Post removed (X-No-Archive: yes)

nospam [at] nospam.org writes
>Hello,
>
>As I said in another post, I've moved house and there is a pond in the
>garden. The pond seems to be full of weed (and tadpoles - but that's a
>different post). I think it is duck weed? It looks like tiny
>single-leaved plants that float on the surface of the water.

Probably duckweed, if the leaves are roundish. Only other thing it might
be is water fern, which looks vaguely ferny (it is actually a fern)

>I think
>this spreads manically. Should I remove it all before it covers every
>inch?

No, not particularly. You can remove some of it if you feel it's too
much and you'd like to see a bit of clear water. It has an advantage in
that it cuts down light to the pond and makes it more difficult for
blanket weed (fine green threads which grow everywhere and mat together
like a wet blanket when you try to scoop them out) and algae (the small
green algae that you can't see individually but make the pond like pea
soup) to flourish.

> Is the best way to do this with a net,

Yes , or scoop it off with your hands.

>or do I have to resort to
>chemical means?

Avoid chemicals - you'll risk harming the tadpoles, and also all the
other creatures that you'll have in there which are contributing to a
balanced pond. Upset the balance and you end up with pea soup or worse.


>Will it cause problems by starving the other plants

No

> or
>blocking the light into the water?

Yes - but this is an advantage not a problem.
>

--
Kay

Hi
It sounds like duckweed, this will become a nuisance and take over a pond
very quickly, However it does have its benefits, It will take excess
nutrients out of the water and stop the pond from turning green, "Green
water becomes short of oxygen, as I understand it" but it keeps the water
much clearer, if you net it out be careful about tadpoles, and leave any
surplus on the edge of the pond for any aquatic creatures such as fresh
water shrips to climb back in.
Check over each net to return any tadpoles to the pond

Regards
Cineman

<nospam [at] nospam.org> wrote in message
news:bdej921cnc83jfkqpl00gju0vrhdmlan98 [at] 4ax.com...
> Hello,
>
> As I said in another post, I've moved house and there is a pond in the
> garden. The pond seems to be full of weed (and tadpoles - but that's a
> different post). I think it is duck weed? It looks like tiny
> single-leaved plants that float on the surface of the water. I think
> this spreads manically. Should I remove it all before it covers every
> inch? Is the best way to do this with a net, or do I have to resort to
> chemical means? Will it cause problems by starving the other plants or
> blocking the light into the water?
>
> Thanks.

As said previously, the duckweed will absorb nutrients.
The nutrients therefore cause the weed to thrive.
Cut down the nutrients and the weed will not be so vigorous.
Since there are more nutrients in tap water (!) than in rain water,
don't use tap water to top the pond up. If the pond needs constant
topping up - find out why.

--
ned


"cineman" <oldwifey [at] midlands.dontwanadoo48.com> wrote in message
news:ylkmg.466020$xt.155676 [at] fe3.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
> Hi
> It sounds like duckweed, this will become a nuisance and take over a
pond
> very quickly, However it does have its benefits, It will take excess
> nutrients out of the water and stop the pond from turning green,
"Green
> water becomes short of oxygen, as I understand it" but it keeps the
water
> much clearer, if you net it out be careful about tadpoles, and leave
any
> surplus on the edge of the pond for any aquatic creatures such as
fresh
> water shrips to climb back in.
> Check over each net to return any tadpoles to the pond
>
> Regards
> Cineman
>
> <nospam [at] nospam.org> wrote in message
> news:bdej921cnc83jfkqpl00gju0vrhdmlan98 [at] 4ax.com...
> > Hello,
> >
> > As I said in another post, I've moved house and there is a pond in
the
> > garden. The pond seems to be full of weed (and tadpoles - but
that's a
> > different post). I think it is duck weed? It looks like tiny
> > single-leaved plants that float on the surface of the water. I
think
> > this spreads manically. Should I remove it all before it covers
every
> > inch? Is the best way to do this with a net, or do I have to
resort to
> > chemical means? Will it cause problems by starving the other
plants or
> > blocking the light into the water?
> >
> > Thanks.
>
>

<nospam [at] nospam.org> wrote in message
news:bdej921cnc83jfkqpl00gju0vrhdmlan98 [at] 4ax.com...
> Hello,
>
> As I said in another post, I've moved house and there is a pond in the
> garden. The pond seems to be full of weed (and tadpoles - but that's a
> different post). I think it is duck weed? It looks like tiny
> single-leaved plants that float on the surface of the water. I think
> this spreads manically. Should I remove it all before it covers every
> inch? Is the best way to do this with a net, or do I have to resort to
> chemical means? Will it cause problems by starving the other plants or
> blocking the light into the water?
>
> Thanks.

I've visited quite a few places with ponds - not managed but natural - they
are covered with duckweed during the summer and also abound with wildlife.
Swans swim in them, they look odd to our eyes, apparently sitting on grass!

Our little pond is also covered with duckweed at the moment, we do nothing.
The frogs and tadpoles don't seem to suffer, we get a lot of insects and in
the cold weather the duckweed disappears. Its level is maintained only by
rain.

Occasionally I'll stir the surface to disperse the tadpoles then scoop up a
couple of netsful to give to the hens, they love both the weed and the water
slaters in it. Interestingly although our chicks often look into the green
covered pond they have never tried to walk on the surface.

If you managed to scoop it all out it would soon return. Leave just one
plant (leaf) and you can practically see it multiply. It's fascinating
stuff.

Mary

In message <bdej921cnc83jfkqpl00gju0vrhdmlan98 [at] 4ax.com>,
nospam [at] nospam.org writes
>Hello,
>
>As I said in another post, I've moved house and there is a pond in the
>garden. The pond seems to be full of weed (and tadpoles - but that's a
>different post). I think it is duck weed? It looks like tiny
>single-leaved plants that float on the surface of the water. I think
>this spreads manically. Should I remove it all before it covers every
>inch? Is the best way to do this with a net, or do I have to resort to
>chemical means? Will it cause problems by starving the other plants or
>blocking the light into the water?
>

You didn't say how big the pond is. If it's a small one you can thin
out duckweed by overfilling the pond so that some of the duckweed gets
washed out. It composts well.

My tadpoles have legs and their tails are almost gone (Reading) - unless
you're far north, yours may be short of protein. Stop worrying about
the duckweed, catch some slugs, cut them in half and put them in the
pond. If the tadpoles eat them in no time, repeat the process.

--
Sue ]:(:)