But… decaying leaves can have a big impact on submerged plant growth and on dissolved oxygen. They decay into a gloopy black sediment that can’t support much plant or animal life (black colour in soils is nearly always an indicator of low oxygen levels). This is why most people advise you to limit the number of leaves falling into a pond. All ponds can cope with a certain amount of leaf fall into them and this is perfectly natural, but if you want to maintain a high quality pond – and especially if it’s small – I recommend clearing out any accumulation of leaves every second or third autumn. If your pond fills up with leaves every year, it’s in the wrong place and you should consider either building another pond elsewhere or taking some loppers to the offending vegetation.

Tristan

Check out my new blog at pondolive.wordpress.com

If you’re still after ponds to survey in Abingdon, then ours is open for inspection – it’s small and new.