If you have a pond, you already know how much it adds to your garden, bringing in wildlife and creating a cool, relaxing atmosphere even on scorching summer days. Ponds need a little help now and then to keep them in good shape, and summer's a good time to do pond maintenance, with no risk of disturbing the eggs and larvae of pond wildlife as you might do in spring. Here’s how to take care of your pond in summer.

Pond maintenance tips for summer

• Check your pond regularly and remove any dead and dying leaves on pond plants, as well as any leaves that have blown in. Leaves and other plant matter left to decay in a pond will increase the nitrogen content of the water, which encourages the growth of algae. The decaying vegetation also builds up in a layer of sediment at the bottom of the pond and can make the water smell less than pleasant!

• When clearing vegetation from a pond, leave it sitting on the ground by the side of the pond for a day before you dispose of it, so that any wildlife living in it can crawl out and find another home.

• In hot weather, keep an eye on the water level in your pond and top it up if necessary. Ideally, use stored rainwater from a water butt, especially if your pond contains fish. If you have to top up using tap water, leave the water to stand for 24 hours first so that chemicals like chlorine can evaporate.

• Pond weeds like blanket weed and duckweed can choke a pond if allowed to grow unchecked. Fortunately, blanket weed is easy to clear, either by hand or by twirling it around a long stick. A small amount of duckweed in a pond is not a problem, as it provides food for wildlife and shelter for tadpoles, but it spreads fast and can get out of control, so use a net to sweep it to the side of the pond and leave it there for a few hours before disposing of it. 

• Oxygenators like hornwort are vital for pond health but also have a tendency to take over. If they're taking up more than one-third of the pond, now's the time to cut them back.

• Marginal plants need weeding just like plants in your borders, and summer is a good time to remove any unwanted self-seeders.

• Wildlife visit ponds frequently in summer to drink, so check that ramps are in place and safe to use. A wooden board wrapped in chicken wire makes a good non-slip ramp for hedgehogs and other small mammals. A few well-placed rocks in shallow parts of the pond create places for insects and other creatures to rest while drinking.

Get your pond and garden into great shape this summer with plants from our extensive range. Visit us at Groves today to see what’s in store!