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What weed/algae is this?

harvey669harvey669 Posts: 10
in Wildlife gardening
Hello,

my wildlife pond is developing through its first spring however has developed a thick green slime. 

From the pictures does this look like blanket weed and if so how is best to remove it?

regards

kris 


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Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It's pretty normal at this time of year as water warms up @harvey669. You can use a cane or stick and twizzle it in the water to remove it. Just leave it at the side so that any little creatures can get back in. 
    You'll find your pond will settle and adjust as time goes on though, especially once you have plenty of plants in there. Ones which provide shade on the surface are particularly useful, floating plants or those which are on a shelf or a deeper site so that their foliage is on the surface - like water lilies.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • harvey669harvey669 Posts: 10
    Ideal thanks fairy
    girl, I’ll get the stick out and remove some 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I find watercress quite handy to chuck in, as it feeds on the nutrients that things like blanketweed need in order to thrive. You can often buy a bag at the supermarket and it can just be thrown in. It'll roots around or float quite happily  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • TheGreenManTheGreenMan Posts: 1,957
    Definitely watercress. @Fairygirl mentioned it before so I gave it a go. Two weeks have gone by and half of it has roots already 👍🏼
  • harvey669harvey669 Posts: 10
    Are we talking about a bag of watercress from the salad department or more like the sort you’d grow?
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    One and the same @harvey669 That sold in most SM's in a bag have stems as well as the leaf"heads" so will rapidly produce roots once in water.  You can either put straight into your pond as temps are warming up or you can keep some indoors in a pot of water to start them off if you think it is still too cold where you are.
  • TheGreenManTheGreenMan Posts: 1,957
    edited April 2023
    harvey669 said:
    Are we talking about a bag of watercress from the salad department or more like the sort you’d grow?
    I got two bags from M&S and just threw it all in. 

    I fished out the bits that weren’t showing any roots or were starting to rot last week. 

    I have loads with long roots after two and bit weeks. 
  • TheGreenManTheGreenMan Posts: 1,957
    My local GC have it in the pond section; two for £12. 

    The two bags of water cress cost me about £3. Bargain. 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The problem I have just now is that my local s'market only has watercress mixed in with other lettuce etc. 
    Might have to save up and go to M&S then @TheGreenMan. I don't get a discount in there though  ;)

    I have some very shallow areas in my pond and there are little bits of it growing there again. The water's lovely and warm there. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • TheGreenManTheGreenMan Posts: 1,957
    Yes, get yourself to M&S 👍🏼

    Is this water cress?  It’s all over the pots and stones around my pond. 
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