Advice
RHS Help & Advice
Maintaining ponds in summer
A balanced pond is essential for aquatic plant and fish health, as well as for pond wildlife. Maintaining clear water, managing weeds and ensuring the health of plants and fish need not be a huge or uncertain task.
This quick guide highlights the main tasks of summer pond maintenance. Care for the different structural materials of ponds are not covered here. But the tasks below can be absorbed into the weekly gardening routine.
Remove blanket weed and duckweed. Blanket weed can be pulled out with a rake or stick (left). Duckweed can be scooped out with a net, sieve, bowl, or by hand (right).
Leave weeds by the side of the pond for 24hours so that insects and other pond life can crawl back into the pond.
Remove fallen leaves and debris with a net or rake. A pond covering is useful if falling debris is a big problem (netting and grilles are commonly used).
Clean out any pumps and filters
Check the water level either by eye using visual cues such as tide marks, or with the aid of a marked stick. Top up the pond if necessary; a spray hose attachment will aerate the water as well.
Thin out floating and marginal plants if necessary. No more than 50% of the surface should be covered by plants, as this allows sunlight to enter.
Tip: On very still and sultry days, leave fountains on over night, to aerate the water.
Maya Albert