Post Freeze Pond help

[Rashmika]

Hi folks.

Last year I nearly broke my back digging in a small wildlife pond. It was well worth the effort though (in a week or so, we had a Dragonflies and Damselflies buzzing around... plus I hope my already existing frog and newt residents will move in!).

I stocked the pond with:

Stratiotes Aloides (deepwater aquatic)
Elodea Crispa (oxygenator)

A kidney bean shaped basket containing:
Scirpus Zebrinus 'Zebra Rush'
Phalaris Arundinacea var Picta
Myosotis scorpioides 'Mermaid'
Mimulus Luteus 'Yellow Musk'

A single basket containing:
Lynchnis flos-cuculi

I also planted Lythrum virgatum, Althaea Officinalis, Valeriana officinalis around the pond as my "natives", plus Acteae Simplex 'Brunette' (I love this plant... very aromatic) and some ferns to provide cover at the edges. Speaking of cover, I also chucked down two little log piles

Reet, backstory pretty much done... (I can post some photo's if anyone is interested )

Following the freeze, all the Elodea Crispa leaves went black. Most of the stems have gone black too; of the green stems that remain, most are just notched where I would've expected foiliage to be.

I did some gentle poking and to my surprise some bud like things popped up. I did some research and they are Stratiotes Aloides turions... so things cannot be *that* bad... right?

So, after a lot of waffle, my concerns/queries:

1: Has the pond lost it's only oxygenator?
2: Should I replace the Elodea Crispa asap?
3: I've subsequently found Pond Snail... whilst they are ickle and oh so cute, are these buggers eating my oxygenator?
4: Is Elodea Crispa bad (I've seen some people sell it, some people curse it and some people love it)?
5: I know there is at least one frog in the pond... is it in danger due to poor oxygen levels?
6: The Scirpus Zebrinus 'Zebra Rush' and Mimulus Luteus 'Yellow Musk' seem to have been trumped by the neighbours in teh basket... should I just write them off?

Thanks!

Rash.

[Paul mabbott]

Long question, late at night so just a brief comment.
Frogs will come out of the water for oxygen if necessary as will most insects.
Most plants look a bit sad at this time of year (in ponds or out) so wait until April before making any judgments (maybe May).
All Elodea, in my experience, can blanket the pond - best not to have them.
In the long run, some plants will die, some will prosper; some will need trimming some will be okay. You've put in a good selection of plants - allow them to sort out how they grow between them!
Above all - don't fiddle about with the pond: you'll probably do more harm than good! It will all turn out fine

Originally Posted by Rashmika

Hi folks.

Last year I nearly broke my back digging in a small wildlife pond. It was well worth the effort though (in a week or so, we had a Dragonflies and Damselflies buzzing around... plus I hope my already existing frog and newt residents will move in!).

I stocked the pond with:

Stratiotes Aloides (deepwater aquatic)
Elodea Crispa (oxygenator)

A kidney bean shaped basket containing:
Scirpus Zebrinus 'Zebra Rush'
Phalaris Arundinacea var Picta
Myosotis scorpioides 'Mermaid'
Mimulus Luteus 'Yellow Musk'

A single basket containing:
Lynchnis flos-cuculi

I also planted Lythrum virgatum, Althaea Officinalis, Valeriana officinalis around the pond as my "natives", plus Acteae Simplex 'Brunette' (I love this plant... very aromatic) and some ferns to provide cover at the edges. Speaking of cover, I also chucked down two little log piles

Reet, backstory pretty much done... (I can post some photo's if anyone is interested )

Following the freeze, all the Elodea Crispa leaves went black. Most of the stems have gone black too; of the green stems that remain, most are just notched where I would've expected foiliage to be.

I did some gentle poking and to my surprise some bud like things popped up. I did some research and they are Stratiotes Aloides turions... so things cannot be *that* bad... right?

So, after a lot of waffle, my concerns/queries:

1: Has the pond lost it's only oxygenator?
2: Should I replace the Elodea Crispa asap?
3: I've subsequently found Pond Snail... whilst they are ickle and oh so cute, are these buggers eating my oxygenator?
4: Is Elodea Crispa bad (I've seen some people sell it, some people curse it and some people love it)?
5: I know there is at least one frog in the pond... is it in danger due to poor oxygen levels?
6: The Scirpus Zebrinus 'Zebra Rush' and Mimulus Luteus 'Yellow Musk' seem to have been trumped by the neighbours in teh basket... should I just write them off?

Thanks!

Rash.

[Dan Salter]

Totally agree with all Paul says...just wait a bit longer and see what re-juvinates. everything in my garden and pond looks like its had it right now...im sure in a few weeks it will all be green and buzzing again.
I also stayed away from any kind of elodia in my native wildlife pond...

Keep us posted.

[Rashmika]

Hi, thanks for the replies

Could you suggest a native alternative to the Elodea Crispa as an oxygenator?

Cheers,

Rash.

[Dan Salter]

I think i have Hornwort and Starwort?

You cant go wrong with Hornwort really

Have a google of 'Native UK Oxygenators'...just make sure you read all details as even some native species are aggressive and will fill a small pond in no time...i think native 'curly pondweed' Potamogeton crispus L is one of them?

[Rashmika]

Yeah I am a bit cautious of introducing something nasty like that to the pond.

I'll do some reading on Hornwort though, thanks

[Rashmika]

Hmmm well... an update.

I popped up to my local garden centre today and finally they had some oxygenators. I saw one ofthem listed as Hornwort, and asked a member of staff which of the three in the tank it is.

Now sadly, I did not recall the image of Hornwort... and now I think I may end up paying a price for this. The member of staff said it was "that one" and scooped out some for me.

The listed items were:

Elodea Crispa
Hornwort
Potamogeton crispus

I got home, and popped "it" in my wildlife pond.... however after doing some reading on Hornwort to refresh my memory, the images i have seen bear no resemblence to what I was told was Hornwort. Thinking back, there was Hornwort in the tank, yes, but it wasn't what the member of staff gave me.

I know what Elodea Crispa looks like, so it could only be Potamogeton crispus. Right? Well no... the plant looks nothing like Potamogeton crispus. In fact, it looks like cress. Sooooo I think they've sold me some Duckweed? I did some googling and the images match what I now have in my pond.

I'm going back tomorrow and harsh language may well be used. I am tempted to write a letter to trading standards but perhaps that is a bit too much... I am a tad cross though

[tom00_uk]

you will find this problem a lot these days as shops have huge turn overs of staff and don't often employ people with the knowledge needed to sell plants or animals in my opinion.

there is a benefit to Elodea, if you dont mind the odd bit of maintenance needed to keep it under control if it does like your pond and grow rampant, it will take up a lot of nutrients from the water and will make a good compost

[Rashmika]

Well I went back today and grabbed a chap walking past me. He looked rather horrified when I explained to him that I was sold this plant as Hornwort He also correctly identified the other plant in there as Hornwort and Elodea Crispa, so that's a plus!

He did assure me that they'd never sell Duckweed, in fact he described it as awful stuff...

However, when I asked him what plant I had actually been sold, he wasn't sure. He checked their delivery records and nothing was listed. He went through their brochure but nothing listed in there matched the plant in their tank.

He contacted another office and they suggested it was Water Moss, which we both it was not (it looks like cress to me... a single, sort of heart shaped leaf on a long thin white stem).

Anyway, he said he'd look into it and if I popped back again in the future to ask about it.

My daughter loves going there to se the fishies, so I will be back

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by Rashmika

......I'll do some reading on Hornwort though, thanks

Hornwort, Ceratophyllum sp, is the only oxygenator we've every introduced to ponds. It is not a problem although in a good year we have to thin it out somewhat - remember to let the snails and other invertebrates escape before you compost the thinnings!