Darla, I have no idea where he came from. We have had a lot of rain so maybe he washed in or maybe he was someones pet. I really don't know. He is a lot of fun to watch. Moonie, no dead fish yet. I am keeping my fingers crossed. As I said earlier, he really doesn't seem that interested in the fish. Kalypsogirl, your above ground pond is very pretty. I don't know if this turtle will stay or not. He may decide to move on. Computerklutz, I can just see you chasing that turtle around your pool. The one in my pond ducks out of sight as soon as I get too close! flgargoyle, I am sorry about your waterlilies. My next door neighbor tried to get some lilies started in her pond, and her turtle continually ate them. growingup, I am hoping my turtle will make friends with the little fishies, too. I saw him sunning on a rock by my pool today. I have several flat rocks around the perimeter of my pond. Thank you all for your turtle experiences that you shared with me. I will just wait and see. Vicki

I am going on 1 month with a turtle in my pond. Let me say this....they can climb vertical rock surfaces. They might even be able to leap and or fly since mine keeps getting out and I don't know how. They do need a pot full of mud to burrow in to in the winter though. Especially if it freezes near you. As for koi...I have a 9 inch koi who currently bullies my red eared slider. I feed the turtle little pellets on a rock that he suns himself on that is partially submerged. He won't eat dry pellets so I have to toss them in the water. The koi will literally push himself on to the rock, 1/3 out of the water and muscle the turtle out of the way to steal a few sticks. Lately the turtle has planted his feet and stood his ground a little better. Its hilarious though I have seen his big clawed turtle feet push against my koi and worried about scratches. As for eating fish....every bite he takes of his pellets he makes crumbs and all my Mosquito fish and platies swirl around him as he eats. I have seen him go out of his way NOT to eat little fish right in front of him. though this doesn't mean he will always do so.

Hey, can someone advise on this: In zone (7a) Long Island, NY Right now I have: 2 Peaches in pots, bare root(miracle grow potting mix) (freshly potted about a week) with osmocote added. 2 Pomegranates in pots, not bare root(miracle grow potting mix) (freshly potted about a week) with osmocote added. 2 Cherries in pots, bare root(miracle grow potting mix) (freshly potted about a week) with osmocote added. I have coming tomorrow: 2 apples(bare root) Originally, I was going to keep all these fruit trees in pots until spring 2018, but now I have decided to get them in the ground and I feel like I'm in a race against time. I was reading the Starksbros website where I had purchased them from and they recommend to add either pete moss, garden compost, or manure as 1/3 concentration into the soil where the roots are. My question is, when I take the trees back out of the pots to plant, can I use the miracle grow potting mix that I already have from the pots, and work it into the soil instead of the above?

I use whole fruit spikes (4-5) every few weeks in my lotus bog, but I'm not sure that's even enough. I used to use very small tomato spikes in my 7 gallon water lily containers But I do think I'm under fertilizing the water lilies for a couple years. It's hard to know how much you're giving in those chunks of fruit tree spikes. I would just go by their response. if they seem happy and are making blossoms, I think you're using enough. I had problems last year with my water lilies, and maybe it was because I wasn't fertilizing enough. But like I said.....if yours seem happy and productive, I wouldn't change anything. But...........only twice a season seems sort of low. Would you say your lilies are doing well?