WHAT JOBS ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY 2018

Actually, Gail, it's just the opposite I've had well over a hundred pound of fish ranging from half a pound in weight to 12 or more pounds in a day. With a pole you can place your float in exactly the same place as before if you want which is a great help. I fished around Rutland, Peterborough, Leicestershire, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridge and every trip was an adventure!! I've caught a 27lbs Catfish on the pole, which gradually broke it over 45 minutes, and on the very last trip to Rutland caught a 32lbs Carp...........no time for boring.

 

If you can don't buy the "aquatic" crates or pots from Plant Nurseries, if you have a Wilco's near you they sell small plastic baskets

which sell at £2.50p for 3. If you can line them with Hessian, fill them with ordinary garden soil, not compost, plant the plants and cover with gravel.

I assure you, Tetters, you're not living "dangerously" and it will give you the interest in seeing the different marginal plants you have and how little they need attention.

 

It's a fantastic plant, Tetters. The one pictured has been in the pond since the '90's
and is in a "borrowed" milk crate. It's quite happy where it is and although it is recognised as not a prolific spreader by any means, it is now classed as an "invasive non-native plant" so it is now not sold by Plant Nurseries. Any, such as mine, can be kept in ponds and gardens but cannot be given to others and it is an offence to sell them. There are a lot in the Big House gardens where they're quite happy and look spectacular. As I said, it's a great plant for a wildlife pond.

 

Not a fan of "aquatic" compost, as it's merely nutrient depleted compost sold as "special" compost and, to me, it's just a marketing ploy. When I dug the pond and was a complete newbie to wildlife ponds I thought I had to get "aquatic" compost but on reading through the late Great Geoff Hamilton's book on wildlife ponds learnt it was merely a case of paying "more for less". I guess it might be okay for certain purposes but I have found Geoff's advice of just using ordinary garden soil suited my purpose.

That will do the job fine, Tetters, the roots of the marginal plants will easily work their way through that when they want in a few years time. I was given several sacks of builder hessian, back in the mists of time, and still have loads left.

 

Well, I get really close up to it when wading around the pond and I've never ever caught any scent from it, nice or bad

To be honest, it's when my two cats decide to use the Cat Litters in the Kitchen that makes me choke, splutter and run into the Garden for air