Pond life

Author
Discussion

snobetter

Original Poster:

1,255 posts

161 months

Wednesday 11th June
quotequote all
Does anyone know what this pond weed is, and how to get rid of it without killing the wanted pond plants and insects please?
Not the best pictures, but stuff grows like mad and covers the pond, constantly trying to remove it.
Unfortunately came with some frogspawn my brother gave from his pond for our kids to watch.

A.Norton

831 posts

52 months

Wednesday 11th June
quotequote all
Blanket weed....

Search for blanket weed klear to get rid.

Edited by A.Norton on Wednesday 11th June 17:02

zalrak

561 posts

100 months

Wednesday 11th June
quotequote all
No idea what it is called but I had some of this in my pond awhile ago. I just used a grass rake to get it all out and it hasn't returned in any noticeable way.

2 sMoKiN bArReLs

31,160 posts

250 months

Wednesday 11th June
quotequote all
A grass carp keeps blanket weed at bay..

.....and every other plant too hehe

snobetter

Original Poster:

1,255 posts

161 months

Wednesday 11th June
quotequote all
Cheers all.

JoshSm

1,080 posts

52 months

Wednesday 11th June
quotequote all
I used this stuff https://cloverleaf.uk.net/blanket-answer

I got a tub off Amazon, definitely works very well/quickly and only needs using very infrequently.

Simpo Two

89,002 posts

280 months

Wednesday 11th June
quotequote all
It contains a 'unique blend of minerals and enzymes'. So as to how it works, we're no further forward.

You can easily pull blanketweed out by hand for free, and it's instant.

Blib

46,011 posts

212 months

Wednesday 11th June
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I use barley straw, tied in mini 'bales'.

Doofus

30,778 posts

188 months

Wednesday 11th June
quotequote all
Hoik it out, give the snails and various larvae a day or two to get back into the pond, then dispose if it.

Barley straw is supposed to work, but I've never had much success. Water lilies work better for us.

Blib

46,011 posts

212 months

Wednesday 11th June
quotequote all
Doofus said:
Hoik it out, give the snails and various larvae a day or two to get back into the pond, then dispose if it.

Barley straw is supposed to work, but I've never had much success. Water lilies work better for us.
That's interesting as our water lillies are quite ineffective against blanket weed.

Doofus

30,778 posts

188 months

Wednesday 11th June
quotequote all
Blib said:
Doofus said:
Hoik it out, give the snails and various larvae a day or two to get back into the pond, then dispose if it.

Barley straw is supposed to work, but I've never had much success. Water lilies work better for us.
That's interesting as our water lillies are quite ineffective against blanket weed.
For us, the leaves cover the surface, and stop the weed from getting going.

Thus year, the blanket weed is bad because back in March. I pulled out about half a ton of lilies as they were taking over.

JoshSm

1,080 posts

52 months

Wednesday 11th June
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
It contains a 'unique blend of minerals and enzymes'. So as to how it works, we're no further forward.

You can easily pull blanketweed out by hand for free, and it's instant.
Unfortunately if you grab it and pull it out it has a habit of just growing back again from all the bits that stay behind.

I don't know how that stuff works, all I can say is that it definitely does.

The Gauge

4,762 posts

28 months

Wednesday 11th June
quotequote all
Often caused by not having enough planting covering the water surface to create shade, allowing the sunlight into the water which encourages it to grow. It. Covering 2/3rds of the surface with planting can help. Duckweed (dreaded by some) does a great job of shading the pond and preventing blanket weed developing.

I actually quite like the look of a pond with duckweed, and it does help keep the water nice and clear. I no longer scoop duckweed off my pond, and as it's a wildlife pond I'm happy for it to find its own balance.

snobetter

Original Poster:

1,255 posts

161 months

Thursday 12th June
quotequote all
It's only a tiny wildlife pond we put in last year. I've been pulling it out, and leaving on the side as you can see in picture there's some dried stuff beneath new, but it keeps coming back with a vengeance, it's all intertwined with the other plants as well as breaking apart etc.

Snow and Rocks

2,867 posts

42 months

Thursday 12th June
quotequote all
Difficult to tell from the photo but "blanket weed" is just some sort of mat forming algae?

If so, it's usually a result of excess nutrients in the water. Do you regularly top up the pond with tap water?

snobetter

Original Poster:

1,255 posts

161 months

Thursday 12th June
quotequote all
Snow and Rocks said:
Difficult to tell from the photo but "blanket weed" is just some sort of mat forming algae?

If so, it's usually a result of excess nutrients in the water. Do you regularly top up the pond with tap water?
No, I think it came from my brothers pond when he gave my kids some frog spawn in a bucket which also had weed in it.

budgie smuggler

5,722 posts

174 months

Thursday 12th June
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
It contains a 'unique blend of minerals and enzymes'. So as to how it works, we're no further forward.

You can easily pull blanketweed out by hand for free, and it's instant.
I seem to recall reading it's manganese. Whatever it is, it works, I use the same product.

I've been pulling out armfulls of it for months and this stuff sorted it in a couple of weeks.