Filling in a small pond

[rich24uk]

Hi All. I wonder if someone can offer me some advice on filling in a small unwanted pond? It's about 3x5 foot and not very deep at all. There are no fish.

I am not sure if I should use any particular type of dirt or sand once I have removed the water? Ideally I want to fill it in and raise it slightly to convert into a small rockery.

I can't find much advice on this so any input would be greatly appreciated.

[Cotham Marble]

Originally Posted by rich24uk

Hi All. I wonder if someone can offer me some advice on filling in a small unwanted pond? It's about 3x5 foot and not very deep at all. There are no fish. I am not sure if I should use any particular type of dirt or sand once I have removed the water? Ideally I want to fill it in and raise it slightly to convert into a small rockery. I can't find much advice on this so any input would be greatly appreciated.

The soil should be appropriate to your rockery, so plan what plants you are intending to use. If you are intending to introduce alpines or other 'traditional' rockery plants, you will be aiming to create a free draining soil with a high grit content, you can buy grit for this purpose from Garden centres. The soil at the sides and base of the pond may be heavily impacted so ensure you break this up before infilling. Other than that you should not have to do anything exceptional.

CM

[Kayleigh]

Why on earth would you want to do that..
A small pond is ideal for wildlife. You will get all sorts of wonderful creatures living in it..Please rethink before you do it.

What is keeping the water in the pond, Ie have you got a line or is a concrete base.

If you are set against keeping the pond why not make a bog garden..Fill the hole with soil and compost, and plant a gunnera, astilbies, yellow flag irise, hostas and other moisture loving plants.

If you don't want a bog garden you can fill the hole with whatever soil type your plants want ie free draining with added grit for alpines. ect.

[rich24uk]

its line based. The idea of a bog garden sounds interesting.
I read somewhere that you can basically use anything that is not hazardous to the soil when filling in. I was just wondering whether I could use some old chip board to fill in part of the pond as well as some disused bricks??

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by rich24uk

its line based. The idea of a bog garden sounds interesting.
I read somewhere that you can basically use anything that is not hazardous to the soil when filling in. I was just wondering whether I could use some old chip board to fill in part of the pond as well as some disused bricks??

Not if you want a bog garden. The idea is to retain water..
You need to rethink what you want to do..

[Dogghound]

Howcome your filling it in? Im not blaming this on you but one of the reasons amphibians and some of our aquatic insects are declineing is due to the decline of garden ponds.

[rich24uk]

I don't have the time to maintain it. I moved in and it was here. It's within a small walled garden, there are no fish, no frogs nothing much at all except lots of algae which has been left to grow.

I think I'll just fill it in and use the area as a flower bed.

[Cotham Marble]

Originally Posted by rich24uk

its line based. The idea of a bog garden sounds interesting.
I read somewhere that you can basically use anything that is not hazardous to the soil when filling in. I was just wondering whether I could use some old chip board to fill in part of the pond as well as some disused bricks??

Mixing uncomposted organic material (chip board) with brick is a very bad idea - you would be creating an ideal rat habitat. You could use brick if you are following through with your rockery idea, but you need to be clear what your planting scheme is going to be - no point in heaping in bricks if you are going to be planting deep rooted species.

As others have suggested if you are not certain about what you want, why not reconsider keeping the pond.

CM

[Meta menardi]

Chipboard and bricks? Not a natural soil.

[dampflippers]

Before you do it (if you must...I hate to hear of ponds being filled in) please double (and treble)check for newts.
Hook out some of the algae so you can see. Then dip with a net and see of you get anything.
Then at night go out with a torch and see if you can see anything.
Also see if there are any folded leaves underwater which might be a sign of newt eggs.

You say you don't have time to maintain it. If you add lots of oxygenators and attractive marginal plants, these will take up nutrients so there will be less algae. You don't need a pump or filter for a wildlife pond.