Hello from Oxfordshire UK + question on a species that has appeared.

[alfvenwave]

Welcome from sunny Plymouth UK where abouts in Oxfordshire do you come from we have family friends in both Counties..... mum used to live in Cambridgeshire and would visit there quite regularily

Dave

Just outside Oxford Dave. My favourite thing about Plymouth is its Gin!

 

[Dave 54]

Just outside Oxford Dave. My favourite thing about Plymouth is its Gin!

Oh I like you already yes Plymouth Gin mix it with angusturas bitters and some old fashion lemonade with grushed ice and your on a winner there with a JC
Love the pond by the way , have you ever thought about adding Koi ?

Dave

 

[Becky]

Love your photos, welcome aboard!

 

[alfvenwave]

Amazing pond Rob & Amy and I love your photographs on Flickr. My major challenge at the moment is to keep the birds away until all my plants have established! Are those Taxodium distichum trees around your pond?

 

[RobAmy]

Amazing pond Rob & Amy and I love your photographs on Flickr. My major challenge at the moment is to keep the birds away until all my plants have established! Are those Taxodium distichum trees around your pond?

Thank you, the trees around the pond are called white pines. They grow naturally around us. They are a cheaper evergreen in our area and they grow everywhere naturally. We really like the natural look and the white tailed deer will not eat them.

 

[alfvenwave]

Thank you, the trees around the pond are called white pines. They grow naturally around us. They are a cheaper evergreen in our area and they grow everywhere naturally. We really like the natural look and the white tailed deer will not eat them.

Pinus strobus? Beautiful trees...We have them in the UK (introduced in the 1600's) as an ornamental tree - I considered planting one as an alternative to our native Pinus sylvestris but planted a Bhutan pine (Pinus wallichiana) instead. Do you end up with needles in your pond (not sure what pine needles would do to the pH)....

 

[RobAmy]

Pinus strobus? Beautiful trees...We have them in the UK (introduced in the 1600's) as an ornamental tree - I considered planting one as an alternative to our native Pinus sylvestris but planted a Bhutan pine (Pinus wallichiana) instead. Do you end up with needles in your pond (not sure what pine needles would do to the pH)....

You are correct, they are Pinus Strobus.

Pine needles are acidic and can lower the ph but they just need removal as like all debris in a pond. I treat them just like you would any other form of unwanted organic material. Keep your pond clean and it will keep your levels where you want them, whether you have pine trees, oak trees or fruit trees they all have issues of one thing or another. With the pine trees in mind during my build I installed a skimmer which works great for them and I also built a shallow but wide stream so when they do fall they tend to just get caught on the sides and are very easy to just pick out by hand. I have very few ever reach the bottom of the pond.

 

[alfvenwave]

You are correct, they are Pinus Strobus.

Pine needles are acidic and can lower the ph but they just need removal as like all debris in a pond. I treat them just like you would any other form of unwanted organic material. Keep your pond clean and it will keep your levels where you want them, whether you have pine trees, oak trees or fruit trees they all have issues of one thing or another. With the pine trees in mind during my build I installed a skimmer which works great for them and I also built a shallow but wide stream so when they do fall they tend to just get caught on the sides and are very easy to just pick out by hand. I have very few ever reach the bottom of the pond.

Interesting. Our pond is designed to look completely natural - no fish, although we may get sticklebacks in the future as the ducks tend to bring them in. It's got a large draw down zone, and as it's not fed goes through a large variation in water level through the year. I'm not sure I could install a skimmer as I couldn't guarantee the water height in the Autumn - looks like I'll have to stick with my trusty net (we do have willow trees which drop a lot of leaves). Have a lovely day, Rob.