there are borders close to edge so dug shallow trenches and filled with pebbles. Topped up the two baskets I could reach with grit. Will check the larger one today.
Foolio comments about tap water were interesting - Our pond has always suffered quite badly from blanket weed (like a green slimy stuff that lies just under the surface) At the beginning of last year I diverted some of the water from our roof to flow into the pond at one end and then back out of the pond at the other side and into the drain, the idea being to keep the pond freshed with rain water rather than topping it up with the hose. The volumes are huge, I estimate about 40 ton of rain water will go into the pond anally.
Anyway, this year we have had no blanket weed whatsoever, not even a tiny bit - instead I think we have "Duckweed ? (a small leaf with a root dangling into the water) I keep reducing it but it does seem quite happy, hope its not going to be a nusiance.
I built my pond about 30yrs ago 12' x 8'. Has a bio-filter and slate waterfall and a 30yr old lilly.
I tried stick twirling etc which helps. The lilly also now covers about 60% of the surface by late summer which now helps a lot. But I did have a big problem in the early days.
I was advised to try Cloverleaf blanket weed destroyer and much to my surprise it works amazingly well. Doesn't affect fish/plants or filters but within 3-4 days most of the blanket weed was dead. Of course you have to be careful not to introduce a further problem with a pond full of dead vegetation, so get rid of as much of the dead stuff as you can. There's another product under the Cloverleaf brand that also gets rid of the dead blanket weed if needed - I've not needed to use this.
I dose works for the whole season. I change 10% water every couple of weeks - doesn't affect how it works.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Pond Wizard is absolutely useless - total waste of money. Two doses and algae still keeps coming back. Followed instructions to the letter - cleared algae out before dosing and came back within a week!! Really cross with myself for being duped. Going to try the watercress, even if doesn't work it is a far cheaper mistake!
It takes a while to get rid of it naturally but go with the guidance I gave above and you'll get there. It's not an over night fix - it's a long term thing that eventually provides a harmonious pond
Watercress works very well. I've always used it and it couldn't be easier - just chuck it in as Foolio says. If it roots anywhere you don't want it, it's easy to pull out. If it's a big pond and you can't reach all areas easily, you can always put it in a basket to keep it contained. It works because it absorbs the nutrients that the blanket weed feeds on.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
Many thanks Foolio
there are borders close to edge so dug shallow trenches and filled with pebbles. Topped up the two baskets I could reach with grit. Will check the larger one today.
Foolio comments about tap water were interesting - Our pond has always suffered quite badly from blanket weed (like a green slimy stuff that lies just under the surface) At the beginning of last year I diverted some of the water from our roof to flow into the pond at one end and then back out of the pond at the other side and into the drain, the idea being to keep the pond freshed with rain water rather than topping it up with the hose. The volumes are huge, I estimate about 40 ton of rain water will go into the pond anally.
Anyway, this year we have had no blanket weed whatsoever, not even a tiny bit - instead I think we have "Duckweed ? (a small leaf with a root dangling into the water) I keep reducing it but it does seem quite happy, hope its not going to be a nusiance.
Some very good advice above.
I built my pond about 30yrs ago 12' x 8'. Has a bio-filter and slate waterfall and a 30yr old lilly.
I tried stick twirling etc which helps. The lilly also now covers about 60% of the surface by late summer which now helps a lot. But I did have a big problem in the early days.
I was advised to try Cloverleaf blanket weed destroyer and much to my surprise it works amazingly well. Doesn't affect fish/plants or filters but within 3-4 days most of the blanket weed was dead. Of course you have to be careful not to introduce a further problem with a pond full of dead vegetation, so get rid of as much of the dead stuff as you can. There's another product under the Cloverleaf brand that also gets rid of the dead blanket weed if needed - I've not needed to use this.
I dose works for the whole season. I change 10% water every couple of weeks - doesn't affect how it works.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Pond Wizard is absolutely useless - total waste of money. Two doses and algae still keeps coming back. Followed instructions to the letter - cleared algae out before dosing and came back within a week!! Really cross with myself for being duped. Going to try the watercress, even if doesn't work it is a far cheaper mistake!
It takes a while to get rid of it naturally but go with the guidance I gave above and you'll get there. It's not an over night fix - it's a long term thing that eventually provides a harmonious pond
Watercress works very well. I've always used it and it couldn't be easier - just chuck it in as Foolio says. If it roots anywhere you don't want it, it's easy to pull out. If it's a big pond and you can't reach all areas easily, you can always put it in a basket to keep it contained. It works because it absorbs the nutrients that the blanket weed feeds on.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...