Ponds are a great addition to any garden, as they encourage wildlife and a wide variety of flora. However, lots of families think that there is a lot of maintenance and hard work that comes with a garden pond. But that actually isn’t the case! Sure, you need to make sure that your pond stays as healthy as possible, but this is relatively easy to do. Especially when you follow these great tips.
Different Depths
Ideally, your pond shouldn’t be too deep or too shallow. You need to try and install a pond that has different depths so that a lot of different pond life and plants will come and inhabit it. If possible, the middle of the pond should be the deepest point, and the edges should come up to just under the surface of the water.
No Fish
Lots of people add fish to their ponds as it makes the pond even more attractive. However, if you also want to see other natural wildlife in your pond, like newts and frogs, you shouldn’t add any fish. That’s because the fish won’t mix well with other creatures. You should choose between adding fish or encouraging other wildlife to your pond.
Don’t Tidy It Too Much
It’s true that you need to tidy out your pond, but this only needs to be done once a year. In fact, if you over tidy the pond, you could actually damage the habitat that has built up in it. Don’t worry if your pond looks slightly messy or untidy because there are a lot of different plants and flowers in it – that’s actually a good sign! A mixture of stones, plants, and twigs gives wildlife and pond life lots of things to live in once winter comes.
Don’t Add Tap Water
Lots of people top up their pond by adding tap water to it. However, this should be avoided as tap water contains high levels of nitrates and other nutrients. These chemicals and extra nutrients will encourage the water to turn green and algae to develop. Don’t worry if you think that your pond is getting too shallow, especially in summer. It is normal for pond levels to fluctuate, and yours will fill up once again when it rains. But if your pond does get dangerously low, add a filter like Oase aquamax along with some tap water. The filter will be able to neutralise the tap water.
Balance Shade And Sunshine
You need to have some shade around the pond from trees and bushes, as this will be good for the wildlife that lives in the pond. However, if you create too much shade, you will end up making the pond too dark for plants to grow in it. Once plants start to die, they will decay, and all of their organic matter will float to the bottom of the pond, which can pollute the water. So, make sure that parts of the pond are shaded, while others get plenty of sunshine.
Hopefully, your pond can now thrive!