What Causes Pond Algae and How to Control it
Garden pond, by Pirate Alice
The two most common forms of algae that ponds experience are planktonic algae and filamentous algae. Planktonic algae is the type that gives pond that distinctive pea green, soupy color. Planktonic algae in moderation is very important as is the base of the food chain in a pond. However, it is when it is in excess that you get the green water.
Filamentous algae is what you typically see growing on rocks and floating on the surface in mats. It is the stringy, hairlike algae that you often see in the spring and summer months. It has little redeeming value.
Algae in moderation is good for a pond, but when it becomes over abundant, it can cause severe water quality problems. Algae consumes oxygen at night to continue its life cycle, so when there is a severe outbreak, large amounts of oxygen are consumed and can seriously deplete the dissolved oxygen level in a pond to a point that cause fish kills. Not to mention that fact this its flat out unsightly.
What Causes Algae Blooms?
Algae blooms are caused by three factors: excess nutrients, too much sunlight and low oxygen levels.
Nutrients come from a variety of sources, most notable fish and animal waste, fish food and dead/decaying vegetation. Other sources would include fertilizer run-off and run-off from nearby farms and pastures. All of these sources provide much needed nitrogen and phosphorus that algae need to bloom and grow.
Ponds that sit in direct sunlight or have very few aquatic plants are also at risk of suffering from algae problems. This is why generally the most and worst algae problems occur in the summer when the days are longest.
Finally, ponds that experience poor oxygen levels will also suffer from algae control issues. When there are high levels of waste in ponds that are stagnant and still, oxygen levels can be depleted due to the amount of oxygen needed to break down the waste. Algae blooms come and go, but when there is little dissolved oxygen in the water, dying algae will feed new cycles of living algae because there is not enough oxygen to break down the dead vegetation before it can fuel more growth.
First of all, algae should not be looked upon as a problem. It is merely a symptom and a sign that there are other problems and that your pond is out of balance. What it means is that one or more of the causes above are the true problems.
A short term, quick fix is to use an algaecide. However this is just a short term solution because when you simply kill the algae and leave it to degrade on its own, it will just fuel re-growth. A quick kill can also cause an oxygen depletion, which can stress or even kill fish.
The ideal approach for using an algaecide for quick algae control would be to use the algaecide as a pre-cursor to the long-term approach discussed below.
Organic Control of Algae Growth
A more sound and lasting approach would be to control the causes of the algae growth – nutrients, sunlight and oxygen.
Nutrient control involves limiting the amount of nutrients that enter that water that can feed algae. This can range from manually skimming debris and waste from the pond, physically removing the algae, installing an effective filtration system or limiting the number of aquatic inhabitants, but it should always involve the use of beneficial pond bacteria. Pond bacteria is crucial in breaking down and degrading all types of organic waste and should be used regularly.
Reducing sunlight penetration is a more difficult because you only have so much control over that, but a good pond dye and even the addition of aquatic plants can help to shade the water and limit the sun’s effect. A good rule of thumb would be 60%-70% coverage with plants.
Improving the oxygen levels in a pond can be done with a pond aerator or even a pond fountain. The infusion of oxygen will invigorate pond bacteria, making them more efficient at their job, while also keeping the pond water circulating (another deterrent to algae growth).
Effective algae control begins with knowledge and understanding of the type of algae you have and what causes the algae to grow. Once you have armed yourself with the proper information, treating the causes and controlling the sources become more manageable. Then, year after year, preventative maintenance becomes second nature and severe algae blooms become less and less of a concern.
For more details, visit this other Algae Control article.
Casey Coke is a Marketing Manager for Natural Environmental Systems, LLC, a global supplier of microbial solutions for pond and lake management. The company markets their own brand of pond supplies under the registered brand name of Pond Keeper.
Vines For Your Garden
Vines are climbing or trailing plants that must have support to grow vertically. They may be annual or perennial, evergreen or deciduous, herbaceous or woody. Vines can fit into the tiniest spaces , provided their roots are firmly planted in the soil, and grow vertically and/or horizontally with great flexibility.
Clinging Vines
Clinging vines can attach themselves almost anywhere by one of several means. Boston ivy has disk like suction cups that allow it to attach itself to almost any surface without damaging it. Climbing hydrangea, English ivy , creeping Fig, Winter creeper, and Trumpet vine, all with their small root-like holdfasts, thrive growing up slightly rough surfaces like bricks, stone or wood. For the gardener, the advantages of these self-clinging vines is that they will grow straight up a vertical surface effortlessly, and require only minimal support to get started. They are a superb way to make and unattractive or downright ugly wall appear lovely.
Non-Clinging Vines
Non-clinging vines have several distinct growth habits. Twining vines spiral their stems skyward around a support, trellis, pole, string or wire. Most require a fairly slim support. Twining vines curl either clockwise or counterclockwise by nature. Trying to persuade a right-curving vine to turn left is an exercise in futility and frustration; let it twine the way it want to!
Grapes and Passionflowers have tendrils; Clematis, Kiwi, Dutchman’s pipe, and Morning glory have leaf stems that function as tendrils. Some vines, such as Bougainvillea, climb by means of hooked thorns but still need additional support and plant ties to be kept within the bounds of order. The Wisteria vine is stunning, but needs a mate to flower properly, and it is a vine that needs very strong support or it will pull a weak support down.
Annual Vines
There are many lovely annual vines depending on where you live. In cooler climates there is the Morning glory, unsurpassed for late season color, and the yellow Canary vine is quite lovely as well. You may also want to try the Cup and Saucer vine with large cup-like blooms. There’s the Hyacinth bean and the Scarlet runner bean (the fruit on this one is edible), the Firecracker vine, and who could overlook the wonderful Sweet Peas that produce a scent that lingers in the air? There are many more vines to try and enjoy.
Designing Your Garden with Vines
Growing vines on a trellis or arbor is most popular in many gardens, and you can also grow them on a tomato cage or through a fence. Some large clematis, such as the Prairie Clematis, grow very vigorously and should be placed with care, as it may outgrow its original spot.
You can also allow vines to trail along the ground, in your garden beds among other plants. This is a lovely way to cover over bare ground, and if you have a slope in your garden, try growing Sweet peas and let them cascade down the slope. There is an Everlasting Sweet pea which is a perennial, but has very little scent. However, it will come back every year bigger and better and will provide lovely blossoms for several weeks in the summer. Do not attempt to dig up or split this vine or you will destroy it, as it has tap roots and does not take to being moved.
Vines are a necessary part of a English-style country garden, as they lend grace and color to your garden landscape. Best of all, they need very little maintenance. Happy gardening!
The Right Temperature For Your Plants
Besides knowing whether a plant is sun or shade-loving, it is helpful to know the range in which plants thrive in order to decide whether you can successfully grow it in your garden.
There are many places that you can find the temperature zones for Canada and the United States. These countries are divided into 11 regions based on the lowest average temperature, starting from zone 1 (sub arctic) to zone 11 (subtropical).
Cold is not the only factor to be considered in plant selection. There is also rainfall, snowfall, and the number of hours of light. However, since cold easily kills some plants, it becomes the most important factor.
How much cold a plant can stand determines its hardiness. Climates tend to overlap so the lines of separation are not always clear. Many plants that are recommended for one zone will do well in the southern part of an adjoining colder zone and likewise in the colder portion of the next warmer zone. Many gardeners call this ‘pushing the envelope’.
Using the hardiness zone map as a guide, gardeners can determine when to plant tender plants outdoors in the spring with reasonable assurance that they will not be killed by frost. Usually by June 1st, the North American continent is frost-free , except at high elevations and latitudes, and by December most of the continent is susceptible to freezing weather, except for the warmer parts of Florida, Texas, Pacific Coast and Hawaii.
Even if a plant is hardy in a particular zone, it may not grow as expected if summer temperatures are too high or rainfall is much less than usual in that zone.
By observing the plants that flourish and the weather that is designated normal in a given area, gardeners can get a good idea of which plants can be counted on to do well and those that will be stretched to their limit to perform or even survive. Wise gardeners use those plants that thrive in their hardiness zone as it saves disappointment and cost.
Finally, consider the native plants that grow (or used to grow) in your area. By reintroducing them, you not only help native species recover, you know they will thrive because they are designed for your local climate and soil.
