Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
Next door's cat was drinking from the pond yesterday.
Re birds bathing & drinking, I have a bird bath too.
Re birds bathing & drinking, I have a bird bath too.
A simple garden pond.
- Thread starter Johnny Vodka
- Start date
A380
How do I change this 'custom title' thing then?
Thanks,
Yes got donor sludge on the way from two ponds. Plus neighbours have said we can have some of their (frog) spawn next spring.
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
My pond is starting to fill up with bugs! Lots of rat-tailed maggots eating the algae at the moment & spotted my first snail today. Maybe I didn't need to order the daphnia?? No more amphibians right now, but it's been pleasing just watching these other beasties move in!
Callie
Pivoting
Rat tailed maggots you say? Them's could be hoverfly larvae
hoverflies are AEWSOME.Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
Rat tailed maggots you say? Them's could be hoverfly larvae
Yeah, pretty sure that's what they are. There were a couple of hoverflies around the pod earlier. I don't know about awesome, but they are apparently essential pollinators..
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
My pond has a frog! It seems to have found the perfect hiding place between the rocks I used to make a slope with. Pops up very occasionally for air then disappears.
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
Frogs, toads & newts - pretty much why I made a pond. Though now I wish I had a bigger one so as to have more plant options.
I'll see how this one works out over a year, then might consider putting in something bigger..Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
^Froggy fun today. Think I had two good sized frogs splashing about in my little pond.
equationgirl
Respect my existence or expect my resistance
If you know someone with a Pond in the garden you could ask them for some in the spring. You would need about half a jam jar worth (roughly a medium clump of frog spawn with some water).
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
Not advised, as apparently it's a good way to spread disease (and invasive plants - though I might already have duckweed
). There's a particular funghal infection which is really bad/fatal for amphibians.I already want to upgrade my pond, though I'm going to force myself to live with this for a year to see how it goes. I like to grow raspberries & foxgloves in that area, so realistically can only go 2 - 3 times bigger - but should be enough to allow me more options for plants.
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
First day in a long time I haven't seen the frog. I suspect something has happened to it. 
Anyway, took advantage of the 'empty' pond to skim off all the blanket weed and other bits of rubbish. Will be interesting to see if another frog claims it; I know another one has been around at the same time.
Anyway, took advantage of the 'empty' pond to skim off all the blanket weed and other bits of rubbish. Will be interesting to see if another frog claims it; I know another one has been around at the same time.
Guineveretoo
Mostly bewildered
Not true, based on my small pond, which has a waterfall and a fountain and was full of toad spawn earlier this year.
equationgirl
Respect my existence or expect my resistance
It might be at the bottom of the pond where it is cooler. My parents' pond has frogs most of the time but they like hanging out at the bottom of the pond when it's warm.First day in a long time I haven't seen the frog. I suspect something has happened to it.
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
Pond's not that big & can see to the bottom now. Not there again today.
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
Thinking about replacing my pond with a slightly bigger pond already. 
Will get a pre-formed proper pond rather than a storage box this time.
Will get a pre-formed proper pond rather than a storage box this time.
Mumbles274
running from law and the press and the parents
In pond news today.. I went out to find my pond completely empty except for maybe 6" of water that the fish were just about surviving in. The pipe to the filter box had been knocked off somehow... Probably by a cat jumping on it so that pump had just emptied in, probably in a matter of minutes!! Luckily it can't drain totally so was able to fill it back up. Hope they survive the tap water needed to do that!
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
To do.
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
It's in the ground now! Water needs to clear, needs blended into surrounding area & maybe more plants. Threw some supermarket watercress in ( cheap option) and ordered mini water lily ( not cheap option).
It's still a mini-pond, but I now think it's the right size for the area. Grow raspberries & foxgloves in that area & also want to create a log pile for animals to shelter in.
It's still a mini-pond, but I now think it's the right size for the area. Grow raspberries & foxgloves in that area & also want to create a log pile for animals to shelter in.
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
Added some rocks around the pond edge, created a bit of a log pile behind the pond, and ordered a dwarf water lily (not cheap). 
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
It's a toad abode that my mum gave to me as a present.
Whether a toad would choose to live in it or not, I have no idea!Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
Had to take it out and put it back in again due to not levelling it properly. 
Think it's stocked now with all the plants I'm going to put in it. Need to soften the edges though. There's some ivy nearby which might eventually do that naturally, or I could plant some creeping Jenny next to the pond. 
Think it's stocked now with all the plants I'm going to put in it. Need to soften the edges though. There's some ivy nearby which might eventually do that naturally, or I could plant some creeping Jenny next to the pond.
Mumbles274
running from law and the press and the parents
Looking good
