Forum home› Talkback
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Talkback: Draining ponds

Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
in Talkback
I went into my greenhouse to sow some seeds the other day, opened up my half used compost and there to greet me was a Robin's nest with 4 eggs beautifully placed. Mum was'nt sitting on them at the time so I managed to retrieve some plants but she is back now so my other plants are getting a bit dry!!!
Luckily I have another greenhouse so I am working in that one for now.
I can see I am going to be a liitle pushed for space in a few weeks time when my Tomatoes, Beans and Sweetcorn are going to be grown on.
I feel quite honoured that my local friendly garden Robin has chosen to nest in my greenhouse.
«13

Posts

  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    how lovely jean, nothing sounds sweeter than a robins song.we have a long tailed tit nest cant wait to see the fledgelings.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    where i walk my dog,the council have done the same drained the pond[manmade] i to moaned my head of at the council as i said the same where do the frogs go as well as newts to spawn also the dragonflys etc.
    the council just said it needed to be tidyed up....[although it really looked very tidy to me and other residents say the same].
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Our pond is full of frog spawn and the many and varied daffodils have increased again this year. I just cut them down after flowering.
    Our o/door goldfish bowl was cleaned out at Easter.
    Thanks Dig In team - I've received my FREE pack. Ready, steady GO GO GO.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    My pond has also been drained but beacause I thought it had a leak. Over Christmas (during the freeze up) most of the water drained out and the big fish died. The little fish disappeared presumably with the water. The frog was still there and happy to be so. There were no leaks in the pond just that the water feature had come apart so the mystery continues. The pond is now refilled , the frog is back in ,the water lily has been divided and replaced. However I have not put any more fish in yet. All is well but the mystery of the disappearing water and fish continues, any ideas would be helpful. Thanks.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    We moved into this house last Novemeber. In the front garden is a well established, unlined pond that was dug out approximately 15 years ago. Originally meant to keep brown trout in, the pond is about 8m x 6m with and has a pump that brings water from the neighbouring burn up to the pond. This pump system has not been used for the last 10 years and some of the pipework is blocked and in need of lots of TLC. Our current problem is that as the ground has dried up after winter - the water table has dropped - and so has the level of the pond. 3/4 of pond surface area is now 'dry'. (Luckily frogspawn was laid in an offshoot that we are able to keep wet). The pond has a huge amount of Reed Mace in it - just coming up. So what do we do? Reinstate the old pump system and rely on the burn to keep pond topped up? (Not sure what goes into the burn up-stream)
    Put in a butyl liner - but would we have to remove ALL the reed mace roots before doing so? I have visions of the shoots puncturing the liner. We certainly did not want to drain this pond!!
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I drained our frog free pond last autumn,no life in there, so i put in 5 goldfish, [ my first ever].
    We now have the fish; a ton of spawn; and a pair of Newts,the pond has only 56 gallons of water, who will fare the best? I would like the fish to survive.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I tend to drain mine before the spawn hatches. This gets the pond ready for the year. I make sure i do it before or when spawn is in, so that i do not disturb the freshly hatched tadpoles.

    overall it is basically spring cleaning the pond :)
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    hi there people,well i have never cleaned my pond out and its at least 8yrs old,i top up with water and get leaves out,but do you really have to clean out as in the wild nobody does the ponds there......
    and also i cant now as there are tad-poles in there....
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    i know what you mean but depends on whether you have a nature pond or a fish one, mine is a fish one but frogs lay in there. so i move it to my small wildlife one. :)
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    i just have frogs,toads and newts no fish.so should i clean it out then???
Sign In or Register to comment.