To plant or allow colonisation?

[radioactivenerd]

hey guys - newbie ponder here

i have a small pond, too small for fish, but one that i am very keen to build up to attract as much wildlife as i can. i'm not desparate for it to happen asap, and im prepared to wait for the right results as nature often takes time!

I have read on a few websites (including reputable ones like the RHS in UK) that a good thing to do is NOT plant any plants, but allow the pond to be colonised naturally by whatever is in the environment. I like the idea of this, and as i said, i dont mind if it takes longer. I wanted to see if anyone had tried this approach out and if it worked well for them? any dos or donts if i went down this route? or would this group recommend not trying that out?

PS - one thing that does worry me about the approach is the fact that invasive species are often more likely to find a foothold than native ones so that would be a risk to accept if going down this route.

 

[sissy]

Never tried but after taking out lots of abandoned ponds for realtor's here it can turn into a messy smelly thing .

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I have read on a few websites (including reputable ones like the RHS in UK) that a good thing to do is NOT plant any plants, but allow the pond to be colonised naturally by whatever is in the environment.

PS - one thing that does worry me about the approach is the fact that invasive species are often more likely to find a foothold than native ones so that would be a risk to accept if going down this route.

Personally, I greatly disagree with any sites that suggest doing that. As great as nature is, we've spread too many invasive plants and non-native weeds for nature to work correctly in the way that you'd want it to. You may get things that grow, but they'll be less beneficial, and in some cases may actually be a disadvantage to wildlife. I'd suggest finding a place that sells native aquatic and wetland plants and buy them.

I would also add that if you want to attract as much wildlife as possible, gardening outside of the pond with native plants will likely attract even more nature than the pond itself. I have both a native garden and a pond. The pond attracts amphibians, ducks, and birds show up to drink from my bog, but even so, my native gardens attract way more life. Having both would be ideal if possible for you.

 

[j.w]

@radioactivenerd

 

[poconojoe]

I don't know anything about that approach, but I wouldn't want to leave stagnant water around for too long. It will get swampy, smelly and will be a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
What is the size of your water feature? Any idea how many gallons it holds?
If it's large enough, there are some smaller fish species that could possibly live in there.
If you have fish they will feed on bugs and algae.
If you add plants, they can help filter the water to some degree.

 

[radioactivenerd]

Oh right - thanks guys- it seems like the general consensus is not to go for that route. But surprising given how I've seen that as a suggestion on 2 separate DIY pond sites.

Gonna get some pond plants then and look through this forum for some recommendation! Thank you all!

Also - native garden plants are totally on the list too!

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our Forum! Post some pictures of your set up if you wish to.