Keep your pond pristine all year round with these pond care tips for summer. The plants and water may need a little refresh, so use these tips to keep your pond is looking great.
Top it up
When the water warms up a little, it is normal for the water to turn a little green. But, if there is a good balance of plants and water this can soon become clear again. If your pond doesn’t have a filtration or pump system, it’s even more crucial to keep on top of your pond care.
The heat of summer can also cause the pond water to evaporate, so top it up to get it back to a good level.
It’s ideal to use rainwater collected in a water butt regularly to keep it topped up.
If you don’t have access to a rainwater, tap water can be used. If doing this, leave it in a container for 24 hours before adding it to the pond is best. This will allow any chemicals from the tap water like chlorine to evaporate.
Freshen it up
Keep an eye out for any decaying foliage such as water lily leaves, remove these as and when they appear. The decaying vegetation can lead to the water turning green and an increase in nitrogen levels, and make the pond smell.
Pond algae and blanketweed can cause dense mats of growth which can spread and even harm life in the pond due to deoxygenation.
Pond algae is very common in ponds that are in full sun with not much in the shape of shelter from above to protect the surface from sun.
They can be removed by hand or by twirling the algae out of the pond using a long bamboo cane. However these fixes are only short term solutions, so it’s best to assess the conditions of your pond. and consider how to improve it. You’ll then decrease the likelihood of algae growing.
Pick out plants
Oxygenating plants like water crowfoot are essential in ponds to keep the water clean. But sometimes they need a bit of maintenance.
For example, hornwort is submerged, and is well suited to a pond in a sunny or partially shaded spot. Summer is the time to reduce the volume of oxygenating plants like hornwort. Although they are good for keeping the water clean, you don’t want them to take over.
Weed between marginal plants that are grown around the edge of your pond, just like you would in the beds and borders. Take out any unwanted plants or shoots. It may be easiest to remove the containers that these plants are growing in to give you the best access. They can then be weeded or divided and replanted back in the water.
There are plenty of practical and pretty plants to be grown in your pond, to keep the water fresh and oxygenated, and keeping on top of it all year round will keep the water clean and safe for pondlife to access and shelter in. With these top tips for summer pond care, your garden will continue to look great.
David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.
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