I shook my head when I saw that dye being used on GW. Was the presenter on commission? Ponds just do not need chemical intervention. Algae blooms won't do any harm, nor will blanket weed. They are part of the natural process of a new pond and will disappear once the higher plants take hold, even with a pond in full sun. Not that I need to tell that to other posters to this thread. It just amazes me how us humans feel the need for total control...
I guess they are really, strongly, encouraging the public - all the public - to put in a pond, as we have lost such a high percentage over the last century. It has reached critical proportions. People are put off by the thought of having to manage weed (I was, a bit). They probably get a lot enquiries about it and they hear what makes people think twice. I would say, personally, as an env-ist, if a drop of dye encourages the UK to put in ponds, then great. We so desperately need more habitat for frogs, newts, toads, insects etc. Radical steps for the public need to be fairly easy, quick fixes at this point, good for total novices who know nothing about managing wildlife habitats or gardens. I think that the GW "projects you can do in a weekend" is a great idea. Build a log pile, 2 minute litter pick, leave some grass long, cut a holes in your fence, plant a buddleia, put some water in a cut barrel. GW ratings are around 2 million, and Springwatch is around the same. If even 2000 people feel inspired enough to put in a pond, that's a great result in my book. My two cents.
I hope this isn't going off on too much of a tangent for the thread.
It seems to me that it's the sort of product that might well be used when building a pond for a garden show such as Chelsea or for displays at garden centres when there's not the opportunity for the pond to develop a balance and the water would otherwise turn green.
Not for a permanent garden pond
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Why go out and buy that for the pond when all you need to do is go out and buy some plants, I bought all my oxygenators from eBay originally, very cheap., that s all you need.
I pull mine out now by the bin fulls and put it on the compost heap, it's amazing how quickly it grows and spreads.
Gardeners World, like this site, is sponsored by ads and they want you to buy these products, it's what pays for GW.
Of course companies will try to sell they're products where they can, and what better programme than that to advertise on.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
But if you're building a pond at Chelsea one week to be on display to the public the following week the last thing you want is for it to have that first algal bloom ...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Posts
I shook my head when I saw that dye being used on GW. Was the presenter on commission? Ponds just do not need chemical intervention. Algae blooms won't do any harm, nor will blanket weed. They are part of the natural process of a new pond and will disappear once the higher plants take hold, even with a pond in full sun. Not that I need to tell that to other posters to this thread. It just amazes me how us humans feel the need for total control...
I guess they are really, strongly, encouraging the public - all the public - to put in a pond, as we have lost such a high percentage over the last century. It has reached critical proportions. People are put off by the thought of having to manage weed (I was, a bit). They probably get a lot enquiries about it and they hear what makes people think twice. I would say, personally, as an env-ist, if a drop of dye encourages the UK to put in ponds, then great. We so desperately need more habitat for frogs, newts, toads, insects etc. Radical steps for the public need to be fairly easy, quick fixes at this point, good for total novices who know nothing about managing wildlife habitats or gardens. I think that the GW "projects you can do in a weekend" is a great idea. Build a log pile, 2 minute litter pick, leave some grass long, cut a holes in your fence, plant a buddleia, put some water in a cut barrel. GW ratings are around 2 million, and Springwatch is around the same. If even 2000 people feel inspired enough to put in a pond, that's a great result in my book. My two cents.
I hope this isn't going off on too much of a tangent for the thread.
Last edited: 06 June 2017 22:59:32
It seems to me that it's the sort of product that might well be used when building a pond for a garden show such as Chelsea or for displays at garden centres when there's not the opportunity for the pond to develop a balance and the water would otherwise turn green.
Not for a permanent garden pond
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Why go out and buy that for the pond when all you need to do is go out and buy some plants, I bought all my oxygenators from eBay originally, very cheap., that s all you need.
I pull mine out now by the bin fulls and put it on the compost heap, it's amazing how quickly it grows and spreads.
Gardeners World, like this site, is sponsored by ads and they want you to buy these products, it's what pays for GW.
Of course companies will try to sell they're products where they can, and what better programme than that to advertise on.
But if you're building a pond at Chelsea one week to be on display to the public the following week the last thing you want is for it to have that first algal bloom ...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Exactly Lyn!!
Dove don't spoil it, we're having a good moan
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Now Victor really could moan