Hello Carol;
I am trying to grow water plants in a large natural pond. I am now into my second expensive water lily and lotus. My problem is turtles. The are eating all my plants. Now I have the new plants inside of chicken wire...not only does this look terrible it will keep the lilies too confined. Is there a person out there that can catch the turtles and find them a new home?
Thank you for any help you can provide.
Pat
Vero Beach

Hello Pat;
Water gardening can be an interesting challenge. Many of the plants have very specific requirements for growth -- the right amount of light, the proper depth of water, salinity, pH, and soil type all affect how well the plants grow and reproduce. Congratulations on trying a few plants.

It is just that -- a few plants -- that is your problem. When the dinner table is less than abundant, then everything gets eaten to the bone. Planting a few plants to share may help protect your investment in more expensive plants.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (http://www.wildflorida.org/critters/default.asp) provides the information on turtles in Florida:

"Freshwater Turtles
Of the 26 turtle species found in or around Florida, 18 are freshwater turtle species. Turtles are reptiles and are generally distinguished by a hard shell, but the softshell turtles have a rubbery shell that allows them to both bury themselves in the sand and swim very fast. Florida's aquatic turtles may walk slowly on land but are quicker in the water, and have webs between their toes to help them swim. Not included among the freshwater turtles are 5 species of marine turtles, the brackish-water diamondback terrapin, and 2 species that prefer life on dry land - the gopher tortoise and box turtle.

Turtles are usually not a threat to humans, but you should not underestimate the powerful jaws of the Florida snapping turtle, the alligator snapping turtle, or the Florida softshell turtle. The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) regulates all turtle harvest, which is closed for softshell turtles and their eggs during May 1 through July 31, and river cooters may not be taken 15 April - 31 July. You may see possession limits and the rules concerning reptiles here. Several freshwater turtle species are protected in Florida; the Lower Keys population of the striped mud turtle is endangered, and the alligator snapping turtle, Barbour's map turtle, Suwannee cooter, and gopher tortoise are species of special concern. In Florida, it is illegal to take, possess, transport, or sell gopher tortoises, or their eggs, except as authorized by the FWC"

As you can see, the FWC carefully regulates the harvesting of turtles. It would probably be very expensive and less than successful to try and reduce the turtle population in your pond, it may not even be legal.I still think it will be a simple task to plant a larger number of plants, choose a wide variety of plants, not just the expensive, exotic ones and grow a row for the hungry.

Gardening to attract wildlife is very popular as is water gardening, visit some of my favorite publications/sites for more information on water gardening and wildlife:

Backyard Habitat Ponds @ http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FA037
An Introduction to Aquascaping @ http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FA037
Aquarium/Water Garden Hobbyist Resource Guide @ http://aquat1.ifas.ufl.edu/wgindex.html

Happy Gardening,
Carol