Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Creating habitat Pond vegetation

Patience is the key, along with controlling what you do not want. For us, it was cattail and willows that tried to invade. I tried to get eel grass to grow several times with no luck. Our newer pond has volunteer curly-leaf pondweed starting, so we will need to see where that goes. If it gets out of control, I'll add some grass carp later. Right now it may provide cover for the FHM, RES, YP, GSH, and LCS. Later we will add SMB. So we do not have any submerged plants that we intended to get going, but some volunteers that have really not taken off. I think the lily cover helps with that.

Does all that vegetation do a good job of keeping the water clear?

This is a great example of why PondBoss is good for me. It helps open my eyes to other viewpoints and management strategies, especially those that appear contrary to my own ideas. Not that long ago, photos like those submitted by RAH and John Monroe would've instilled visions of me scurrying to hook up the bushhog, and prime the pump sprayer. Now, I understand some of what their objective is, and I appreciate the aesthetic quality and natural environment a little better.

Don't ever see myself deliberately adding vegetation, though. That's a barrier that would be nigh impossible for me to cross!

The vegetation does a pretty good job most of the time in keeping the water clarity at about a couple feet in terms of seeing fish. After a big rain, it gets muddy, and in the winter, the clarity sometimes gets to 6 feet or more. In spring, we sometimes have more algae than I like for a couple weeks. All in all, I am pretty pleased with it. I also understand that others like the look of a "city-park" pond, with turf right up to the pond's edges. Our ponds and wetlands are part of an ongoing large wildlife-habitat restoration project that goes back 25 years and still has a ways to go. We have no shortage of chores to do, so reducing mowing is a help. Its all what the individual wants. We do keep the lawn mowed around the house, and that is not very different from mowing around a pond from a philosophical point of view. We also keep paths mowed all over our land for walking and access.

Do you have a FA problem. I am hoping adding vegetation will suck up the extra nutrients and help control it.

My FA problems are very minimal, but not zero. I have never had a "bloom" that would warrant a treatment. Occasionally, we get algae blobs that must come up from the bottom, but they have always disappeared in less than 2 weeks (usually a couple days). Desirable plants can only help by using nutrients that would otherwise be available to undesirable plants. I am all about high-intensity production on our vegetable ground, I just take a more subtle approach on our wildlife and recreational ground.

Thanks Rah. All very encouraging info that I may be on the right track to achieve a few of my water quality goals. From an asthetic standpoint, I am hoping for something between your and Sparkie's points of view.

Do you mind pointing out what plants are in the picture? It's nice to see them in their natural habitat.

In the foreground is a swamp milkweed (pink flower). The purple flowers in the water are pickerelweed. Yellow and pink waterlilies can be seen on the water surface. The emergent thin leaved plants that look a bit like cattail are giant burreed. I think that the tall spikes are dark-green bullrush, but I planted several different species. There are also different sedges present. I think I see boneset as well.

Thank you!! Beautiful place you have there!

Thank you - we love it!

Thank you for that Sparkplug.
I probably put more pictures on Pond Boss then anyone for a different point of view on ponding.
For instance, the frog and the lily are all in the picture but what makes it special is the early morning sunlight ray comes through and highlighting the frog and the lily, so their are three things happening in this view I see in my natural pond. This is a beautiful different way of looking at natural ponding.

These plants came today. These also look quite good. I just read today that water arum prefers shade so I am not hopeful they will survive/thrive. My pond is all full sun. If any body has any tips on planting any of the above, please let me know. I will be planting them tomorrow.

Good luck with the new plantings Bill. Looks like some great choices. It's always exciting starting a project like this that you will be able to enjoy for years.

Thanks! The experiment is on! Everything is planted. My thought is by planting so many species I will find the ones that thrive in my little puddle. My hope is to use marginals on the entire south half of the pond to control what little erosion occurs on that side. North half will be a much more aggressive approach with sediment ponds and rip rap filled swales as that is where the watershed water enters and erosion is a huge issue.

Ok wild bill it's time for pictures of all this before it grows up. Before and after...

Hey Pat,

I took a "before" pic tonight from the deck. Hopefully, after the pond renovation and a summer of plants growing I can put it together with an impressive "after" pic I will post this fall.

Puddle getting a facelift? How big you going with it?

My biggest issue has been animals eating or pulling up plants. Geese and deer are the worst. I now put honeylocust branches around and over the plants, which works good for me. You just need to take care handling them. By the time they rot away, the plants are established enough to take the damage.

Pat,

Final size will be dependent on how many places I can find to put the dirt removed.



Rah,

Thanks for the tip. I will try to get out today and see what I can do.

Bill D.

Bill, I'm trying to remember.. Is your pond new? Is it full? I. In the waiting mode still on plantings, because I still need 3+ feet of water to reach full pool. I don't want to start planting until I'm a little closer to full. We've had a whopping 1.5" of rain in the last few weeks, not really helping.
Looking forward to seeing the pictures.
Jeff

Hey Jeff,

My pond was dug fall of 2013. It is a water table pond and filled in 48 hours. My water level fluctuates about 3 feet over the year, based on a sample of one year (last year). I have a well and can adjust the level but it leaks pretty good trying to hold a level above the water table. I am close to what is "normal" pool right now so this is the level I planted the plants. When we get a 2 inch rain the level will come up 18 to 24 inches but only stay there a couple of weeks.

Bill D.

Thanks Bill,
I think I knew that, but wasn't sure. Senior moment.
I'm in a holding pattern.. Waiting for rain. Not patient.
Enjoying hearing about your plantings. Looking forward to the pics.
Hopefully I'll be planting some this fall, or next spring for sure.

Update....FWIW my experience has been that there is more to planting bareroot marginals than just sticking them in the bottom and walking away. Wave action, wind, curious critters, etc and before you know it you have a few floaters and then a few more and then a few more...Everyday I walk the pond and fish out 3 or 4 floaters and replant. During replant, I have been placing a few small rocks around the base of the plant and have had no repeat offenders yet.

Update....FHM are spawning on the bottom of the new lily leaves