Native wildlife pond

lillydee · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 10 May 2011 Posts: 9

Hi guys

Read a great post here about ponds but was wondering if I could some more info on wildlife ponds!

I'm thinking of starting a small native pond in our garden and want to attract as many bugs as possible Smile

Favourites being dragonflies, pond skaters and boatsmen!

If you had to choose the top 5 most beneficial native aquatic plants what would they be and why? (Keeping in mind it's a small pond), and I'd like to include something below the surface to oxygenate the water.

Thanks all Smile

kindredspirit · Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 6:16 pm Post subject:

Canary Reed Grass.
Bulrushes.
Weeping Sedge.
Water Mint.
Loddon Lily.

They can all be planted just under the water level, which will help to cleanse the water. Totally submerged "oxgenators" are over vamped IMO.

As they're native, they'd all like to take over your pond so you'll have to plant them in containers to restrict their ambitions.

ponddigger · Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 8:09 pm Post subject:

hi lillylee.will you post some photos of you wildlife pond cons .jack

Noknowgrow · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 15 Mar 2012 Posts: 14

can I jump in here also and ask what plants are the best for cleaning the water in a pond? mine is 1/2 acre and ive just finished removing a pile of pond weed from it and its not very clean. we have loads of frogs and newts living in and around it along with a family of moorhens and I would like to make it as clean as possible.

medieval knievel · Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 8:27 am Post subject:

i'm planning on digging a garden pond at some point, but the garden is subject to flooding to an inch or two deep. i suspect i'll have to raise the sides of the pond to stop it from becoming part of a much larger pond when this happens - or would an occasional overflow cause much problems (e.g. the wildlife escaping!).

kindredspirit · Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2013 8:01 pm Post subject:

kindredspirit · Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2013 8:10 pm Post subject:

Noknowgrow · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 15 Mar 2012 Posts: 14

inflow comes from a drainage ditch in the land and the outflow goes down along the drainage ditches of the neighbours farms so not a lot of flow. we bought the place last year and i only got around to clearing the outflow drain this winter so fingers crossed that might help with the pond weed issue. reeds are in place and in the summer they take over about half the pond and i was thinking of trying to get rid of a load of them next year as im too busy this year still trying to sort out the lawn and veg garden to reclaim it back from the jungle it was. i read somewhere you can thin out reeds by hand pulling is this true? i'm not shy of the work load but i don't want to waste a week and have them come back the following year just as bad

kindredspirit · Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 5:56 am Post subject:

For that size of a pond, I'd be inclined to use a Hymac. The Hymac would clear weeds, reeds and muck for you. Dump all the stuff at the side of the pond initially, for the wildlife to get back into the water. Then put a pile of water lilies in.

medieval knievel · Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 8:39 am Post subject:

Eamon · Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 7:51 pm Post subject:

I watched Monty Don the other night in a segment about ponds. He recommended using barley straw - it reacts chemically with the algae. Might be worth further research.

kindredspirit · Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 7:58 pm Post subject:

Bales of barley work. The best for clearing algae though are Grass Carp. The only problem is that they won't last long in an open pond with herons flying by. Ooooh! Look! Lunch!

Noknowgrow · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 15 Mar 2012 Posts: 14

A himac really isn't a option as getting a lo-loader down to my place would be close to impossible. I have thought about fabricating a rake type device and attaching it to a heavy duty wench and scraping it out but not sure if that would just distribute the reeds further around the pond. Grass carp sound like a nice addition there are/were a few goldfish in there but I haven't seen them in a while they may be there they may be gone but I haven't seen a heron around here at all since we moved in. Any ideas where a man might get a few carp? It might be worth putting in a few to see how they get on.

tippben · Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 11:50 am Post subject:

I like the idea of a "heavy duty wench". You could sit on a deck chair sipping cocktails, while she mucks about in chest waders! "Missed a bit..." I so hope my wife doesn't see this post.

Sive · Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 1:25 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the laugh, tippben...hahahhaa...will carry that lovely image with me as I get back out into the garden after my lunch.......SO much to catch up with out there, but a stunning day here in Wexford, so a few hours of hard work ahead before I limp back indoors this evening.
Heavy duty wench indeed.......