Pond Help!

[matttmattt789]

Hi everyone,
I have a question about what sort of substrate to line my pond over the liner. I have heard you could put a couple of inches of clay or dirt on the bottom and it would hold well, but not so sure. I dont want to use rocks or gravel, either. I have done research but haven't found any good information on this subject. My main goal is to attract frogs to this pond, so if you have any tips for that, it would be much appreciated. Thank!! I am new to this!

 

[shakaho]

Most of us don't use a substrate -- just bare liner. Why do you want one? That information would help in determining what would be good.

 

[matttmattt789]

Oh well I'm not sure. I guess I was just wondering if it was a good idea, and it might look nice.

 

[fishin4cars]

I just answered this by what I do here. https://www.gardenpondforum.com/building-pond-equipment-t7982.html#post69091. This is shorter than reposting. Welcome aboard

 

[j.w]

matttmattt789

 

[j.w]

I use nothing........easier to keep clean.......otherwise a pain in the kabootski :bowdown:

 

[addy1]

Welcome to the group!, the algae, dirt that accumulate over time, makes the liner look very natural.

 

[matttmattt789]

Thanks for all the replies. But how would you put plants in your pond with a bare liner?

 

[j.w]

Some use plant shelves that they made when they built their ponds and just pot the plants in pots and set them there. When they outgrow the pot you will have to transplant and divide them up. Others just tie the plant roots to a heavy rock and let it sit on the bottom or you can make plant rings w/ screened bottoms and set the plants in those. Some tuck them between rock crevices so the roots are down into the water. You can also set some kind of container or objects like bricks etc. to raise the pots up so certain plants can reach the surface according to their needs. I'm sure there are other ideas that people here will input for you. Lots of plants can just float on the surface also

 

[addy1]

Thanks for all the replies. But how would you put plants in your pond with a bare liner?

Get oil pans from walmart cheap and work great, for lilies and other plants. For lotus use the black plant pots that you get land plants in from a nursery. I use pea gravel or kitty litter clay for the "dirt" the cheap walmart red bag, pure clay.

I have some iris just stuck in rocks, others are in a oil pan. parrots feather, and hyacinth are just floating around.

Creeping jenny stuck in the dirt along side the pond, also some stuck in the pond rocks.
Rocks on the edge not bottom.

If your pond is too deep, milk crates, strawberry pots all make good things to hold the plants up higher. I just keep mine in the shallower part of the pond,

 

[j.w]

For the life of me I couldn't think of milk crates to tell him addy so I threw in containers...........thank goodness we don't all have senior moments at the same time :lol:

 

[addy1]

For the life of me I couldn't think of milk crates to tell him addy so I threw in containers...........thank goodness we don't all have senior moments at the same time :lol:

No kidding, I call them brain farts!

 

[j.w]

Ha Ha Ha I'll have to try to remember to use that one...............that is if I don't have a brain fart and forget :lol: