Turtles and mud go together. The pond will never completely clear up for the turtles will keep the mud stirred up just from swimming and digging in the mud.

A picture would really help. You say it looked as if it had been 'neglected for many years.' That sounds a bit strange for a fuchsia - they don't usually live for many years if they are in pots unless they are very well cared for. Was it in leaf? In flower? Are you certain it is a fuchsia? Can you give us more information?

I can't advise about the tap root, but have a little experience with over-eager tree peonies here in coastal NJ. They do seem to be more hardy than they appear, but are so lovely, who wants to take a chance? I was worried these past two winters about flower buds swelling and leaves unfurling when some pretty severe freezes were still anticipated. I made a "tee-pee" with bamboo stakes and some clear solar pool cover material I had left over from my greenhouse-insulating project ... I imagine other materials would work. I put a few water-filled 1-gallon milk jugs inside, and piled some shredded leaves inside (not too high) and around the base of the tee-pee. Each year they've come through just fine, with neither frostbite nor fungus. I do watch on sunny days, though, and remove or vent, to be sure temperatures in there don't get too high. Good luck with your tree peonies ... maybe with care and time that potted one will be fine.

Thanks so much, paintguy! I think my problem may have been that after I cut in with a brush, I painted most of the ceiling with a 1" nap roller on an extension pole. ( I did get the good Purdy one.) I will say it got heavy fast, so I probably applied different pressures. Then I'd go to the ladder and shorter poles. And then, then next day to finish I used a 3/4" roller, and for touch-ups I'd grab a brush. As far as the paint not sticking by the crown, I suspect the old caulk may have been silicone? Glad to hear I don't need scaffolding! And I would call in a pro, but I thought this would be an easy enough job that I could tackle myself, and save the pros for actual construction stuff. I guess a pro would have finished long, long before I ever will, tho! So...maybe different applicators and different pressures are the problem? Sometimes in certain light it almost looks like I used different sheens, but it's all the SW ceiling paint, Wool Skein. I think I'll call this the first coat, and go over it all again with the same roller nap! Again, thanks so much!