How to care for your pond this autumn

Rotting leaves emit noxious chemicals, which disrupt your pond’s ecological balance. Throughout the autumn months, check your pond for dead leaves that may have fallen from pond plants and nearby vegetation. Remove them using a fine net to keep your pond aerated, uncongested and chemical-free. 

While wildlife depends on aquatic plants for shelter, too many plants can clog up the pond, upsetting its equilibrium. Pull out excess pond weeds, and trim wilting flowers and foliage before they fall into the pond and decompose, polluting the water. 

Ensure your pond plants have access to enough sunlight. Check the growth of all surrounding vegetation and cut back overhanging foliage if it’s creating shade. 

Using a bamboo cane, lift and scoop blanketweed out of the water. We recommend leaving it by the side of the pond for a few days to give aquatic wildlife sheltering in the weeds the chance to relocate safely. 

A good mix of marginal and oxygenating plants is essential for healthy pond life:

• Marginal plants grow in shallow water and damp soil. They are the ideal way to disguise pond edges while creating vital shelter at the pond’s periphery. They also provide an excellent habitat for wildlife to lay eggs.

• Oxygenating plants primarily grow underwater. They produce essential oxygen, absorb impurities and compete with algae for nutrients – helping to keep pond water clean and clear.