French mill pond needs TLC

[Maddie]

Oh! By 'balanced pond' I meant that if the contents and surroundings are in harmony the pond will be one that does not need a great deal of human intervention to keep it viable. Like getting the fish types, snails, plants, water temperatures, light levels balanced in a tropical fish tank.

 

[addy1]

The biggest problem you have is the carp, they eat snails, plants etc.

 

[Waterbug]

I want plants for looks but also for wildlife. A couple of moorhen and a mallard duck family live on the pond in the small patch of vegetation opposite the house but I would like to encourage other birds, insects, amphibians etc. Surely more plants would help for example, as hiding places from the carp?

Plants are great. Just didn't want you to think they'd improve water quality for this pond.

For wildlife cattails, rushes, etc aren't great. I'd go with land based than provide food.

There are pond plants like water clover, water cress, duck weed, etc that ducks and the carp would love. Even if you could protect it from the carp the ducks would eat it all in a few hours or days.

 

[Waterbug]

Oh! By 'balanced pond' I meant that if the contents and surroundings are in harmony the pond will be one that does not need a great deal of human intervention to keep it viable. Like getting the fish types, snails, plants, water temperatures, light levels balanced in a tropical fish tank.

Since your pond has a constant water supply you could start doing nothing today and the pond would be in harmony.

We force things, like add plants, and then like to call it "balanced" and "in harmony" which sounds nice. We really mean "I fixed nature". If the pond can support plants it will provide them tout de suite. If you provide plants they will have to be maintained. They'll split pots and generally need to be divided each year. Fertilizer needs to be added yearly too. Cattails and such can send roots deep for nutrients, can't do that in a pot. Most backyard ponds attempt to force an appearance of a natural pond, or what we think is a natural pond since most people have never seen one.

 

[Maddie]

I was intending to put in only those plants which are 'wild' and seen in other water sites nearby. I don't want to use pots but plant into the banks. The people we took over the mill from liked things 'tidy' had removed much of what the neighbours say was here before irises, rushes, kingcups etc. I haven't got a backyard pond but a pond that fed the mill that ground grain for the village for over 100 years. I would be more confident with an 'ornamental' pond as have managed that type before. This thing is big! I have to use a rowboat to get about. I must add a picture so you see what I mean.

 

[addy1]

wild plants will have the best chance. Good idea. Start adding plants and keep adding, sort of fun, making it pretty.