February 18, 2020    General Meeting 7 PM Beaumont Room

The Joy of Goldfish:

This talk introduces the audience to Fancy Goldfish in their many forms, their history, and their husbandry in aquaria, tubs and ponds.  It’s a light-hearted talk, and doesn’t really go into breeding, etc. but rather concentrates on the amazing and beautiful variety of forms and their unique and charming allure.

Mike Hellweg

Mike has been fascinated by fishes all his life, and has had various fishes as pets since he could barely reach the top of the goldfish bowl; he has been successfully breeding and trading fish with local shops since he was 9 years old.  Over the past four decades plus he has specialized mainly in miniature fishes, and has had successful spawns from various miniature fishes totaling nearly 450 species from 32 families of fish.  He currently owns a small fish hatchery and maintains about 3000 gallons divided into 100 tanks.  He is the top ranked breeder of all time in the Missouri Aquarium Society, Inc. (MASI) BAP and the top ranked aquatic horticulturist of all time in MASI’s HAP with over 300 submissions from 50 families, including more than a dozen by seed.  He is an ALA Century Breeder, with over 100 species of Livebearers spawned.  He credits his success to large regular water changes, keeping live plants in every tank and culturing and feeding an assortment of live foods daily for feeding his breeding stock and for growing the fry of these diverse fish.

Over the past three plus decades, Mike has given well over 325 talks to classes, clubs, groups and conventions all over the USA and Canada, has documented many of his keeping and spawning successes in over 300 articles published in hobby publications around the world, and he has had two books on live foods published by TFH Publications.

 

 

 

 

 

March 17, 2020         General Meeting 7 PM Beaumont Room

Water Gardening in a Pot!  Learn to divide, what kind of soil to use, what plants to add in pots for gorgeous creations!

Rita Zietz, a SLWGS member and previous board member for many years, became interested in water gardening in 2002 when they build their pond (12 x 5 with small waterfall). Lots of trial and error but it was a fabulous learning experience! Rita has a wealth of knowledge and information of gardens, plants and flowers. She is a member of the Kirkwood Garden Club and the Ikebana Society of St Louis. Rita has been involved in many flower shows throughout the area. She became a  Master Gardener in 2009 and currently volunteers at St. Louis Greenhouse Plant Society’s greenhouse in south county.  The Greenhouse has  two small “ponds” within the greenhouse which we maintain over the winter, dividing and repotting plants to get ready for our plant sale first weekend in May. 

 

Special Private Tour for SLWGS members!

 

 

 

 

April 21, 2020            General Meeting 7 PM Beaumont Room

GOING ONCE! TWICE! SOLD!!!

May 18, 202            General Meeting 7 PM CBEC #125 Dogwood Room

SLWGS Auction!  Great time to purchase plants, decor, and related garden items for our Pond-O-Rama tour!  Come for food, friendship, and fun! Members …….keep the auction in mind and bring those wonderful things you want to share!

Celebrate our Anniversary year with great speakers!

The 20th Anniversary Tour of Pond-O-Rama 2020 is June 27-28, 2020, from 9-5 pm each day.

If you are interested in being a host on our 20th Anniversary tour,  please fill out this form (click here) or email Ginny Mueller, vcmueller16@gmail.com if you have previously been on a Pond-O-Rama tour.

Advertisers: Interested in advertising in our Anniversary edition of our ticket book this year?  Click here to complete the form, or if you wish to keep your previous year’s ad location, email Ginny, vcmueller16@gmail.com.

 What a wonderful year to celebrate our members, advertisers, and contractors and the beautiful water features they create!