Filthy inherited pond, with newts and froglets

Greengardener? · #1 (**permalink**) 04-07-2008, 12:46 PM

Hello,

I am really hoping some of you experienced guys can help me. I have inherited a pond in the garden of the new house I have moved into. However, the garden has been very neglected, and there is a lot of rubbish in my pond (including what looks like an old radiator, polystyrene box and a lot of glass from what looks like a fish tank).

I also have a lot of froglets, and I think I may have newts, although I am less certain about this, but the tadpoles are still around and look more 'newty'. I really want to keep them, as I intend to use the garden to grow some vegetables organically, and they will be great pest control. I also don't intend to keep fish, due to the vast numbers of very unafraid herons there are here.

As you can tell, the pond really needs a good clean, but I am worried that if I do this I will disturb the newts and other wildlife. It is also in desperate need of some oxygenating plants, but I think that I have also missed the boat on getting these in the pond as well, due to the season. I guess the wildlife cannot mind the filth too much, or they wouldn't be there, but I want to know that I am doing my absolute best for them.

I have also kept much of the vegetation in the garden, so that the frogs have something to hide and hunt in, and intend to dig up the land once they are bigger and much less vulnerable. As I intend to grow organically, this will not be a problem for the future, and I intend to keep the area around the pond for ornamental plants. If there is any advice on good wildlife planting available, then that would also be great. At the moment, it is a lot of bindweed and ground elder, so anything else would be preferable!

I am a bit of a pond newbie, as I grew up in a house where my mother was a childminder, so we were never allowed water outside. Therefore any help and advice, as well as tips and information on what I can provide to give them the best overwintering chances that I can would be really gratefully received. I am delighted that I have this fantastic resource, and wealth of wildlife, so I really do want to ensure that they are here for generations to come.

Many thanks

Greengardener?

Kayleigh · #2 (**permalink**) 04-07-2008, 03:09 PM

Hi Greengardener ane welcome to WAB.

I would try to get out the debris ie the polystyrene ect and leave everything else until October, before everything starts to hibernate for the winter.
Then get everything out, I would even change the liner and start again. As the glass will need removing and it is a hazard for wildlife.

Is it a flexible liner you have.

Greengardener? · #3 (**permalink**) 04-07-2008, 03:30 PM

Hello Kayleigh(or should it be Elaine? /confused), and thanks for the reply.

There is no liner, the pond is made of concrete of some sort, and I think the last person(s) that lived here were using it as a dustbin.

Do you also have any tips for materials I can provide to help them all hibernate please?

I am really grateful for the help.

GG

Kayleigh · #4 (**permalink**) 04-07-2008, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greengardener?

Hello Kayleigh(or should it be Elaine? /confused), and thanks for the reply.

There is no liner, the pond is made of concrete of some sort, and I think the last person(s) that lived here were using it as a dustbin.

Do you also have any tips for materials I can provide to help them all hibernate please?

I am really grateful for the help.

GG

When you have removed all the glass

You could put a bag of aquatic compost in the bottom as toads will hibernate at the bottom, I think some newts do as well. Lots of dense planing around the pond and borders with log piles will help too.

Kayleigh is my user name.

Gill Catton · #5 (**permalink**) 04-07-2008, 04:05 PM

piles of rubble or logs will act as good hibernacula with topsoil or turf on the top these things will be even better....

There's also no reason why you couldn't put some plants in, hornwort's a good one - there's still plenty of growing season left for a plant like that wich seems to grow very quickly!!

Your plans for it seem great!!

Greengardener? · #6 (**permalink**) 04-07-2008, 04:11 PM

Thank you both for your kind response.

I will look out for some hornwart, and get my hand in after the glass. Luckily, it has stayed as quite big shards, as I would expect from an aquarium, but there is LOADS of it.

Good to know that I can remove that junk at least!

Thanks again

GG

dampflippers · #7 (**permalink**) 05-07-2008, 10:12 AM

Don't forget to wear gloves and strong wellies if you go into the pond.
Yes, remove as much debris as possible, add oxygenators- they are still in the garden centres or online shops.
If you clear out this autumn, you'll have to decide whether to go for a full clean which will destroy the ecosystem or just to clear some of it (a third is the recommended amount).
Don't forget to take before and after photos, and photos of your baby newt tadpoles.
I just found this video link which is quite good:
Video - Smooth newt egg growing into a tadpole - Smooth newt - Triturus vulgaris - ARKive

milly70 · #8 (**permalink**) 20-07-2008, 08:04 PM

Hi,my first post on this forum!

We put in a pond 8 yrs ago,i have never cleaned it out,so they do love all the dead leaves e.t.c,we have lots of newts,frogs and toads,we got rid of the fish because the eat the baby newts,tadpoles e.t.c,i read that newts love pondweed abd forget me nots for the pond,so hopefully after cleaning out the rubbish you will end up with a lovely nature pond

tameblackbirds · #9 (**permalink**) 20-07-2008, 08:14 PM

[i] have a pond that I never clean out, it doesnt have glass etc but it has never been cleaned frogs and lots of other life forms but I also have a bucket that has more sludge, at least three quarters full, than water but the frogs appear happier in there than the pond. I have noticed that pond frogs more light green coloured and bucket frogs darker more mud coloured.

coasty · #10 (**permalink**) 21-07-2008, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greengardener?

Hello Kayleigh(or should it be Elaine? /confused), and thanks for the reply.
GG

Hi there and welcome to the Forum,,, As to Kayleighs name many of the older members refer to her as Nurse,,,

As to your pond it sounds good. But yes give it a good clean out in Octoberish but retain some of the sludge from the bottom to kickk start the new one....