For many gardens, a pond is the centerpiece that draws it all together. As well as being a beautiful part of the outdoors of a home, and a great opportunity to add a little something extra, it is also great for the local ecosystem, and can house a lot of different animals and creatures. But in order to make sure that this happens as well as possible, you are going to want to think about how you can keep a pond truly healthy, all year round.
By keeping a healthier water garden, you will cut down on foul odors and be better equipped to support healthy fish, turtles, and other beneficial species.
How to Boost Backyard Pond Health
Here are some of the essentials you will want to know about maintaining a healthier water garden.
1 – Regular Cleaning
The simple act of cleaning out your pond regularly is going to make a huge difference to it. Your pond is a wonderful hub of life, but it is a restricted one, so eventually, it will be full of pondweed that has nowhere else to go. If you have ever tried to remove pondweed, you will know that it is very difficult to do so – like a heavy blanket that won’t easily pull up. But with a bit of regular cleaning, it isn’t going to get that bad in the first place, and you can simply pull it out as you go.
2 – Aeration
Your pond needs oxygen. Not only does this keep the water healthy and alive, it also ensures that the creatures living in the water have the oxygen they need. It helps with the water keeping clearer, too, so it is also an aesthetic concern. Pond aeration is a pretty straightforward thing to do, and the best method is to use an aeration system that just does it all for you. These often double up as attractive water fountains, so you are achieving two important goals in one here.
3 – Plant Variety
As with any ecosystem, you need to have a good amount of variety to keep everything as healthy as possible. It’s no different with your pond. Aim for as much of a variety of plants as you can manage. You might be surprised at how many pond plants there are out there that you can choose from. Even just looking at the beautiful water lily, there are thousands upon thousands of varieties that you can look into, so you are never going to run out of ideas here. With enough plant variety, your pond will be beautiful and healthy.
4 – Winter Care
During winter, your pond might well become frozen over. If you have anything living in there, this could be problematic for their cold-weather survival. Generally, it is pretty wise to simply melt the ice on the pond back into the water, whenever you need to do so, in order to keep the oxygen getting in so that everything stays as healthy as possible. With good winter care for your pond, you can ensure that it is taken care of all year round, and that is going to make a huge difference to how healthy and attractive it is in general.
The Takeaway: With Excellent Care, You Will Increase Pond Health
Do these things, and you will increase pond health and have a more enjoyable water gardening experience.