detailed client reporting and testimonial. Photo credit to Nestor White.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact us at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions.
Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Follow these tips for good drainage on your property throughout the year and to prevent flooding, structural, lawn and landscape damage.
–Regularly inspect gutters and downspouts. Be sure that all joints are secure and that there are no cracks or other sources of leaks due to damaged gutters and downspouts. Both gutters and downspouts can also be clogged over time with leaf debris and by plants and animal activity.
–Extend your downspouts away from structures. Whereas downspouts typically release water close to the foundation of buildings extending the downspout farther away reduces the risk of erosion and standing water close to those structures. This can be accomplished with a variety of materials not only actual downspouts but hard plastic and vinyl downspout diverters.
–Keep drainage routes clear. The drainage route consists of the entire distance from where the water is released from the downspout to the catchbasin which may be a local waterway tributary. “Keeping debris out of storm drains and ditches,” according to the Palm Coast Observer. “Reporting clogged ditches to local governments.
–Improve grading when required. Often times properties require elevation and slope adjustments as a result of structures being built in poorly draining areas and as a result of earth moving by the property owner and erosion. “Everyone lives in an area with some flood risk—it’s just a question of whether you live in a high-risk, low-risk, or moderate-risk flood area,” according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Find your property’s flood risk at the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. Earth Works offers customized earth moving and grading to suit your drainage solution needs.
–Construct a creek bed or swale. On-site drainage solutions such as creek beds and swales have been favored among government officials for decades as a way to not only prevent flooding but to reduce hazardous non-point source pollution associated with stormwater runoff. Constructed creek bed or swales are aesthetically pleasing and environmentally friendly by allowing for the gradual percolation of captured stormwater versus contributing to runoff and erosion.
–Install and maintain a properly functioning French Drain. Named after Henry Flagg French, assistant secretary of the Treasury under Ulysses S. Grant the French Drain was first described in his 1859 publication Farm Drainage. “The 1859 book is the drainage world’s “Principia Mathematica,” its “On the Origin of Species,” according to the Washington Post. “Henry described various drainage techniques — the Deanston System, the Keythorpe System, the Wharncliffe System. He calculated the discharge volume of pipes of various diameters. He weighed the pros and cons of different pipe styles. And he recommended something that has helped many of us who live in constant fear of rain: an excavated trench filled with gravel in which rests a perforated pipe to carry away surface and groundwater. He called it a cellar drain. We know it as the French drain.”
–Install and maintain properly functioning channel drains around pools and outdoor kitchen areas. Channel drains are typically installed at a lower elevation between homes and swimming pools to collect and distribute water away from those areas. Contact Earth Works landscaping division to determine the proper dimensions required to adequately serve your specific drainage needs.
–Install a Cistern of Aquablox for onsite water storage. In coordination with property owners and local government agencies Earth Works is providing an innovative onsite water storage solution by constructing cisterns utilizing Aquascape Aquablox technology in areas prone to flooding. Contact your Earth Works landscape design professional for more details.
For more tips on good drainage tailored to your property needs schedule a design consultation with a member of the Earth Works Landscape Design Team.
Typical Earth Works landscape division drainage solution configurations include: -GRAVITY DRAINAGE WITH DRAIN BOXES for points of collection and hard pipe (PVC or sewer and drain) or an ADS Corrugated Pipe to move water from the problem area to a lower outflow area to provide proper drainage. A transit or automatic level is used to shoot the grades and elevations to ensure that there is proper gravity flow. If there is no adequate fall, a sump pump drainage system can be installed to move the water out of the problem area.
-French drains to catch runoff and provide gravity drainage solutions. French drains can be connected to systems of various configurations and types of pipes.
-Channel drains are appropriate drainage solutions for pool decks, outdoor kitchens, hardscaping, and driveways. Connect channel drains to downspouts and route off the property with hard pipe to outflow boxes or connect into one of our custom drainage systems.
-Swales and cisterns are examples of options for onsite water retention required in many Northeast Florida counties due to the presence of environmentally sensitive ecosystems. We can also provide underground water retention with aquabloxs or a dry well if the soil is sandy enough. The aquabloxs could be combined with a pond or pondless water feature.
All of Earth Works drainage solutions meet federal, state, and local regulations designed to protect your property, safety, and the environment. Our drainage systems are guaranteed to work and are warranted for 1 year on parts and labor.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact us at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions.
Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Add beauty to your landscape with Aquascape’s Stacked Slate Spheres a durable, lightweight alternative to rock with endless landscape design possibilities and available at Earth Works for purchase and installation. We’ve installed many of these custom water features throughout Northeast Florida and provide examples of completed projects below.
These are the specifications for the small, medium, and large stacked slate spheres and fountain kit with factory-recommended components and accessories.
Aquascape Small Stacked Sphere Water Fountain, Slate Gray (Item #78287) Fountain Measures: 24-inch Dia. x 22-inch H; Add the element of fire to your fountain with the Aquascape Fire Fountain Add-On Kit (sold separately – item # 78221). To complete your fountain installation use the AquaBasin 30 basin reservoir (item # 78223) and the Ultra 800 Water Pump (item # 91007) for water storage and circulation (sold separately).
Aquascape Medium Stacked Sphere Water Fountain, Slate Gray (Item #78288) Fountain Measures: 32-inch Dia. x 30-inch H; Add the element of fire to your fountain with the Aquascape Fire Fountain Add-On Kit (sold separately – item # 78221). To complete your fountain installation use the AquaBasin 30 basin reservoir (item # 78223) and the Ultra 800 Water Pump (item # 91007) for water storage and circulation (sold separately).
Aquascape Medium Stacked Sphere Water Fountain Kit, Slate Gray (Item #78290) Fountain Measures: 32-inch Dia. x 30-inch H; Add the element of fire to your fountain with the Aquascape Fire Fountain Add-On Kit (sold separately – item # 78221). The kit comes bundled with components required to complete your landscape installation including the Aquascape AquaBasin 45 basin reservoir (item # 78224) and the Ultra 1500 Water Pump (item # 91009) for water storage and circulation.
Aquascape Large Stacked Sphere Water Fountain, Slate Gray (Item #78289) Fountain Measures: 40-inch Dia. x 36-inch H; Add the element of fire to your fountain with the Aquascape Fire Fountain Add-On Kit (sold separately – item # 78221). To complete your fountain installation use the AquaBasin 45 basin reservoir (item # 78224) and the Ultra 2000 Water Pump (item # 91010) for water storage and circulation (sold separately).
Note: It’s often best to order well in advance due to supply chain issues some of the components may not be readily available. If you are outside of Northeast Florida search for a Certified Aquascape Contractor in your area at the provided link.
Step-by-step Aquascape Stacked Slate Spheres Reservoir Installation explained by Jason Duffney. This is the standard recommendation for installing the three sizes (small, medium, & large) Aquascape stacked slate spheres.
Earth Works Jacksonville pond builders walk us through the process of expanding this Ponte Vedra homeowner’s koi pond, which includes a stacked slate sphere. Jason Duffney discusses with the homeowner the experience and finished project results.
After seeing our Aquascape Showcase at the Jacksonville Home & Patio Show, the client contracted Earth Works to construct their dream outdoor living space. Directly on the course at Jacksonville Golf & Country Club, the client project included constructing a paver patio extension, a walkway around the home, Aquascape stacked slate sphere, and three Aquascape Spillway bowls and basins, gas fire pit, and screened enclosure.
Earth Works staff tear out a water feature that was in good condition for a homeowner wanting a more contemporary style that was delivered with Stack Slate Walls and a Stacked Slate Sphere the key design elements in this design.
Eagle Landing homeowner John Schnitzer discusses what he & his wife wanted in their landscape renovation including a patio, curving flower bed wall, stacked slate sphere, outdoor lighting, and a host of new beds and plants. Exactly what we wanted, was his response in reviewing the outcome
Contact Earth Works to schedule a consultation to create a design plan to accommodate your comprehensive drainage solution needs. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations at 904-996-0712.
Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Organic fertilization supports healthy soil ecology that benefits home gardening and landscaping more than reliance on synthetic fertilizers. By definition, with fertilization, we want to enrich the nutrients in the soil. Organic fertilization increases the microbial activity of beneficial bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and nematodes, all components of healthy soil ecology that don’t require synthetic inputs. Synthetic fertilization feeds the plant, not the soil.
Organic fertilizers are more forgiving and less likely to burn plants than synthetics used by non-professionals. Many likewise believe organically grown foods taste better. “Several studies have reported that organic produce stores better and has longer shelf life than conventional produce due to the lower nitrate levels in organic produce,” according to Iowa State University’s Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. “Organic apples are generally firmer and have superior storage properties. Organic potatoes contain more vitamin C. Many studies have found that lower yields, better taste, more vitamin C and higher antioxidant levels in organic fruits and vegetables are correlated with lower levels of readily available nitrogen.”
Although synthetic fertilizers are potent and a quick fix for a slow-growing garden, the widespread use of synthetics is consequential. “The effects of chemical fertilizers on soil include; acidification, which limits the nutrient bioavailability, accumulation of toxic elements like, cadmium, fluoride, radioactive elements, lead, arsenic, chromium, and nickel, and finally disruption of the biology of the soil,” according to Bashar Khiatah, MD. “In regards to human health, the effects of chemical fertilizers are serious, both with their direct toxic effect, or in the indirect effects that are related to decreasing the nutrient density in the consumed plants. This exposure comes from a chemical reaction between nitrites and secondary amines or proteins and causes DNA damage, oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, and pro-inflammatory cytokine activation, which together leads to increased cellular degeneration and death.”
The frustration for many residential homeowners having difficulty with their gardening and landscape began with poor soil. “Most of the time consumers are growing in backfill from the foundation of their home,” said Sid Raisch, CEO of Horticultural Advantage. “It is not soil, it is sub(beneath)soil. It has value to hold up soil above it, if any was added, but nothing else. It is usually high in clay particles and low in loam (organic matter) and what is there is often anaerobic with little living organisms and void of many minerals. It is very difficult and expensive to change this.”
While many experts in agriculture view plant nutritional needs as elements of the periodic table, others view those exact needs through a prism of interconnected ecology and outcomes. Permaculture and Soil Regenerative agriculture advocates challenge us to live sustainably and leave our ecosystem better than we found it. The critical components of this journey are the reduced reliance on synthetic fertilizers while improving soil microbial health with organic fertilization that helps plants grow strong and healthy.
“Our yard is a thin crust of junk over coral rock,” said Erik Dietl-Friedli, manager at Flamingo Road Nursery in Davie, Florida. “I have literally planted with a pry bar and can dig a well with a stick, since our water table is so high. Over the years, I allowed our garden to become a jungle and left the leaf litter to decompose into the “soil”. This past year I had the jungle removed and have been replacing with Florida native and butterfly plants. Years of leaf litter have transformed our soil into actual soil. Digging has been much easier than in the past and the quality of the soil is much improved. Earthworms and other “Life” are present where there was nothing in the beginning. I will not disrupt this with synthetics. After my garden settles, I will fertilize only with Espoma products. I like that they contain beneficial bacteria in addition to other healthy, organic ingredients.”
Earth Works recommends Espoma Bio-Tone Starter Plus Plant Food organic fertilizer enriched with beneficial microbes and both endo & ectomycorrhizal fungi to support healthy soil ecology for beautiful plants year after year.
“You can solve all the world’s problems in a garden.” ― Geoff Lawton
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact us at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Water lilies add beauty and ecological benefits to ponds and have been of cultural and religious significance for thousands of years. Water lilies were depicted in the art of the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs and among the images of gods worshiped by the Mayans of Central America. Water lilies have symbolic meaning in Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Considered treasures of Western art French Artist Claude Monet featured water lilies in hundreds of his impressionist paintings.
Due to water lily popularity groups exist such as the International Water Lily & Water Garden Society, which has been holding water lily competitions for decades. The next IWGS water lily competition is scheduled at their annual symposium this year at Naples Botanical Gardens with over 40 hybridizers from nearly a dozen countries expected to show hundreds of varieties. An award at the IWGS competition suggests great value for the new water lily cultivar.
Although water lilies contain a toxic alkaloid, as do elephant ears, it is neutralized when boiled. Known as Shapla in Bangladesh, where water lilies are the national plant, they are enjoyed in curry recipes. Water lilies believed medicinal benefits including regulating insulin levels and promoting liver health are the subject of ongoing investigation.
Water lilies are a food source for wildlife and provide protective cover, help cool water temperatures, and absorb water-polluting nutrients. Organic debris, including fish food, animal, and plant waste, accumulate in ponds and are broken down by nitrifying bacteria making nitrogen available to plants in a process called nitrogen fixation as part of the nitrogen cycle. “Excessive inputs of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) trigger eutrophication of the water bodies, which promotes the undesirable growth of algal bloom and deterioration of the water quality, and aquatic biodiversity,” according to the Plant Physiology and Biochemistry Journal. “Water lily (Nymphaea) is largely used as an ornamental plant for landscaping, and it has been documented that water lily possesses the potentiality in mitigating polluted aquatic environments.” These same scientists documented an increase in dissolved oxygen concentration in the aquatic environment attributable to water lilies. Dissolved oxygen is critical to animal life in ponds and in short supply as pond water temperature increases during the warm months making water lilies a beneficial addition.
Considering lawn and garden fertilization is a source of waterway pollution and fish kills how does one fertilize their precious marginals and water lilies without harming wet pets such as koi and goldfish? Slow-release tablets containing the necessary nutrition for plant growth and increasing bloom potential have been developed. We recommend slow-release PondMax – AquaBloom Aquatic Plant Food for water lily fertilization, which provides nutrients for plant health and flower formation. Simply press the Aquabloom Aquatic Plant Food tablets into the aquatic plant media or soil.
Although there are three genera in the water lily family Nymphaeaceae varieties typically marketed as Hardy & Tropical are of the genus Nymphaea and their hybrids. They reproduce via seeds, tubers, and viviparously. For starting your seeds, tubers, or transplants you’ll want and appropriate aquatic plant media or soil. Potting soil would be inappropriate. We recommend and stock Aquascapes Pond Plant Potting Media. It’s free of peat, compost, fertilizers, and pesticides that could cloud the water and harm animals in your pond. We additionally stock floating planters, which is a popular technique to stabilize the lily tuber and roots within the basking allowing the pad and flower portions of the plant to move about the pond.
We provide a stock of fully developed already blooming hardy and tropical water lilies sourced from Holt Nurseries for your viewing pleasure and purchase at Earth Works Gardens nursery in Jacksonville. Stop in and see them for yourself and take your favorites home.
For all your water gardening needs and comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact us at 904-996-0712 or visit us at the Earth Works Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville. We also build water gardens, and provide hardscaping, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions.
Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Florida is Spanish for “land of flowers” and for koi hobbyists, it also represents a land of abundant predators. “I never had a need to keep koi,” said Jan Brown, past president North Florida Koi Club. “I wanted to grow water lilies. I did grow water lilies. I also grew designer mosquitoes and here’s where the long, slippery slide into koi keeper begins.” Along with the flowering foliage, water gardens, and koi came predators, many that are found elsewhere in the United States and notable exotic invasive species, especially in South Florida. The Great Blue Heron may be one of the best-known koi predators which have an interesting history of its own. A century ago, herons nearly disappeared as a result of hunters killing them to harvest their plumes for women’s hats. They made a dramatic comeback from near extinction in part because of the proliferation of koi in hobbyist’s ponds. The heron has religious significance in Japan dating back to the Heian period (700 to 1100 A.D.) and the Shinto Sagi-mai or White Heron Dance as it is also known. The dance is still performed today by dancers in heron-shaped costumes.
“Koi are a large fish but it seems to be a game for the herons to spike them in the head, often resulting in death by blunt force or a secondary bacterial infection invading the wound,” wrote Doug Ward, Tropical Koi Club’s former vice president, and aqua-culturist. While they may harm koi, harming these birds is strictly prohibited by way of numerous laws including the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which was entered into with Canada, Japan, Mexico, and Russia. “Yesterday the netting over one nursery tank was removed to enable routine maintenance,” said Joe White, Florida East Coast Koi and Water Garden Society president and AKCA director. “In the evening, I realized I had not put the netting ring back over the tank and hurriedly laid it on the tank with minimal fastening. In the morning this visitor attracted attention by its loud clucks and sounds of thrashing as it tried to escape from under the protective netting. The bird had successfully maneuvered his way into the tank through an open area. A dead, apparently regurgitated, three-inch koi was floating on the water surface. Mr Green Heron flew away once freed from the tank’s enclosure. Hopefully, the bird will breakfast elsewhere from now on.” Around Florida, such stories are nearly as common as sightings of these magnificent predators themselves. “I lost four of my oldest and largest koi,” said Frank Scanlan. “They were about five years old and the largest probably 15”+ were lost to a Blue Heron that was frequenting our pond in Coral Springs, Florida. I ended up running several monofilament lines randomly across the top of the pond about three feet above the surface. I haven’t noticed any fish missing since.”
A watchful eye in the Southeastern United States is always a fair warning for those wishing to keep their fish predator-free. Egrets, relatives of the heron, also enjoy Florida koi as do a variety of other wading and diving birds including spoonbills, ibis, storks, and anhingas. “ For coastal residents, the list of koi terrorists include the full gamut of Atlantic and Caribbean/Gulf sea birds, which are fully capable of munching on a medium-sized koi,” according to Ward. “A couple of pelicans could clean out a pond in minutes and leave nothing but a buuuurp! Gloria Estefan can explain that better than I. She got cleaned out at her place.” There are plenty of other classes of predators such as reptiles that threaten koi around Florida ponds. “In come the snakes,” said Ward. “Brown water snakes, moccasins, red rats, Florida kings, and our vast collections of exotics (semitropical South Florida) ranging from pythons and boas to any other snake found anywhere in the world. All snakes are capable, agile swimmers and like the taste of fish.” Yet, do snakes actually cause much concern for Florida koi hobbyists? “I found out snakes enjoy koi as much as herons,” said Brown. Several other koi hobbyists in Northeast Florida reported problems with snakes. “We had recently stocked our pond with small koi, and Bill, my husband was out by the pond when a brightly-colored snake slithered out from behind some rocks and dove right in after a fish,” said Dianne Cassidy. “Upland out of the pond came the snake with the fish that was too big for it to swallow. Bill took after the snake that proceeded to leave the koi flapping on the bank.” The fish survived and the snake took off down a storm sewer to hunt its quarry elsewhere. Sarah Schlesinger, a First Coast Koi, Goldfish and Water Garden Club member, also did battle with a snake living in one of her several ponds. After numerous small fry went missing, she identified the culprit that was sharing the pond one day while she cleaned the submersible pump and filter. That snake’s koi consumption ended that afternoon. Chris Smith, another North Florida proud father of two young children and numerous koi was so alarmed by snake eggs found under his pond waterfall that he poured a concrete slab around the entire structure and sealed the crevices to prevent any further encroachments of the natural order. Some area predators are warm and fuzzy mammals, which include raccoons and even bobcats. “Raccoons are expert fisherman,” said Ward. “Our entire cichlid facility is covered with chain link and electrified at night!” There are some other sneaky varieties of predatory mammals that can clean out a koi pond population quickly. “We ruled out all the usual predators, raccoons, cats, small boys,” said Brown. “I was convinced we had been found by an otter. My husband, Doubting Paul, was not convinced. We tried beefing up the netting, lights, electric fence, and the ultimate last resort,…a radio tuned to a 24-hour religious station. I now have a great affinity with Carl the groundskeeper in the movie Caddy Shack. Remember Doubting Paul…he remained not convinced until the morning he checked the trap we set to find an otter, with koi on its breath, snarling at him. Great, I thought, got rid of that problem. I restocked, which was the most fun of the whole ordeal, upping the quality of my koi. There was nearly a year of calm at the old pond until another swimming weasel found me. These otters, by the way, have to travel over two miles from the nearest large body of water, up a shallow creek to get to my pond. The creek is so shallow they must walk the last half mile. This time, the survivors went to board at another club member’s pond. They stayed there for eight months. In the meanwhile, we tried trapping without any success. When we figured it was safe to bring the fish back, I was so happy to see them back home. So was an otter. It took 10 days for him to find them again — even with two surveillance cameras with an interior monitor, a motion and heat-sensing floodlight with an interior alarm. In spite of the indignity, I am sure the surviving koi are suffering, they now have to share a 1500-gal pond with the goldfish the otter didn’t eat after we moved the koi the first time. Now the pond is covered with heavy gauge hardware cloth held down with steel spikes driven in the ground. Concrete blocks sit on top of the edging. It’s a koi maximum-security prison. Sing Sing for Sankes, if I had any left.
I go down to the empty pond and admire the plants and enjoy the sound of running water…and I plot. Maybe a steel trap there…a tiger pit over there…electric plates.” The cosmopolitan nature of the South Florida human inhabitants is matched only by their wildlife variety. “In South Florida, we probably have the most diversified collection of koi slaying predators in the United States,” said Ward. “Southeast Texas would be a close second. Alligators are a common predator in the western sections of Southeast Florida and the eastern areas of Southwest Florida where the Everglades and manlike are attempting to see “whose territory” it really is! Turtle species include alligator snappers, soft-shell, and sliders, all of which are fish eaters. I have sliders in my pond and should a fish get ill, and slow down, the sliders will have him in a second. Don’t keep turtles and valuable koi together unless you have a large pond. Mine is 28,000-gal and the new one is 60,000-gal so everyone has some space to co-exist. The turtles came on their own, as did the walking catfish. I did not put them there.
We also have lots of iguanas of various types and they are all fast swimming, fish-eating machines. I could figure out what was doing the fish in until Todd Hardwick saw the bite on a fish. I lost several large koi to a big iguana a few years back and finally had the great pleasure of blowing him off the fence with a shotgun. It was nearly 6’ long. I suppose this makes Florida seem like a jungle in the Amazon and in some ways it can be,” concluded Ward. So, remember when you visit the land of flowers there are also koi predators in those bushes!
NOTE: Article was originally published in KOI USA Nov/Dec 2005 issue by John Hawley, Earth Works Content Manager.
For ideas on how to address koi predators you may be dealing with and for comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, pond, and landscaping needs, contact us at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions.
Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Northeast Florida gardeners are rightfully concerned for their lawns and gardens over a freeze after warm days close to Spring. For days the Earth Works Garden Center staff has been busy implementing steps to protect new blooming Spring plant deliveries from cold temperatures. “Plants need to leaf out as early as they can in spring to take full advantage of the growing season,” according to The Conversation. “But this involves pumping water into their developing leaves, which reduces the concentration of sugars, salts and organic compounds in their tissues and removes their winter protection from cold.” Conditions can be worse when a freeze arrives after an unseasonably warm late winter morning versus during mid-Winter. Ignoring the threat of plant damage comes at a high cost so Learn how to protect your plants from the cold snaps and consider this additional information.
What is Plant Hardiness? The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) plant hardiness zones are largely based on the minimum temperature a plant can survive. “Where the USDA zones fall short; however, is that they don’t account for other factors,” according to Gardening Know How. “These include freeze dates, freeze-thaw cycles, the effects of snow cover, precipitation, and elevation.”
2022 Late Winter- Early Spring Weather Snapshot After above-average temperatures in the 70s and 80s the first week of March 2022, an inland freeze is forecast on the morning of Sunday, March 13, one week out from Spring. Besides the higher-than-average temperatures, the morning temperatures had been low. Forecasters attributed the above-average afternoon highs and chilly mornings to a La Nina induced high-pressure bubble in the atmosphere. “This bubble of high pressure is what we experienced in December,” according to News4Jax. “We experienced the fourth warmest December in Jacksonville’s history.” Weeks of above-average temperature were followed by several days of steady rain ahead of this brief late winter freeze.
Effects of Dramatic Temperature Change on Plants “Plants develop their cold hardiness in stages,” according to McDonald Garden Center in Virginia. “Each new temperature low increases the plant’s ability to survive even colder temps. Maximum hardiness is usually reached in late January and early February and is best achieved by a gradual chilling. The late warmth allowed the plant cell tissue to retain more moisture thus reducing the concentration of salts and chemicals in the cell that act as antifreeze in high concentrations. As a result, the cells freeze and burst and plant death occurs.” That interpretation of a gradual increase in seasonal plant cold hardiness is substantiated by the University of Florida. “When temperatures gradually decrease over time, the plants ability to acclimate to colder temperatures is increased,” according to the University of Florida. “The opposite is true when temperatures suddenly take a dip during the fall, which can cause more damage than the same low temp would in mid to late winter.”
Whether going into or coming out of winter, dramatic temperature changes adversely impact plants. Have you seen and felt the signs of an early Spring in Northeast Florida, including the high pollen levels and a wide variety of early blooming trees and shrubs? “These ‘spring-like’ temperatures often result in many plants and trees breaking dormancy prematurely,” according to Growing A Greener World. “This sudden drop to below freezing can wreak havoc on tender new growth.”
Protective Measures While the new foliage of shrubs and trees could burn and drop flowers, with a freeze after warm days more severe harm is likely for unprotected warm-season annuals, vegetables, and tropicals. Perennials stand a better chance of recovery.
-Avoid fertilizing lawn turf until after the last freeze. Lawn turf coming out of dormancy could fall back into a slumber, unable to absorb the benefits of fertilization. “If you fertilize your lawn and another frost hits, your grass will go right back into dormancy, and you’ll have a harder time getting it to green up again,” according to Sod Solutions. “This does more harm than good.” Application of slow-release fertilizer in early Spring reduces the risks of damage associated with an unexpectedly late frost.
-If you’ve moved tender plants back outside consider moving them back into protected areas ahead of a freeze after warm days. Cover plants and provide wind protection for those that can’t be brought indoors. The Earth Works Garden Center has freeze cloth available while supplies last.
-Be mindful that low-lying areas tend to be colder and plantings there will have shallower root development and increased risk of freeze damage. Consider booking a landscape design consultation with one of our Earth Works designers.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping need, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
