Back to the shop today - more water testing. This time the pond water which still read 9Ph and the well water which is 7.5PH. So at least now we know that the well water which tops up the pond is not at fault. The fault seems to lie in the actual pond/water. We have a small amount of cement in the pond which is holding up the beach pebbles (not all of them, just a low wall of pebbles to stop the entire beach from sliding into the depth of the pond). Apart from that and the granite surround and the decaying pond plants there is nothing else in the pond apart from the well water.
We have bought a packet of the Blagdons PH adjuster from the shop to mix into the pond water and will hopefully have a better reading in a week or two.
As an after thought, would using garden soil in some of the aquatic baskets (3 or 4) affect the PH levels - I did mix some of it with aquatic mixture. The pebbles that we added had a sort of dusty substance on them - we didn't wash every single pebble - only some of them.
Back to the water testing shop again today and the PH is still too high. Tomorrow we are going to set up a test to see if the pebbles are at fault. They are Cornish cobbles in various sizes. We will have one bucket with washed pebbles, one with unwashed virgin pebbles and one with pebbles taken out of the pond. If these aren't causing the problem, then perhaps it is the cement that was used to prevent some of the pebbles from sliding into the pond that is the culprit. Whichever it is - surely the landscape gardeners (who have made ponds for previous clients) should have known or notified us that this may cause a problem.
However we aren't here to criticize but to rectify the problem as quickly as possible.
Resurrecting this topic - I am pleased to say after chucking numerous bags of water cress into our pond over the last couple of Spring/Summers we now have some very healthy clumps of the stuff. There is plenty of dead cress at the bottom of the pond - it took a while to take a hold and increase in size, but as the pictures will show you we have some success now, although I realize that it will probably die down in the winter, along with most other plants. Thank you for suggesting this - just what the surface of the pond needed..
Glad that's worked a bit for you GD Interesting that it took a while to get going - usually it takes over! Easy enough to pull out though. Mine seeds around too, so if you've had any flowers, you may find that it bursts into growth in all sorts of other places. It's very useful for providing a bit of shade too. It stays green for quite a long time here, so you might be able to keep it for a good bit yet before it dies back.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks guys, yes it did take a while to establish so I am pleased and surprised with just how healthy it looks now. I can't eat it, but I assume after a good wash it is edible even though it has grown in a pond (part well water, part mains tap water).
I don't see why you can't eat it GD - I've often thought the same. I have some in a big pot where I have a tiny waterlily, as it helped with the water shading initially. I take some out quite often, and I reckon it would be fine after a wash through. It's how it's grown commercially
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
Back to the shop today - more water testing. This time the pond water which still read 9Ph and the well water which is 7.5PH. So at least now we know that the well water which tops up the pond is not at fault. The fault seems to lie in the actual pond/water. We have a small amount of cement in the pond which is holding up the beach pebbles (not all of them, just a low wall of pebbles to stop the entire beach from sliding into the depth of the pond). Apart from that and the granite surround and the decaying pond plants there is nothing else in the pond apart from the well water.
We have bought a packet of the Blagdons PH adjuster from the shop to mix into the pond water and will hopefully have a better reading in a week or two.
As an after thought, would using garden soil in some of the aquatic baskets (3 or 4) affect the PH levels - I did mix some of it with aquatic mixture. The pebbles that we added had a sort of dusty substance on them - we didn't wash every single pebble - only some of them.
Back to the water testing shop again today and the PH is still too high. Tomorrow we are going to set up a test to see if the pebbles are at fault. They are Cornish cobbles in various sizes. We will have one bucket with washed pebbles, one with unwashed virgin pebbles and one with pebbles taken out of the pond. If these aren't causing the problem, then perhaps it is the cement that was used to prevent some of the pebbles from sliding into the pond that is the culprit. Whichever it is - surely the landscape gardeners (who have made ponds for previous clients) should have known or notified us that this may cause a problem.
However we aren't here to criticize but to rectify the problem as quickly as possible.
Did you try the vinegar test I mentioned a while back?
Drip some vinegar onto the rocks, if there's any fizzing they're not suitable
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Interesting that it took a while to get going - usually it takes over! Easy enough to pull out though.
Mine seeds around too, so if you've had any flowers, you may find that it bursts into growth in all sorts of other places. It's very useful for providing a bit of shade too.
It stays green for quite a long time here, so you might be able to keep it for a good bit yet before it dies back.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I have some in a big pot where I have a tiny waterlily, as it helped with the water shading initially. I take some out quite often, and I reckon it would be fine after a wash through. It's how it's grown commercially
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...