POND BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS

1. The hole: siting and designing your pond

1. a good site for a pond is away from trees, in a fairly level, open, sunny spot that receives some shade in the day
2. good pondscape features for wildlife are:
• extensive shallows 30cm deep and at least 30cm wide
• gentle slopes rather then steep sides
• a deeper area at least 75cm in depth
• a scalloped pond edge on the north side (for plants), and a straight pond edge on the south side (for paving and people)
• an extra non-submerged area at the edge for accompanying wetland/bog
3. initially, dig an extra 25cm depth to accommodate sand, old carpet and height of flagstones at pond edge
4. ensure the sides are level by using a spirit level on a plank spanning the pond
5. lastly, dig a trench around the pond for the overhanging pond liner

2. Building the pond

1. the amount of liner you will need can be calculated as; width + (2 x maximum depth) x length + (2 x maximum depth)
2. lay a 5cm thick layer of sand or old carpet first - this will protect the liner from sharp stones
3. unroll the liner, with overhang into trench: snip off any excess

3. Just add water:

1. you will need a substrate for plants and animals - sand is excellent because it is sterile and will not harbour any undesirable seeds or microbes. Netted 'bags' for fruit and brussel sprouts provide a superb method for keeping the soil with the plants when you first place them in the pond.
2. fill the pond with water. Collected rainwater is best, but from a tap with a hose will be the most practical way for most people. This may take a while so this is the time to put the kettle on for a well-deserved cup of tea. To stop the sand dispersing, rest the nozzle on a plastic bag to absorb some of the energy.
3. refill the trench with soil; remember the liner will stretch as the pond fills up
4. when the pond is just about full, place turf (and flagstones) over the exposed areas of liner
5. plant out your wetland/bog area, if you made one; put some stones or old logs near the pond edge for hibernating pond creatures
6. why not use all those liner off cuts to make a wetland mosaic area?

4. Pond open for business

1. If you used tap water, in the early stages your pond will go bright green - this is because tap water is full of nutrients. The greenness will fade as microorganisms eat up all the chemicals. If not add extra broad-leaved plants. You can raise these from seed - suppliers over leaf or purchase from a local garden centre.
2. Your pond will need 1 oxygenating plant per 100cm2 surface area of water
3. A wildlife pond may take 4-5 years to become fully established, but you should see wonderful results even in the first few months.