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Duck weed
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Posted by Annieo UK (My Page) on Thu, May 5, 05 at 7:40
I am now looking after our school pond This has been rather neglected over the last couple of years. I've cleared out a lot of twigs and playground bark and put some reeds and watercress in. There are loads of very big tadpoles but no fish (and no fish wanted)
The surface is covered in duckweed - My question is should I remove this and try to keep the growth of this down? Or is it a good thing in a wildlife pond?
When I take duckweed from my own pond I always leave the net hanging over the pond so that insects and larvae can drop off back into the water but this would be difficult to do over a large pond. I can check through it for wildlife as I remove it but that is very time consuming
Any suggestions welcome
AnnieO |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Duck weed
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That sounds like a lovely job! It's good a school is still willing to provide such a rich source of delightful activity in these days of dare not do that not safe.. litigation.
I know of a smallish pond by a section of canal which is almost completely covered in a thick layer of duckweed. So dense it seems (almost) that one could walk upon it!. It seems to be a very happy and productive pond with a sweet smell and much activity, encouraged I believe by the cover provided by the duckweed. Other plants, reeds, marigold, periwinkle grow in or close by. Birds bathe, my dog drinks.. it's a lovely pond. So for all my waffle.. I think I'm saying I wouldn't be in too much of a rush to remove it. Over the years it doesn't seem to have overun the pond I know of. I suppose only drawback I could think of would be children possibly not realising water is beneath the duckweed. |
RE: Duck weed
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Thanks for your input
There's no danger of anyone walking on it by mistake as we have a gate to access it so kids don't go in alone (because of all the safety issues) But there are lunchtime visits and they visit it as part of their nature studies
AnnieO |
RE: Duck weed
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| Is any of the water surface open water? If not I would net some of it out. The children could help, and put each net full in a bucket or tray and see what creatures are in it. I think I'd also put some other oxygenators in if you can- hornwort and spiked water milfoil are native |
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