fourfinches Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 We are planning to make a wildlife pond in the garden. I know many of you already have one. Has anyone any tips or suggestions of things to do or to avoid? Thanks morag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken on a mission Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 Make sure you site it where there is lots of light and there are no decidous tressor plants that will drop flowers etc into the pond. If there is you'll need to fish them out as when the rot down they upset the balance of the pond. You need to have easy access into and out of the pond for your wild visitors. Make sure the pond it at least 2 1/2-3ft deep so that it doesn't freeze in winter. Also I know a lot of people dont, but we always switch the pump off during the winter otherwise the pond water all mixes up and stays the same temperature. By switching it off, only the top layer will freeze and the bottom with stay warmer. Also make sure you have plenty of planting round the edge for them to hide in and provide damp the dampish conditions that both them and their food enjoy. We had a pile of rotting logs next to ours for a while too and that certainly helped. We also had plants in the pond to provide cover for the fish and frogs etc. After we made our pond, we only provided food for the first season and after that it has looked after iteslf. You could let yours settle for a year and then see if somebody will give you some frogspawn if you need it. I know that we get loads of the stuff and would gladly give some away if anyone needed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken on a mission Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 Oh dear I must start proof reading before I post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 We are planning to make a wildlife pond in the garden. I know many of you already have one. Has anyone any tips or suggestions of things to do or to avoid? Thanks morag we made one last year - you're welcome to come round and have a look anytime. one tip - when you've made it - get a couple of buckets from an established pond to kick-start the wildlife - you can have some from mine... another one - don't add fish! put it in good sunlight - not under a tree or with too much shade - that encourages algae another tip - get hubby to do all the digging - it's hard work! also - have a gently sloping end so the froggies can get out - and there are shallows where the water is warmer - and a deep end (mine's about 4ft I think) - so that it doesn't freeze over and the frogs can hibernate. tip a load of earth in - it will settle eventually make sure the liner is well padded underneath - old carpet is good and lots of sand... stops the sharp stones from puncturing it... Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 I'm feeling really tempted to do one myself now!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 We had one, but it bred so many mozzies that I had to empty it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 I'd love one, but our garden isn't big enough! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 it doesn't need to be very big, Martin - my neighbour has one that's about two-foot square in a log roll - it has tadpoles in it... Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 We have like a wild pot with flowers in for all the bees etc. I think if we moved a pond would be top of our lists! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
