When is a good time to sort out the pond?

Hi - probably the best time to clear your pond is in September-October, when the young spring things have mostly grownup and the hibernating has not begun. It is best if you can to do it quickly, like in one day, and find a way to save all the water and put it back again along with some of the plants. These things help reduce disturbance. Whenever you do it, something will be happening if yours is a healthy pond, but late summer causes the least disturbance. So it may be difficult to do this before next year, but you could clear out some of the mud and dead leaves etc now. They say you should leave beside the pond anything you take out so any pond people can find their way back to the water - most pond inhabitants are amphibian, geared to water or air. Anything you see as you clear, like tiny newts, the coiled water snails etc, you can pop back as you go. If you have water snails like conch shells, these tend to eat your frogspawn etc, but the coiled ones are very good and help keep the water clean. If you want to cement the bars now to keep your children safe, why not simply clean the pond as gently as you can (once it has thawed) as it might be your last chance? You might find a male frog hibernating in the mud but dont be alarmed, he breathes through his skin. Good luck, Frances

Mamf said:

Hello,

We have just moved house and there is an existing small pond. We would like to keep it but have two small children so want to put bars across it to stop them falling in. I thought at the same time I do this I should clean it out as it looks more like a stagnant pool of dead things than a healthy pond. I am just concerned that if I do it now there may be things hibernating around the edges but if I leave it till Spring then it may get full of live things???

Has anyone advice on timing and also how to clean it out i.e. do I get rid of all sludge or is some a good  thing?

 

Thanks

hello ,

having 3 pond in my garden i usually clean them out during may and october...my ponds hold Koi Carp and other small goldfish etc... there is plants in all ponds but the smallist is often left alone and cleaned if weed and plantlife gets to much of a problem this pond is around 3 feet x 3 feet by 3 feet and i use it for breeding my koi's and growing them on... my second pond 6 x4 x 3 feet holds goldfish and unsaleable koi and is cleaned in may and again in october at same time i clean all filters...

my large pond is 12 feet by 12 feet by 6 feet and held 19 large koi up to 28 inches this would be cleaned every  month during may to end october to remove waste.. the filters would be cleaned every two months and  left alone from october untill 1 may as were the other pools..

apart from the large pond, i have frog, toads and other insect life in my ponds some of which overwinters in them, sadly not much gets let alone in the large pond by the koi so very rarely see over wintering wildlife in it.. as with any pond good hygiene is important as is a right balance of healthy bacteria for the well being of your fish stock...

Sounds lovely but hard work Kestrel.

Mine is just a little tiny wildlife pond for the frogs, I usually do it in March, not a very nice job as all the leaves make it stink.

:-P

i use a pondvat i brought from local garden centre the muck does the garden good the roses like it anyway