Routine maintenance on your pond in the spring - summer months

A few tips to keep you occupied during the summer months!

All garden ponds require regular, simple maintenance to keep it looking good as well as to attract the wildlife that develop a working ecosystem. Deep ponds do tend to remain cleaner than shallow ones. Algae, particularly blanket weed tends to occur in newer ponds where a balanced ecosystem.

has not yet been established or in one which is overstocked with fish. The best way to deal with algae growth on a pond, is to remove it on a regular basis. Use a net or a plastic rake to remove the filamentous weed. Barley straw has become a popular and environmentally friendly treatment for blanket weed. Submerge mesh bags of barley straw just below the water's surface in early spring (replace the straw when it turns black). Chemicals released when the straw decomposes, inhibits the growth of algae. Plants growing in a pond need to be maintained so that one species does not inhibit the growth of another. Fallen leaves or other plant debris need to be removed from water surface on a regular basis before it sinks and adds to the debris at the bottom of the pond. Remove fish (advisable to put fish in quarantine before introducing them to another pond) if they have bred and their numbers and size are greater than planned for the size pond. If a pond is over stocked fish become vulnerable to disease and stress.