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lillydee Rank attained: Hazel Tree

Joined: 10 May 2011 Posts: 9
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Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 5:24 pm Post subject: Native wildlife pond |
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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 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
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kindredspirit Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 10 Nov 2008 Posts: 2300 Location: Mid-west.
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Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 6:16 pm Post subject: |
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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.
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ponddigger Rank attained: Orchard owner

Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 734 Location: co tipp
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Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 8:09 pm Post subject: |
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hi lillylee.will you post some photos of you wildlife pond cons .jack
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Noknowgrow Rank attained: Hazel Tree

Joined: 15 Mar 2012 Posts: 14
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Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 9:14 pm Post subject: |
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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.
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medieval knievel Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 1010
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Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 8:27 am Post subject: |
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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!).
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kindredspirit Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 10 Nov 2008 Posts: 2300 Location: Mid-west.
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Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2013 8:01 pm Post subject: |
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Noknowgrow wrote: | 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. |
A half an acre pond is brilliant.
Where does the inflow come from and what happens to excess water? If there was a good flow of water from a stream, it would be self cleaning. If there's no movement in the water, then it'll fill up with weed. Water Lilies covering a large part of the surface would help to stop pond weed from growing because they'll block out the light in the summer. You'll need a lot of water lilies, though.
I heard a good idea the other day for cleaning out large ponds. A 2" hose on a farmer's vacuum tank. Haven't tried it myself but it sounds ace.
Reeds would be very good for cleaning the water on a large pond. However, they'll try to eventually take over, although that would take a few years. Reeds and Sallies are used for septic tank percolation areas in very wet areas.
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A little garden in Co. Limerick. Some non-gardening photographs. |
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kindredspirit Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 10 Nov 2008 Posts: 2300 Location: Mid-west.
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Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2013 8:10 pm Post subject: |
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medieval knievel wrote: | 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!). |
Can you not put a drain in your garden to stop flooding? Just wondering.
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A little garden in Co. Limerick. Some non-gardening photographs. |
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Noknowgrow Rank attained: Hazel Tree

Joined: 15 Mar 2012 Posts: 14
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Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2013 9:43 pm Post subject: |
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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
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kindredspirit Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 10 Nov 2008 Posts: 2300 Location: Mid-west.
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Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 5:56 am Post subject: |
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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.
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A little garden in Co. Limerick. Some non-gardening photographs. |
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medieval knievel Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 1010
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Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 8:39 am Post subject: |
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kindredspirit wrote: | Can you not put a drain in your garden to stop flooding? Just wondering. |
there is a french drain already in the garden, according to the previous owner - but since the house is built near an underground river, it's not something easily fixed. drains quickly though, because there is a surface drain the water can drain into.
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Eamon Rank attained: Hazel Tree


Joined: 29 Sep 2012 Posts: 38 Location: Sligo
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Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 7:51 pm Post subject: |
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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.
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kindredspirit Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 10 Nov 2008 Posts: 2300 Location: Mid-west.
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Noknowgrow Rank attained: Hazel Tree

Joined: 15 Mar 2012 Posts: 14
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Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 9:57 pm Post subject: |
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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.
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tippben Rank attained: Vegetable garden tender
Joined: 15 Jan 2011 Posts: 921 Location: north tipperary
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Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 11:50 am Post subject: |
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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.
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Sive Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 18 Apr 2008 Posts: 1731 Location: Co.Wexford
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Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 1:25 pm Post subject: |
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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.......
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