When should I do pond maintenance?

Last week we looked at pond creation and this week it's all about maintenance. There is no perfect time for this. Whether you need to drain the pond for repairs or simply remove excess vegetation, it will cause problems for wildlife, removing eggs, larvae and adult aquatic animals. Yet maintenance is essential. A wildlife pond needs to have a reasonable depth of water and it will become stagnant if vegetation is left unchecked. So, like so many things in wildlife gardening, it is all about good timing and minimising disruption.

Maintenance in September causes minimal disturbance to pond animals because most breeding activity has ceased and hibernation has not yet begun. Lay removed vegetation close to the pond edge on a sloping tray or drape over canes above the water to give animals a chance to get back in. Leave plenty of vegetation to ensure that some feeding, breeding and sheltering grounds survive.