Leaves Smeaves Pfff I ain't got no leaves

[pecan]

Or so I once said...

Back when we put the pond in fall clean up was no big deal. All these silly people and their leaves covering their yard. We don't have to worry about that...

Well its now Fall 2015 and I am literally SWIMMING in leaves.

What makes it more difficult is the biggest tree in the yard (the willow) doesn't drop it's leaves until December when the ice is already forming on the pond making the leaves freeze into the ice before I can net them out.

Pond in our wonderfully HOT AND SUNNY yard in 2011

Now 4 short years later, we HAVE leaves!!!

I need to make a plan. A solid plan. This can't continue.

Plan A: Pull out all the plants and bring in 1/3 of acres worth of gravel
Plan B: Build some sort of net T-PEE to cover the pond

Plan B is a bit more difficult than plan A, as the pond without the waterfall is 17' W X 21' L, That a big net and a big structure to hold it up off the water so it doesn't freeze into the ice.

I knew I was going to pay for all this lovely shade.

 

[HARO]

Chainsaw?
John

 

[pecan]

Chainsaw?
John

I like where your heads at.

 

[pecan]

I am thinking something like this over the pond should do the job.

All I need is a really big one of these...

 

[cas]

I love how your landscaping has matured! I know the leaves are a pain, but that willow next to your pond is awesome.

 

[morewater]

The problem with a lot of the standard leaf nets out there is that the mesh size is too large for trees such as willow and locust. The leaves simply fall through the mesh.

There are leaf nets out there that have smaller mesh. Look around for those.

As to the structure to hold up the leaf net, try using 2" ABS pipes/elbows/unions/tees. They're lightweight, easy to take apart and easily stored during the summer months.

 

[Big Lou]

Looks great Pecan. I gave up. Spring clean gets them out. I can be that way since not fish.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Willows are a nightmare, and leaves are just one of the many reasons!
I go through the same thing, with them dropping leaves so late that they freeze into the ice. Plus the leaves are so small they're hard to get out.

 

[Smaug]

My pond is directly under one of the dirtiest trees possible,a pecan tree. No way I'm cutting it down because somewhere deep down I'm a druid at heart. I just net the stuff out as much as I can as often as I can. My fish have been fine with it for 10 years now.

 

[Big Lou]

Can't be worst than a bald cypress. Those needles are terrible.

 

[pecan]

I have two bald cypress. One in the back corner near the irrigation ditch and one in the small ponds large bog. The needles are bad. Mine are just starting to drop.

Can't be worst than a bald cypress. Those needles are terrible.

 

[Smaug]

I really meant for the amount of leaves but more for those pollen sacks. Those things turn my water to English tea in late spring and once they are in the water for a week they brake down into sludge.

 

[Shdwdrgn]

I have both a locust and a pine tree hanging over my pond. When the Fall winds come up it is a mess. I typically manage to get about half the leaves out in the Fall, and the rest out in the Spring. I think the pine needles must just eventually dissolve because I can never get them out. It's no wonder I have such a problem with phosphates though...

@pecan -- have you thought about installing a skimmer? That could take care of a large number of the leaves before they have a chance to sink.

 

[HARO]

I have a blue spruce about 10' from the pond. No net on earth is going to stop all THOSE needles! Took most of the lower branches off this summer, and if the back yard ever dries up enough to get the truck back there, it's coming down!! (Need the truck for a bit of pull to fell it in the only safe direction.)
John

 

[Lisak1]

Let me preface this by saying we don't have any big trees near our pond - one crabapple that overhangs the pond and has some kind of virus that makes it lose it's leaves all summer long, so never an issue in the fall. But we do still end up with a good number of leaves that blow in from neighboring yards.

So I'm going to go against the grain here and say we don't worry a whole lot about the leaves that accumulate in the bottom of the pond before winter. Most of the leaves get "skimmed" out (no skimmer - they get pushed over the negative edge) but a few do make it to the bottom. They don't really break down much over winter - too cold maybe? - but I always think maybe there are microscopic creatures who would appreciate a warmer, more protected space to spend the winter. In the spring I stir them up and get them into the water column so they can float out. So far we haven't had any issues related to having a good leaf cover on the pond bottom.

Anyone else a laissez faire leaf scooper?