Small Pond

[The Jones's]

We are thinking of putting a small pond on the allotment to hopefully attract frogs and other wildlife and were looking for some advice. It would have to be small so is there a minimum size and would it help or hinder a boggy site?

[Snadger]

I sank in an old bath to ground level, made some slopes amd platforms for wildlife to get in and out, have a deep end and a shallow end and 'landscaped' around the edge so it looks nothing like an old bath. Have/had frogs and newts in it this year!

[rustylady]

Why don't you as Snadger says and sink an old bathtub in the boggy area of your lottie?

[Shadylane]

We didn't really have room for a bath tub so we got one of those wee pre-shaped ponds, the smallest they do - was about 20 quid I think. The plants I put in seem to have died and it's a manky green colour. The in-laws gave us their spawn as they were filling in their pond and the taddies loved the mankiness - loads to eat. The resident frog seemed to like it too as he could often be seen in there sun bathing.

So basically even a small one should attract froggies, just make sure you put a ramp in for them(and hedgehogs) to get out, a few oxygenating plants and maybe a floater to shade the surface. I got some off ebay though like I said they seem to have vanished.

[burnie]

Remember in winter that if it freezes the ice may crack the pond,you will need to include something to take up the expansion.A piece of polystyrene with a small hole in it to allow the gasses out would help.Do not smash the ice on ponds as the shock waves can kill fish or hibernating amphibians.May I suggest you go to your library and spend the winter reading up on what is required,then make it your early spring project.There's lots of monthly magazines on pond keeping too,though they are usually aimed at fish keepers.

[green thing]

I've seen a fiberglass pond for free it was one of the recycling sites freecycle or feegle in the bolton area a few days ago

I've used an old bath on my allotment works well has frogs in it now
had to make a shallow end and ramp at one end for them to get out