Building a new pond

[Dragonyka]

Hi everyone,

Please excuse the preamble, just trying to set the scene...

Last year I was lucky enough to get an allotment that I've wanted for some time. I'm a complete novice gardenner so it's being cultivated slowly!. It's on what was a derelict allotment site, so I'm starting completely from scratch. Having checked that it was ok with the relevant people, I am now in the process of making a wildlife pond as I'm hoping to attract frogs and other creatures that will help with the pest control (slugs argh!) and pollination and so on.

I've picked up some tips browsing around, so it will have a sloping edge and shallow and deeper bits, but I'm a bit baffled by the range of plants available to put in and how many of each I'd need for a healthy pond. The pond will be about 3mx2m with not a straight line in sight (even the ones I intended to be straight!) and about a metre deep at the deepest point.

So, to the questions...

I don't have access to electricity on site, so I was thinking I'd need a solar powered fountain (thingy!) to provide water movement. Is this necessary or would it be ok just to have oxygenating plants? How many would I need?

I would like to grow watercress, but what other plants (and how many for the size of pond) would people recommend?

Finally, taking into account that I'm a complete novice, what other tips do you have that I might want to remember?

Thanks!

Nicola

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by Dragonyka

I've picked up some tips browsing around, so it will have a sloping edge and shallow and deeper bits, but I'm a bit baffled by the range of plants available to put in and how many of each I'd need for a healthy pond. The pond will be about 3mx2m with not a straight line in sight (even the ones I intended to be straight!) and about a metre deep at the deepest point.

In respect to your surface area it would be better to have a pond that is about 50cm deep rather than 1m deep. Shallow ponds hold more benifit to breeding amphibians as they warm up more quickly and tend to support a greater diversity of life.

Originally Posted by Dragonyka

So, to the questions...

I don't have access to electricity on site, so I was thinking I'd need a solar powered fountain (thingy!) to provide water movement. Is this necessary or would it be ok just to have oxygenating plants? How many would I need?

Not necessary at all aslong as you dont have fish, prevent chemical input and you have plenty of aquatic plants then you wont need a pump.

Originally Posted by Dragonyka

I would like to grow watercress, but what other plants (and how many for the size of pond) would people recommend?

Marsh marigold
Marsh cinquefoil
Purple loosestrife
brooklime
water mint
water plantain
water forget-me-not
fennel-like pondweed
mares-tail
greater spearwort
frogbit
arrowhead
amphibious bistort
water crowfoot
spiked water-milfoil
common water starwort
curled pondweed
common hornwort

All of these species are good for a wildlife pond. You want to have diversity and you want to plant marginal, submerged and surface species to create a diverse plant structure. You should be looking at having between 50% and 75% of the pond vegetated. Always leave an open area and you will probably need to manage the pond to ensure vegetation does not become to dominant.

Originally Posted by Dragonyka

Finally, taking into account that I'm a complete novice, what other tips do you have that I might want to remember?

Most ponds benifit from a buffer zone, on an allotment this will stop chemicals entering the pond. It also importantly acts as an area of refuge and foraging for amphibians, insects etc. It is vital that you create some terrestrial habitat as cover for your pond life. How big depends on how much room you have 2-5 meters plus would be best. Also might be worth putting in a log pile or hibernaculum near the pond this would provide hibernation and foraging sites for your wildlife.

[tom00_uk]

the more things of value on your plot the more things you will lose to thief's. Being as its not a fish pond you could do away with a fountain.

there are a number of edible plants that you could grow in the pond, so its still a benifit to wildlife and at the same time it puts some thing on the plate.

if you do a search for uk natives you will find a number of online/offline places that sell them. they should let you know what space they will take up and depth of planting they require.

will you have to put up a fence if constructing to a depth of 1m?
you will not need to go so deep and it will save money for plants etc by not doing so.

you must have a nice large plot for such a sized pond, if its been an allotment for a while you might be lucky and have had some one not only break the soil but also remove any large stones. Keep the top soil, get ride of or bury under top soil the lower grade stuff.

Also don't forget the surroundings, put in a log/stone pile and some shrubs to provide places out of the water for amphibians to potentially over winter and or avoid predation under.

[Dragonyka]

WOW!

Thanks for the replies.

I read on a website about making wildlife ponds that frogs/newts needed water more than 60cm deep to breed. I'm guessing from your replies that that particular site was wrong. I'm going to stop digging and not go as deep as I planned.

I try to avoid using chemicals on my allotment, but who knows what other people might be using! I'll take the buffer zone into account and look into what plants I could put into it.

Thanks for the list of species and the percentage I need to vegetated - it'll help me to try to get it right.

I had thought of putting in a log pile - it's on the to-do list.

I have been asked to put a grill over the pond for safety - I figured that I would raise it slightly (on stilts) and not cover the shallowest part with the grill to allow the wildlife easy access. If leaving the shallow part uncovered isn't acceptable I will put the grill over on an angle so that it's raised higher at the back which will leave a triangle of access space at the sides while the pond as a whole is covered.

The plot is 10m wide by 30m long - so I have some space to spare! Unfortunately it's not stone free (nor glass/metal/plastic-free) but I'm keeping the big stones to go around the pond area.

Any other hints/tips will be appreciated.

Thanks again
Nicola

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by Dragonyka

I read on a website about making wildlife ponds that frogs/newts needed water more than 60cm deep to breed. I'm guessing from your replies that that particular site was wrong. I'm going to stop digging and not go as deep as I planned.

This is incorrect, amphibians such as frogs and the smaller newts will breed in 10cm or less of water. Shallow water is almost always used for breeding. Depth is primarily an issue for hibernating frogs, although 50cm is adequate, with 75cm + best.

Originally Posted by Dragonyka

I try to avoid using chemicals on my allotment, but who knows what other people might be using! I'll take the buffer zone into account and look into what plants I could put into it.

Native plants are best, grasses, nettles, bramble, willowherbs etc, the more vigorous species will need to be controlled near the waters edge.

Originally Posted by Dragonyka

Any other hints/tips will be appreciated.

If your putting a grill over it just make sure it doesnt damage or prohibit any emergent plants.

Do you know what species are local? this can be useful in aiding tips?

Its hard to give additional info without knowing more about the site. Is it close to woodland, grassland? If you can link th whole area to other habitats like grassland, ditches, hedgerows, woodland even better as you will aid dispersal of amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, insects and so on.

[Dragonyka]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Do you know what species are local? this can be useful in aiding tips?

Its hard to give additional info without knowing more about the site. Is it close to woodland, grassland? If you can link th whole area to other habitats like grassland, ditches, hedgerows, woodland even better as you will aid dispersal of amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, insects and so on.

The allotments are on the edge of a housing estate, near to a smallish lightly wooded area, approx. 200m away from a large canal in one direction and 100m away from a large stream in another, past which are farmlands and a few other lightly wooded areas. We are about a mile away from moss lands and I know that in the old claypits a couple of miles down the road there are great crested newts.

One of the other allotment holders has bird feeders up which seem to be well visited - but they are right next to the wooded bit.

I have found toads in our garden at home, which is less that half a mile away from the allotments.

Having listed all this, it looks like I might have a fair chance at getting some wildlife in. I'll have to take a walk down to the brook to see what plants are growing in it - it seems daft now that I didn't think of doing that before! I have seen a kingfisher flying along the brook and my daughter tells me that she has seen kingfishers there several times when she's been out with her friends.

I'm feeling more positive about the chances of getting wildlife already.

[Red Robin]

Who is telling you to put a grill over the pond? Is it depth related?

As advised here already, I'd go with a max depth of around 50cm and a couple of shallower shelves for some plants in underwater baskets.

Ignore who is telling you to use a grill for as long as possible. And eventually due to pressure have a removable grill visible nearby and 'forget' to use it. Don't give in!

[nightshade]

Check with your Allotment Association that you can indeed put a pond in, _before you start_ different rules can apply in different areas. Most allow
water butts as safe for children.
Your pond may need a shielded area for protection against Heron that will quickly spot a new feeding oppertunity. Good Luck
*Sorry *you have done just that, but I will leave the post as is

[Red Robin]

I notice you say you have a large stream 100yds away. Get a bucket and use water from it to fill and top up your pond. Don't use tap water. You need a 10ft rope on the bucket so you can chuck it in to fill by sinking and then haul out. River water is absolutely the best for wildlife.

[Kayleigh]

Sounds like H+S is at work who is responsible if a child drowns is it council land.
I played near ponds unsupervised as a child yes I fell in a few times but scrambled out..
Someone somewhere will have to pay compensation nowadays if an accident occurs..

as for plants I have a wildlife pond, no pump or filter and lots of oxygenators the other plants seem to die but the ones that thrive are yellow flag iris they help filter the water and bog marigold they grow in the margins or the damp bank and look great in early spring..
As your pond is on land that is not confined to your garden make sure you only use native plants or you could be responsible for spreading invasive species pond plants are a lot more vigorous than none aquatics..