I’m a gardening expert – three pests to beware of if you’ve got a pond, and how to get rid of them once and for all
GARDEN ponds can not only look attractive but also be a haven for wildlife – but with this can come some pests.
An expert has revealed three unwanted visitors that may be lured to your garden if you add one to your outdoor space.
Pros from Safe Gardening said: “Some people just have a pond as an additional garden feature whilst others will keep fish in their pond and whilst fish are an ideal natural controller of controlling pests and bugs, they can also attract other predators and pests.”
Here are some common pond pests and how to keep them under control…
Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are notoriously drawn to still, stagnant water, particularly in summer.
But one way to discourage them from hovering around your pond is to encourage moving water in your garden.
One way to achieve this is to add a fountain or waterfall to your pond which will disturb the water and hopefully deter them.
The experts also advised that aphids can also be attracted to the water, and one way to avoid this is to “give your aquatic plants a regular soaking” with a hosepipe before they decay.
The garden pros added: “As they are sprayed off into the pond, the fish will take care of the rest, including eating any insect larvae.”
Herons
The next “pest” that can be attracted to your pond are birds such as herons and kingfishers.
While they can be interesting to look at, they could use your pond as their very own fish buffet.
One way to deter them is to use a netting or mesh grille over the top of your pond, or add a decoy heron figurine.
Otters
The experts said it is unlikely most small mammals will be attracted to fish in your pond, however you may have an issue if there are foxes, otters or beavers in your area.
BBC reported how South Cumbria Rivers Trust (SCRT) said “pollution and loss of habitat” have been linked to a decline of native fish, meaning there are “increasing the chance of otters predating on captive populations.”
They advised: “Putting netting or a mesh grille over ponds can be an option and although you may find it a bit of a burden to keep covering it up and removing it for maintenance, you might find that’s it’s very useful over the summer months if you’re in an area which attracts a lot of pond predators which is when pond pests and predators are at their most active.”
A deeper pond with more vegetation provides more shelter for fish and can put off predators.
The pros added: “In essence, attracting the right type of creatures such as frogs and toads to your pond as well as making the environment appealing for the likes of hedgehogs is likely to take care of any major pest problem as all of these creatures feast on insects which are likely to be your main cause of concern although if your garden attracts hedgehogs, keep an eye out for them as they seem to have little fear of falling into a garden pond.”
October gardening jobs
The Sun’s Gardening Editor, Veronica Lorraine, has shared the jobs you need to tackle in October.
“It’s a good time to trim deciduous hedges – like box, yew, hawthorn, hornbean and beech – plus hedge trimmers are a great upper body workout!
Make leafmould – gather up all the fallen leaves and fill either bin bags or plastic carrier bags. Seal the top, stick a few small holes in the bag – and then store for a year or more. Free compost!
It’s unlikely you’ll get any more red tomatoes so have one final harvest and chuck the plants on the compost. See if you can get the green ones to ripen by putting in a drawer (some say with a banana). Also keep the seeds from a couple – and plant again next year if they went well.
Finish getting in your spring bulbs. Ideally you’d have done daffs and alliums, but tulips are better in the ground when the soil temperature gets a bit colder.
It’s good to leave some plant litter in the ground – it adds to the nutrients as it rots down, and provides shelter and food for insects. But remove the manky brown bits collapsing all over the lawn/winter structure.
Mulch – it not only suppresses weeds, but keeps the soil warm, improves water retention and adds a little winter duvet to your outside space.
October’s a good month for carrots, peas, asparagus, broad beans, and rhubarb.”