Last year we were brand new pond newbies, now we're a year older but
we "wintered" our surviving fish in a 100 outdoor gal. tank because
the _______ chipmunk ate a huge hole in the liner. Before the
"episode" we draped the pond with a net that had such huge holes it
caught EVERY heavy downward pointing oak leaf stem aimed for the
pond.

The "pond committee" - that would be me... and husband (the guy that
ends up doing most of the work - my job is "idea gal" and "point and
grunt" and "you didn't do it right" - OK guys... happy? I admit it.
Mr. "gravity man" (see aforementioned husband) was determined to reuse
hated netting. See man that drinks coffee and goes to work. See
Jane... errrr me shake, PLUCK pounds of offensive leaves. We've had
some non-heated but venus-mars conversations about leaves collecting
near the fence (we're talking a 2 month season and we are here to make
sure that isn't a problem with the NEIGHBOR's fence) and then the
aesthetic acceptances or compromises we are willing to take. I swore
I'd rather fish the huge volume of leaves that deal with that dreaded
big hole netting. I voted for frames (flat) with screening because
although flat it would be easy to broom or blow off. My lightweight
frame vision has taken on a heavier look - although we both agree
several frames are the answer, to store, move, maintain. One is
hinged. The bonus of such a plan is it is predator proof, but we
really only want to use it to thwart leaves. Although we haven't
actually stapled the screen in place, I know we are both wondering if
there wasn't a better answer (albeit temporary) that had a less
intrusive affect on our "lovely yard water feature. " Has ANY one
solved this his/her Lilliputian dilemna? We are afterall more mindful
of the fish safety and water clarity than appearances but hate to
defeat the original purpose of something we can look out the window
and enjoy. Discuss...

Gnarly problem.

We leave the pond open. Is yours small enough that you could let the
winter leaves settle and net the up in the spring? Pretty pond,
spring work?


Jim

Discuss...

I can be called a very baaaad ponder. We don't net.
The pond is not set up to do it, we have two dogs
that I worry about nets around and various other
reasons (lazy gardeners is probably up there, too).
That said - if a hole is kept open in the ice we have
no problems with leaves in the pond. They get
cleaned out in the spring. We've run the pond this
way for over ten years. I like the look of fall leaves
on water, I like my relaxed style of gardening and
all is well.
We keep the pond lightly stocked and we don't
feed. I think this also has a lot to do with a successful
pond in our case.

k :-)
http://tinyurl.com/6bguh ~ new pond keeper info
http://tinyurl.com/yp64db ~ slide show of pond

We're not talking about a few dainty leaves. The pond is literally
under a hickory tree, which, alone I could deal with. The hickory is
under a couple of towering oaks in the neighbor's yard. I live in a
mature oak neighborhood. The county vacuums up the leaves three times
during the season if we deposit them at the curb (too many to bag).
Prior to each vacuum, our two lane streets become a single lane with
hip high piles and parked cars on both sides. Springtime brings oak
pollen - another problem which can turn the water tea colored. The
trees provide shade and help us fight algae but I'm leary of leaving
that much of anything to steep in the water. (We do get some sun on
the pond and it's gorgeous.) The leaves are starting to drop mostly
because of the current drought. Our net/screen plan is temporary, to
be removed when the leaves are done, but it sure doesn't look
natural... Funny, the pond was originally for us. Now it's all about
our fish family!

Gail
(Northern Virginia)

P.S. If anyone has pictures of their solution, I'd love to see them.

where are the leaves coming from? how big is the pond?
I can see many solutions.
leaves will catch on bird netting, but if the bird netting is taut the wind blows
them off. the bird netting on my pond is at an angle and taut, but then I have no
actual trees looming over my pond.

if the leaves are blowing in, then I would suggest using 10' aluminum conduit and
thread it thru the bird netting and pull the netting taut between the poles (poles go
in, come out very easily). this is actually how birds are netted for banding (altho
the netting is soft cotton and hung with folds to snare the birds). place the
conduit/net so it blocks leaves from blowing in.

if the leaves are dropping from overhead, then hang the net right under the trees,
make a sorta tent over the pond.

there are always leaf skimmers. a pump in a container on the side sucks the water
and whatever else over into a container.

Ingrid

On Tue, 2 Oct 2007 22:29:04 CST, gmb wrote:
big hole netting. I voted for frames (flat) with screening because
although flat it would be easy to broom or blow off.

Sounds like you need to build a heavy duty
gazebo of some sorts.

k :-)

On Wed, 3 Oct 2007 09:18:06 CST, gmb wrote:

We're not talking about a few dainty leaves. The pond is literally
under a hickory tree, which, alone I could deal with. The hickory is
under a couple of towering oaks in the neighbor's yard. I live in a
mature oak neighborhood. The county vacuums up the leaves three times
during the season if we deposit them at the curb (too many to bag).
Prior to each vacuum, our two lane streets become a single lane with
hip high piles and parked cars on both sides. Springtime brings oak
pollen - another problem which can turn the water tea colored. The
trees provide shade and help us fight algae but I'm leary of leaving
that much of anything to steep in the water. (We do get some sun on
the pond and it's gorgeous.) The leaves are starting to drop mostly
because of the current drought. Our net/screen plan is temporary, to
be removed when the leaves are done, but it sure doesn't look
natural... Funny, the pond was originally for us. Now it's all about
our fish family!

Gail
(Northern Virginia)

P.S. If anyone has pictures of their solution, I'd love to see them.

http://users.owt.com/jjspond/koipond/photos/46s.jpg I didn't do frames. I
just lay the boards down and cover with screening that is tied down at the
edges with rocks. The screening sits about 8" above the water. For the lily
pond I used shade cloth, comes in wider widths. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

"gmb" wrote in message
oups.com...
The leaves are starting to drop mostly
because of the current drought. Our net/screen plan is temporary, to
be removed when the leaves are done, but it sure doesn't look
natural... Funny, the pond was originally for us. Now it's all about
our fish family!
-----------------------------------
If you don't want to use a finer bird netting like I do, you can net the
leaves out once a week. I do that with my only unnetted inground 150g
goldfish pond. They're removed before they start to decompose. It takes me
only a few minutes to get most of them.
--

RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö

"k" wrote in message
oups.com...
Sounds like you need to build a heavy duty
gazebo of some sorts.

k :-)
--------------------
Or turn the trees into firewood.
--
RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö

The trees provide beneficial shade and a possible (I hope?) dubious
canopy that a heron might not want to navigate around. (A separate
string should probably be started if folks want to brag about the
prowess of herons.) As far as firewood, only the easy hickory tree is
ours. Because the pond is near the fence and fairly close to the house
there is some wind protection so not a lot of leaves get blown off the
larger netting. I liked the screen aspect because of the fine holes.
I'll investigate shade cloth and a weekly scoop out is the prettiest
option yet. Last year we floated a huge beach ball to elevate the bird
netting in the center. The "festive" ball looked out of place in a
natural setting on a bleak winter's day, plus it drifted.

Reel McKoi wrote:


-----------------------------------
If you don't want to use a finer bird netting like I do, you can net the
leaves out once a week. I do that with my only unnetted inground 150g
goldfish pond. They're removed before they start to decompose. It takes
me only a few minutes to get most of them.

This only works if you have the time to do it.......and I speak from
bitter experience.....even when netted if you can only get to the pond
at weekends the weight of very heavy leaf fall is more than any nets can
cope with and the old pond was netted......The new pond is next to the
house and lit so won't be an issue but in the winter the old pond was
just a walking disaster when it came to maintenance and a full time
job......the problem was the number of trees and amount of leaves....to
sustain the old pond I really needed to be up there twice a day in the
autumn....as it is now I can just go and do a sweep up in the area at
weekends but I'm not risking any fish lives anymore.....

Gill

Do you have any pictures?
You can post them here
http://s99.photobucket.com
Might help to see how things are
situated.

One thing I remember someone talking about,
once upon a time, is a leaf solution that involved
building a structure with a pitched roof - much
easier to get the leaves as they raked them
gently off the pitched sides.
I LOVE trees and have way too many on our
property. I hold secret grudges against neighbors
that cut them down (grumble, grumble, snarl!!!)

k :-)

k wrote:

I hold secret grudges against neighbors
that cut them down (grumble, grumble, snarl!!!)

k :-)


Depends on the tree.......looking out over the back of our house we have
a wonderful planting of fir trees and redwoods......magnificent trees
that I would hate to see ever go......(these are in a cemetry so very
unlikely to go) and then the other half of our back garden overlooks an
allotment (don't know if you have such things in the US but these are
rented plots for the growing of veg etc - great idea and back it all the
way - plus no houses overlooking us)......but the trees growing there
are sycamores......there are at least 3 in a small area over 30
foot....they drop their seeds into our garden so I spend a lot of time
pulling up the seedlings....and these have a habit of growing anywhere
and everywhere - we have one that the previous owners neglected that we
have to trim back to stop it threatening the foundations of the house -
we can't remove it as it is already part of the house structure......it
was these trees that poisoned my old pond because I just couldn't keep
up with what they shed........cut them down or at very least prune them
I say.....

Now, in our garden we have this tree that I can't see performs any
decent function in life other than to maybe cut CO2 emissions.....it is
the ugliest thing ever......it doesn't go to leaf until June.....it has
some sort of flower in July that drops all over the lawn.....it dies off
about November - no colour to the leaves....they go black and
drop.....and we also get big branches all over - another tree I don't
want.....nor do Next Door - we are just waiting for them to offer half
of the felling cost and we will do it......

I love trees.....but I don't want them poisoning my pond or killing my
lawn and plants........I will replace the trees I can pull down within
my control with more "garden friendly" stuff but I have a grudge against
the tree in my garden and the sycamores at the back......

Gill

I love trees.....but I don't want them poisoning my pond or killing my
lawn and plants........I will replace the trees I can pull down within
my control with more "garden friendly" stuff but I have a grudge against
the tree in my garden and the sycamores at the back......
Gill

That's what we did, only we started when we moved in, to replace the 2
poorly planted maples, we put in 2 ash, 1 Crimson King Maple, a Russian
Olive (God donated) & a pine, further away from the house, these trees are
all now in the 20-30 foot range. Why we girdled the silver maple summer
before last. Now to just bring it down.s At least it should not leaf out
next spring.... and, because it lost it's leaves early on, those that
didn't get mow, actually have almost disappeared into the landscape as
nature mulch. I guess water and hot dry sun really break down dry leaves
quickly. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

Jan,

I wonder if thin electrical conduit or 1/2" pvc pipe with screening
on a steep angle might not help.

The conduit would be stiff, but light. The pvc could be bent and tied
across T fittings at the ends to hold an arc in place.

By having a steep angle, you would not have to sweep. The leaves
would pile themselves up for you.

If I were doing it, I would take the sewing machine and run seams to
make it a single piece and a fold up the sides for the pipe/conduit to
go through. That would allow it to be taught.

The PVC could have gaps for T or X joints. The same could be done for
the conduit.

By having the connectors unglued, the whole thing could come down and
be a roll of screen and a group of pipes.

If you spray painted the pipe/conduit, they could be unobtrusive.

Just a thought.

Jim

I suppose an alternative would be velcro to tighten the screening.