Aquatics in Spring - A Pond Maintenance OverviewIt is time to take a look at the principle feature of many gardens - the pond. After winter the pond appears with clear water, untidy looking plants and lethargic fish. Attention to various aspects of the pond now will pay dividends later in the year.
The first thing is to check all electrical equipment for any problems. (Ensure that a circuit breaker is fitted and that power is switched off before servicing electrical items.) If unusre what to do, seek professional advice. Check all cables and plugs for wear, breaks, water damage and dead fuses. Rectify or remedy any faults found. Make sure the pump is working properly by immersing in a bucket of water (never run a pump dry). Check for any wear, movement or excessive noise. Replace the impellor if worn and replace or rinse all pre-filter sponges. Asses the condition of all hoses running from pumps to filter boxes, features and back to the pond. Replace any brittle or tired hose and double check all connections for weeping or ageing. Replace the UV lamp in the filter unit (this should be replaced every year). Rinse out all sponges in pond water. Where a filter has been switched off for winter, it must be given a thorough rinsing to remove all dead bacteria and rubbish. A commercial starter culture will be required to help kick start the bacterial activity in the pond again.
Clean out any streams, waterways, pools, waterfalls of all debris that could be washed into the pond, especially if they were not running over winter.
Large clumps or Iris, Sedges and Lilies may need dividing and replanting, usually every three or four years. Trim off all dead, decaying material and feed lilies with food tablets pushed into the soil near the crown. Most of the other marginal plants are best left undisturbed except for the removal of all dead and decaying matter. New plants should be positioned in aquatic baskets lined with hessian and filled with aquatic compost. A layer of pea gravel around the plants helps to retain the soil. When choosing new plants careful consideration must be given to their eventual natural size growth habit.
Any accumulations of dead and decaying matter in the bottom of the pond may be carefully removed with a net. Only clean the entire pond out of debris if there is much more than 75mm (3 inches) deep. A partial water change may be beneficial, remembering to add tap water treatment on topping up the pond. The addition of barley straw bales now will help to discourage algae and blanket weed later in the year. Check the health of the pond water by using a proprietary pond test kit and make any adjustments necessary according to manufacturer's directions.
The fish will be more obvious and less lethargic. Feeding may resume with a wheatgerm based food until the temperature rises above 10c/15c when foods with a higher protein content should be introduced. Cover the pond with a net to discourage herons and other unwelcome visitors.
Self contained water features may be brought out, given a good clean and set up ready for the balmy summer weather.
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