After the coldest March for fifty years, temperatures are finally rising. Gardens seem to have been in suspended animation for months, but are now awakening.
In the pond too, things have been slow to get going. In many cases frogs have only just started to spawn in the last week – a month later than usual (and a full eight weeks later than the mild spring of 2007).
Now is the time to check that your pumps and filters are functioning correctly Continue reading
Do you have persistent problems with blanketweed or duckweed in your pond? Phosphate (a form of phosphorus) found in fish food and tap water may be the problem.
Phosphorus is an essential element for life. Usually it is bound with oxygen and other minerals to form phosphates. It is also found in animal bones (calcium phosphate).
High levels of phosphate in ponds are a major cause of green water and blanketweed problems, and can also cause nuisance levels of duckweed. Continue reading