Now that the days are becoming longer and warmer and the winter is officially behind us, it’s a great time to make sure that your garden pond is healthy and clean. Here are some tips on how to achieve this:

Hoover up any dirt or debris with a handy pond vacuum – all you have to do is attach it to a hose, stick it under the water (making sure the bag is completely covered by water) and watch your pond become clean again. Pond vacs are an efficient and very easy to use pond tool, (not to mention affordable).

If the pond water is prone to algae and is tinged green, you can turn the water clear again by adding barley straw flakes which create an environment that is harder for algae to grow in and which, incidentally, are non-polluting and are safe for fish, wildlife and even children! To save yourself hassle they’re available in 6-month supplies as well as mini bales (that you leave to soak), so you’ve got loads of reasons to go the barley straw route.

It is important to keep the water moving in the pond to prevent it becoming stagnant. A good pump will do the trick, although a handy way to keep oxygen levels up in the water is to use a pond aerator. Even pond fountains can help since they constantly turn over the water by drawing it up and then releasing it in a cool jet.