The winter can be harsh on our garden ponds, so the spring is the perfect time to clean and refresh them, ready for fish and other wildlife to enjoy during the warmer months.
We have put together 5 simple tips to get your pond back into a sparkling clean condition, as well as a few products that can help to make the task less stressful.
Remove any fish and existing wildlife, then pump any water into buckets or the surrounding landscape. This will make it much easier than trying to scoop out any debris from a full pond.
The easiest way to do this is to use a pressure washer. This will ensure that any pebbles and gravel is cleaned too, without too much effort. Take this opportunity to remove any plants that need repotting or separating.
A little algae can be beneficial to building your own ecosystem, so try not to scrub away too much when you are cleaning. If there is excess silt, this can be removed at the same time, but leave a little at the bottom.
If your pond works with a filter system, it is important to clean these in order to keep them running efficiently.
Once you have refilled your pond with water, it is important to get your fish used to the new temperature again. Put your fish in a bucket of water and gradually add some pond water so that the temperatures become quite similar, then you can release your fish back into their home.