Fill up your pond with plants

The month of May is time to focus on your garden pond.

Start by thinning out established aquatic plants. You can do this by either cutting them back or lifting them out and dividing them (literally use your hands or a spade to break the plant down, you’ll see the natural opportunity to make lots of smaller plants from the one big one). If you have any gaps that need filling then pop out to our Clyst St Mary garden centre and stock up. We have some wonderful lilies in stock. Plant vigorous varieties in plant baskets to contain their roots and growth and place a layer of gravel over the compost surface so that fish don’t stir it up.

Don’t forget the marginal areas too or if you have a very moist area of the garden make a bog garden.

If you have any blanket weed the best way to remove it is like candy floss – get a rough stick and twirl it through the water then use a net to get any duckweed and other floating weeds out. If you put the pile of weeds next to the pond for a day it will allow any trapped wildlife to return safely before you dispose of the weeds.

Once you have established all your new plants and providing you are going for a more ornamental look rather than a wildlife pond, then it will be time to stock up with fish.