About
This blog is all about wildlilfe garden ponds: how to make them, how to look after them and the just amazing wildlife that lives in them.
And I’ll probably stray into stuff about ponds out in the big wide world, too.
There are a lot of ponds out there, and they need all the help they can get – not just in our back gardens.
December 18, 2008 at 8:27 pm |
This is a great blog. It challenges all the received wisdom on pond maintenance and gives some good practical tips too. Keep up the good work.
December 19, 2008 at 11:37 am |
Hi Steve
Thanks for your kind comments. My plans are to keep the blog going long-term as we learn more about how to do the best for wetland wildlife in the garden.
Jeremy
January 18, 2009 at 6:36 pm |
Hi – just found your blog and hope to learn much more about ponds/wildlife. Had a pond created in my garden last summer and absolutely love it although I’ve still got lots to do with it – its pretty sparse so far with plants etc.
With that in mind, I was wondering if you could advise me on your best recommendations for oxygenators and also for surface floaters – i desperately need to add some shade and whilst I will, of course, be introducing some lilies, I am keen to learn about others I can use – water hawthorn seems like a good option but any advice/guidance would be hugely appreciated. Many thanks.
January 19, 2009 at 11:56 am |
Hi Brian – where is your pond – in the UK, or further afield?
Jeremy
January 19, 2009 at 7:49 pm |
Hi Jeremy,
It’s in the UK, the North of England to be more precise.
Regards,
Brian
February 2, 2009 at 3:36 pm |
Really glad I have been directed to this website. I have had a barrel pond in my garden for over 10 years and I love it. The water has been clear until this winter – now it’s cloudy, almost milky and I am worried for the frogs and wonder what has happened. I did cut the leaves and stalks of an arum (?) lily that is in the pond in a pot. The plant has been in there for two years, looked awful this autumn and I cut the foliage. It now looks a great deal worse. Do you think the sap from the plant has polluted the water? Shall I take the lily out – will that cure the problem? Any advice greatfuly received. Now just off to clear the snow from the pond.
I thought elodea crrispa would be ok for an oxygenator, until I read your blog – what do you recommend? I live in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire.
February 2, 2009 at 5:24 pm |
Hi Wendy – honest answer about the arum is…I really don’t know. You could try taking it out, but whether that’ll make any difference nobody could honestly tell you.
What garden centres sell as a plant called Elodea crispa (it’s often actually Curly Waterweed, Lagarosiphon major, not either of the Elodea species) produces oxygen, like all submerged plants and also like all ‘oxygenators’ uses it up in the dark. Algae growing in the water, and on the sides and bottom, also produce and use oxygen.
I recommend native species – I think the answer to Brian a few days ago has some suggestions.
If the pond is ice covered (when there could be risk of deoxygenation) the Elodea/Lagarosiphon may help by going on photosynthesising and so going on producing oxygen under the ice.
But bear in mind that this oxygen under ice phenomenon has been seen in just 1 pond. Mine! (and in some lakes in America). So we’ve no way of knowing yet whether its something that happends commonly.
February 17, 2009 at 4:54 pm |
Thanks Jeremy. I have taken the lily out of the pond but of course the water remains very cloudy, a milky grey. A little brown frog came with the lily in its overgrown pot but it soon jumped back into the pond. There is activity in the pond but not much, if any green plant life… Frogs peek just out of the water – sitting on bricks near the surface of the pond where I have some marginals.
What do you think I can do about the very cloudy water? I have added rainwater from my water butt. I could also look for oxygenators – native born ones. I couldn’t find the ones you thought you had mentioned to Brian – will take another look.
Wendy
February 18, 2009 at 7:54 am |
Hi Wendy
How about sending us a picture of the pond? It’s always easier to make suggestions if you can see what the pond looks like.
J
February 24, 2009 at 12:08 pm |
Hope you have got my pictures Jeremy….I sent them to your email address…
March 13, 2009 at 11:20 am |
Hello all!
I’ve never participated in a blog before, only the odd forum, and am therefore feeling a bit lost.
Over the last nine months or so I’ve taken-over tending to my parents small pond as they’re now too elderly. As a consequence, this is the first time I’ve been studying the pond closely at this time of year.
My initial query – I’m sure many more will follow! – regards some cretures I can’t ID in spite of hours on the internet and in books. I have photos but am unsure how to post them as I imagine it’ll be different from what I’m used to on a forum.
Any help or guidance would be appreciated!
Stuart (Oxford)
September 12, 2009 at 5:22 pm |
Hello there!
I have a small pond and I have had my first problem this year. The water is cloudy & milky. I read about idea ti take the water lily out. I have a small lily in the pond. I was wondering If I should try that? I don’t really go in for chemicals.
Rosina (Bristol)
September 12, 2009 at 11:51 pm |
Hi Rosina
I don’t know what’s causing the water to go cloudy and milky but these sorts of problems are usually down to water quality – usually an excess of nutrients.
If you have any pictures of the pond (send them to jbiggs@pondconservation.org.uk) I might be able to make some better suggestions.
Jeremy
September 13, 2009 at 1:02 pm |
Help please!
my new pond smells of sour milk!
It was made for me about 2 months ago.
it’s filled with rain water. it is 2′ deep at the centre and about 2×1.5m surface- it has a logpile next to it. It has lots of wiggly things- some kind of larvae I guess- water now looks quite black- I added some snails and weed from a local pond 2 wks ago.
September 13, 2009 at 8:45 pm |
Dear Ruth
Have you got any pictures of the pond – this helps when you’re trying to diagnose problems.
If you can send me something at jbiggs@pondconservation.org.uk I’ll see what suggestions I can make.
Jeremy
September 14, 2009 at 10:04 pm |
What do you think of geotextile overlays to help anchorage of plants and provide shelter for aquatic organisms? Good idea or bad idea?
I’ve never bothered with it before in 25 years of wildlife pondkeeping.
September 20, 2009 at 7:34 pm |
I sent you some pics, hope you got them!
April 18, 2010 at 5:39 pm |
update on wierd smell
you suggested I empty the pond and start again….this seemed a bit daunting so I decided to just wait and see, the smell started to go as soon as the cold weather came and now is gone completely. The water is clear now and being colonised by various buggy things I don’t know the name of, plus today I saw a frog and a pond snail.
April 19, 2010 at 7:27 am |
Hi Ruth
That’s good. Why not have a go at the Big Pond Dip 2010 when we re-launch it later in the spring?
It’ll give you a good idea of the state of your pond.
Jeremy
July 25, 2010 at 11:47 am |
Hi Jeremy… not sure if you’ve already seen it, but I just saw this article on the BBC News website and thought of your blog
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10752926
July 25, 2010 at 9:14 pm |
Hi Kieran – I didn’t see it until I read your message (have just got in from Game Fair). Thanks for letting me know.
Jerremy