LEAVES!!! ugh

[Fishfinder]

We have woods behind us so we get treated to a LOT of leaves in the pond. I made the mistake of buying too large a net with wide weave. The large size is just a pain, because I tend to trip on the excess netting,

I had to guess at what size weave to get. Poor little snakes were being caught in the old net with smaller weave, so I decide against further snake rescue and took the old net off. Then I took a large amount of kvetching from my other half, but I made sure herons would be scared away if they tried anything.

So that wide weave lets in a lot of leaves, which can clog the pump, but it's better than stressing out the poor little harmless snakes. I had to go into the pond a few days ago. Thankfully the water was not too cold.

 

[MitchM]

Here, leaves falling and snowfall usually happen at the same which has destroyed any attempts at preventing leaves from entering my pond. Netting just collapses under the weight.
Leaves get into the pond now and they're left there.
I've seen no ill effects, pond is coming into it's 4th year.

 

[mgmine]

Not only do I have leaves but also have black walnuts falling into the pond. What I do is cover the pond with a net (actually 3 pieces of netting because my net isn't wide enough). I then scoop the leaves out as the accumulate on the net. I leave the net on all winter and in the spring scoop any leaves that have blown in over the winter. I don't bother with any pvc I simply let the netting float on the water.

 

[peter hillman]

This will be my first year with a leaf cover. I made one 10'x4' with PVC and some screening. I put it on the other day to check the fit, couldn't stand to not see the pond so off it came. I will start putting it up overnight tho. I guess I forget the frustration of netting a ton of leaves out every year. I only plan on using it till the leaves are down.

 

[Mmathis]

I don't bother with any pvc I simply let the netting float on the water.

I would be afraid fish would get tangled in the netting if it was in direct contact with the water. Also, even with scooping accumulate leaves off the netting, I would worry that there will be some degree of decomposition taking place [as the leaves would be in contact with the water], and/or that the layer of leaves could interfere with gas exchange [though, not to the degree that a layer of ice would cause].

 

[sissy]

That is the main reason i use window screen it is very flexable and easy to hide under the edges and if you put pipes under it it will stay out of the water and no little critters can get stuck in it .I can see my pond through my screening .If you buy black screen it is somewhat better but neighbor bought what is called invisible screen ,expensive but it is made of a clear screening material and she got it online . .She now wants to do her house window screening out of it because it is so clear .I used electrical conduit across my pond to hold it

 

[cas]

I then scoop the leaves out as the accumulate on the net. I leave the net on all winter and in the spring scoop any leaves that have blown in over the winter. I don't bother with any pvc I simply let the netting float on the water.

Ditto. I have an oak tree that drops it's leaves all winter long, and as the snow melts, I go out and take the leaves off the top of the net.

 

[addy1]

I leave the wide weave net 3 feet over my pond all winter (the herons visit even in the snow). Any leaves that fall just fall into the water. Luckily most of our prevailing wind, blows most of the leaves away from the pond. The ones that do fall in I scoop out in the spring.

The smaller pond, I put deer fencing over the wide weave net, it keeps the apples out of the water. Esp since we are not home, had to keep the apples out, they make a rotting mess.

 

[mgmine]

I would be afraid fish would get tangled in the netting if it was in direct contact with the water. Also, even with scooping accumulate leaves off the netting, I would worry that there will be some degree of decomposition taking place [as the leaves would be in contact with the water], and/or that the layer of leaves could interfere with gas exchange [though, not to the degree that a layer of ice would cause].

The fish can't get tangled in the net unless they were somehow able to pull it into the water and swim between the layers which would be impossible. The wind bl;ows the leaves into the pond but it also blows the leaves off the netting just as it does on the grass. By snow fall there isn't a covering of leaves I make sure of that.

 

[tbendl]

I also have a huge tree that poops leaves in my pond in the fall. I moved all the lilies to the other side of the pond this weekend to make it easier to net them out. I am also getting nuts in the pond now which is leaving an oily residue on the water. I'm going to have to be diligent about scooping this fall.

 

[Mmathis]

We are "fortunate" here, in that we get 2 leaf dumps! We have oak trees that are still hanging on in Jan/Feb......

I keep saying I'm going to build that frame, but haven't gotten around to it yet.

 

[lachancesare]

I use a swimming pool net cover I bought at a nearly new shop.
first year I put 2x4s across but the leaves weighted down the netting.
Las year, I built a "tent frame" of 1/2" PVC tubing, with 3/4" tubes pounded in the ground to put them in and hold them in place.
It worked but I ended up with a new problem.....the squirrels used the frame to bounce up and onto my bird feeders!

 

[peter hillman]

It's beautiful.....

 

[revchristinejday]

Well this fall was so crazy I didn't put the netting over the pond to prevent the leaves. So yesterday I had the joy of getting a mess of leaves out before enclosing the pond for the winter. I discovered that using a shop vacuum worked wonderfully. Thank heavens the water was very cold!

 

[msmith]

I use netting as well, and I would agree with Mmathis: don't let the netting touch the water. Fish can get caught in the netting. As long as you keep it out of the water, it can be pretty effective.