Digging wildlife pond - any helpful hints, please

[francegarden]

I am going to have the hole dug for a wildllife pond next week.
Know about sloping end, shelves for plants, etc. but any hints would be useful.

[oldmoleskins]

Thinking of you rather than the wildlife for a mo, having spent a while watching newts in a neighbour's pond rising to the top and sinking to prowl around on the bottom again and again, chasing dragonfly larvae, I'd say having a largish area, clear of weed and not too deep (this was less than three feet) so you can see what's in there, and a comfortable vantage point to look from...

OM.

[lholroyd]

Hi - I have written a few blogs about wildlife pond construction which can be found at www.pondlinersonline.co.uk/blog or www.pondlinersonline.co.uk/need-help-choosing/natural-pond

Make sure your pond gets at least 4 to 6 hours of light or sun per day (you don't want a pond in constant shade), make sure you provide enough shelter for wildlife - rocks or boulders and plants work well. Keep you pond oxygenated to control algae levels - inclusion of oxygenated plants or a fountain pump will help achieve this.

Good Luck

[Dutchy]

Hm well after one year of having a pond the size of a builders 60 litre bucket ( as that is what it is that I dug in ) I can say that wild life will arrive anyhow.
I have two bricks in it so the frogs can climb out and some floating plants to make life more attractive.
My advice? just do it. Mind that there is something to help the animals climb out and mostly Bob is your uncle.
Ponds simply attract wild life anyhow and on my allotment I am pleased to have it in combination with my open compost bin. The frogs have plenty of habitat and in Spring they will start on the then still small snails and help me with keeping my plants rather than finding empty space after planting out.
Yes I know it takes more to get a good balance in the garden but any little bit helps.

And if you want to try it. Now is as good a time as any to dig something this small in. The frost will improve the water and you start off with good quality water in spring.
Just some oxygenating plants need adding then and a floating plant that takes your fancy.

[pothead]

Aug 13, 2009 14:38:10 GMT francegarden said:

I am going to have the hole dug for a wildllife pond next week.
Know about sloping end, shelves for plants, etc. but any hints would be useful.

I do hope you can post some pics as you go along francegarden . i have in the past failed miserable to have a pond made from a rigid mould i was given free. No frogs ever got past the tadpole stage (which were brought in ) and the water went stagnent and wiffy .  I had to dispose of it two years ago  I still would live a small pond though perhaps with a little trickling water .