pond netting

[Alvarero]

This year I decided to take it to the Heron and put some netting over my pond. At night I heard the croaking of the bird and could just imagine the all you can eat buffet that was going on in my backyard. The netting is about a foot off the surface and seems to be working very well. I can see the fish through the net and the cost was only about 6 dollars per section at Lowe's. The sections are about 12 by 15 feet and can be strected easily. One casualty was a garder snake that frequents the pond. The snake got into the net and tried to untangle itself. Well after an entire day going in and out the poor snake had to be cut out of the net.

 

[addy1]

I bought some netting that has a 4 inch mesh, hung it about 4 feet above the pond (gill net from a fish net site). I didn't want to take a chance on killing the small birds or other critters.

The heron has been back, didn't make a move to get into the big pond, so maybe working. You can hardly see the net, which I love.

 

[Doug_S]

I made mine tent shape. It peaks about 2 feet of the ground. So far this year I had to cut a frog out of mine and release a gold finch that somehow got underneath.

 

[Fishylove]

Lol well at least he didn't strangle himself

 

[Fishylove]

I've used 1'' squares for years every fall, haven't had a problem yet I leave a little hole between two stones for the frogs to get out.

 

[addy1]

I loss two birds with the 1 inch squares of the deer netting. Two dead bodies in the pond.

 

[Fishylove]

Awww

 

[addy1]

yeah bugged me a lot to be the cause of their death, so got wide openings, it is high enough the heron can't reach the fish though it.
The little birds can get out. They bath and drink in the pond and bog all of the time.

 

[Craig58]

Hmm. we use 3/16" mesh netting and never a problem. But we keep a "door" open for the frogs. We only net it for leaves in the fall and not for Heron so maybe we net late enought that most animals aren't an issue with it. Of course it's difficult for us to see through the net when it's on, so I would assume this is a benefit for birds as it makes it visible enough that they don't fly into it or on it.

I can see where with some nets, they might not realize it is there. So I'd say go big, or go small. The in between meshes are probably where most of the problems happen.

Craig

 

[addy1]

The problem I had the birds would fly under the deer fencing and then panic. It was not water level due to lilies etc, about 2 feet up. And with the heron it had to be on during active other bird time. I don't net for leaves. I am hoping the heron takes a hike for the winter. But once it is really cold the fish stay in the deep end and just float. I will pull the net before we start getting snow or freezing rain. I also float a piece of liner for the fish to hide under, about 5x5 over the winter.

 

[JohnHuff]

I have a small enough pond that my netting is on a frame. It used to be on a wood frame but that rotted after a few years. It's now on a PVC frame. I have it on a frame so that I can easily remove it when it snows or when I take it off for maintenance.

 

[sissy]

Pvc pipe and some elbows and screening makes a good floating frame and in the summer makes a great floating island for plants .I used to have one like it but after the plants got bigger and taller it would get stuck under the bridge .

 

[taherrmann4]

Hmm. we use 3/16" mesh netting and never a problem. But we keep a "door" open for the frogs

How do the frogs know where the door is? Do they only get out of the pond on that side? Just curious b/c this is one reason I have never netted my pond during the fall. Didn't wan't the animals getting stuck.

 

[addy1]

How do the frogs know where the door is? Do they only get out of the pond on that side? Just curious b/c this is one reason I have never netted my pond during the fall. Didn't wan't the animals getting stuck.

There are signs pointing the way tmann...............
same reason I have my net up heron high and big holes, no leaf net, keep it animal safe. We get leaves, I just net them out. Not a ton as long as the wind blows the right direction.

 

[Craig58]

How do the frogs know where the door is? Do they only get out of the pond on that side? Just curious b/c this is one reason I have never netted my pond during the fall. Didn't wan't the animals getting stuck.

We also kind of know where they exit the pond from. We have a formal pond so they have to hop up onto the wall first and than back down into the garden. We often see them in the last few minutes of day light heading for the garden. In the summer they usually hop up on the walls the AM and PM to warm up on the flagstone. We prop up the next about 10-12 inches in these areas. We don't net until late October and they are starting to slow down for the winter by than as well.

Craig