Friday, April 15, 2011

Where do you skinny dip?

Following Linda Woodrow's design a pond is placed in the centre of the mandala garden to add a vital cog in the system... water. The theory behind the pond is it provides insect predators such as frogs and lizards a place to live and drink. Like using chickens for grass control, in my previous post, why do the hard work of pest removal yourself when you can get someone else to do it for you. And lets be honest our tongs don't move nearly as quick as a frogs.


Building the pond proved more challenging than I anticipated. The first challenge was getting it in the centre. Which I didn't achieve perfectly, but close enough. In order to dig the hole I had to pull the centre stake out. With no central reference I just started digging. In hindsight before pulling the stake I should have marked out the perimeter. Don't you just love and hate hindsight.

It was recommended to me by a few people to make it as big and deep as possible to increase self sustainability. Which I did within the limited space.


For the lining I initially I purchased clear builders plastic sheeting thinking it would let through the colour of the soil and look more natural. But I now know why everyone uses black. Clear when in the bright sun turns white and stands out like a spot light. So back I went to the hardware store. The silver lining of this cloud/pond is that I now have a double layer, which I would recommend.


On the first attempt of laying the plastic in the hole the kids helped by jumping in it. With the second attempt I simply laid it flat across the hole and put the hose on it. The weight of the water did the job and a lot more gently I might add.


We then placed rocks around the edge and I cut off the excess plastic. Wrecking a perfectly good pair of scissors in the process.


Standing back admiring my work I realised the water wasn't level. The garden is set on a slight slope and thus so was the pond and from the viewing side one could see a large amount of exposed plastic. So I attempted to get the water level with the pond edge. I tried a number techniques, including poring more water in at one end, to no avail. So I levelled the pond edge instead.


One thing I got right first hit was laying the brick border. I devised a simple technique to get it circular and keep the path width even all the way round. Using a measuring stick I laid six reference brinks first.


When complete the kids took off their clothes and went for a skinny dip in it. Being partial to one myself I later took a dip.

But now what? I am unsure on how to vegetate the pond particularly as it has a plastic bottom. Do I need a pump to keep it from going yuck? I am also nervous that the little critters when getting a drink will slip in on the plastic edge. Love to hear your suggestions.

16 comments:

  1. Im glad you realised you needed to level the side of the pond, you could have spent a long time filling up that one side. I think with the pond you could put stones in the bottom and water plants? just google it . If your doing it in a permaculture kind of way I imagine it will not involve a pump. Pond and garden looks very cool though that last pic is slightly disturbing.

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  2. Arghh, I was eating breakfast when I reached that last picture!

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  3. Water plants in the pond can act as filters and aerators...but they need a certain depth. A log in the pond and resting on the edge provides a ramp for froglets. Frogs don't live in ponds but the surrounds,so lots of plants around the edge, sticks and twigs and rocks to hide under and around. Be careful you don't drown.

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  5. Kellee yes I do what to keep the garden as permacultural as possible. So as Hazel describes it sounds like the water plants will do the trick.

    Hazel I like the log ramp idea. Thanks. And funny that you advise me to be careful. I took this photo by myself using a 10 second timer. In the rush the camera has caught me just before I slipped ass up.

    Michael sorry about your breakfast.

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  6. Theres nothing that comes close to admiring your work whilst sitting in a bath/pond outside. Love that you are embracing your wild side. I always wanted a bath outside (like in McLeod's Daughters) where i could sit and admire my property (to be purchased when i win lotto). Water, Sun and fresh air = relaxing.
    HI Jas, once your pond is established eg rocks, plants etc. You could purchase Water Snails to help in keeping it clean. The only thing is, is that they need to be submerged in water at all times. you can purchase these at your local petshop.

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  7. With all of those bricks you could have built a brick oven - what better way to cook your home grown produce?!

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  8. I very much liked the way that you filled up one side in order to level the water. Very much.

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  9. Anonymous True I could have built a brick oven, maybe next time, there is plenty of more bricks where they came from. Then again I could just use your brick oven ;-)

    Ali Thanks. I am sure it should have worked, maybe there is a trick to it?

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  10. Buy some water plants, most anything survives I have found, including water chestnuts if you are partial to them. Some azolla will provide shelter for any critters that want to call it home and is amazing chook food and brilliant for composting!

    Leave your plants in pots in the pond, just split the pot down the side to allow it to grow out when it needs to.

    If you plan on putting any fish in there a solar pump would be better than no pump, otherwise I wouldn't worry too much, just bucket some of the water out to your garden occasionally and refill with rain water:)

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  11. molly Thanks for the advise. I just googled water chestnut looks perfect. Being able to eat what grows in the pond is very appealing to me.

    I was planning on having fish, not gold fish, little local creak fish. My though is to make it a little eco-system as best I can. And I like to bucket idea. I assume that is to keep the water oxygenated?

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  12. Hi Jason, we have a bigger pond in a Linda Woodrow mandala arrangement. We have a pump in ours which circulates the water and helps keep it clear a bit as it has a filter in it. The plants are in pots, and they're all doing quite well. We've stocked the pond with Australian rainbow fish - we had six and two died almost straight away (the change in temperature from the fish shop to the pond was too great for them), but the other four have thrived and bred and the pond is full of little fish now - I have no idea what they're eating!

    Our pond also has a bridge over the top of it to give the fish a place to hide from the birds.

    My husband Pete wasn't sure if a pond would work in a small pond? But he thought a fish might help keep the water a bit clearer if you could find one that would survive. Our rainbow fish are great, and they keep the mozzies down, but they don't eat algae.

    So far, no frogs, but Bob the dog who was visiting recently loves drinking from the pond! :)

    If you'd like to see a photo, I posted one a while ago, it's in a post called "Garden Predators" which is listed on our "In the Garden" page.

    Cheers, Celia

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  13. Celia I like you pond and the bridge adds a nice touch. Gives it that Japanese feel. I am going to try Molly's bucket suggestion but if it gets too dirty switch to a pump. I am sceptical of the pond size as well but we will see how it goes. Do rainbow fish eat frog eggs?

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  14. Jason, apparently not - we found this website which advises which fish are frog-friendly..

    http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/publications/frogs2.html

    Cheers, Celia

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  15. PS. Sorry Jason, typo in my first comment, Pete wasn't sure if a pump would work in a small pond...

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  16. Celia I was going to get around to doing some frog and pond research, then you did it for me, how great is that! Thanks the website is good and links off to other info.

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