Pond.

Posts

• madpenguin Posts: 2,543

  March 2023

  It does to a certain degree but can depend on size,placement etc of the pond.
  I use Cloverleaf Blanket Answer in mine which gives excellent results.

  “Every day is ordinary, until it isn't.” - Bernard Cornwell-Death of Kings

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• Redwing Posts: 1,511

  March 2023

  I have had success with barley straw but you do have to remove as much blanket weed as you can before introducing the straw.  Barley straw will not eliminate thick blanketweed from a severely affected pond.  We usually clear out as much as we can in early to mid spring, then introduce the straw by placing it in mesh bags.  It's usually enough to keep the blanketweed in check throughout the growing season.  In autumn we remove the old barley straw and sometimes put another mesh bag in with fresh straw. Then start again in spring: it's an ongoing task to keep the blanketweed under control.

  Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.

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• SueAtoo Posts: 380

  March 2023

  You could also put watercress (from supermarket) in a pond basket half sunk in the pond to absorb nitrate (or nitrite, not sure which).

  East Dorset, new (to me) rather neglected garden.

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• bertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697

  March 2023

  We have used cut "large" grass from the orchard and put into a bundle and dropped into the pond. It does work.
  

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• bcpathome Posts: 1,313

  March 2023

  I have used the liquid barley straw ,that works sort of ,but the best thing is water cress just bunged in and left to float .It will rot down eventually and my pond has never been so clear ,right to the bottom . I should point out that it’s not an enormous pond so if yours is ,don’t know how much you’d need of watercress.

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• Fairygirl Posts: 55,117

  March 2023

  I've often recommended watercress. Just chuck in a bunch- a bag from the supermarket is fine. It'll root as it goes, or float, depending on how, and where, it spreads. Easy enough to pull out if it gets too thuggish 
  Most barley straw used now is in a processed form, as in the type @bcpathome, and many others, have used, rather than using straw in it's natural state.  It's easier for the majority of people.
  It also depends on the size of the pond. It's not uncommon for those with very large ones to just chuck in a bale. The problem with that is that the string is left in the pond so you need a way of removing it.  For smaller ponds, you'd do as @Redwing describes. 

  It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
  
  
  
  I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...

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