Transporting the rubbish out of the garden pond

• Sometimes a chain gang system is the most effective, as climbing in and out of the pond can be very tiring or even hazardous.

• If you are barrowing or moving material out of the ponds make the incline of any plank-ways a shallow as possible.

Support planks at both ends and in the middle.

Normal builders scaffolding planks need to be placed 2 wide. A three wide plank run is ideal.

Batton the planks for grip, or alternatively tack a spiral of rope in place around the planks.

Heavy barrows can be pulled with ropes hooked to the front of the barrows whilst being pushed from behind, an old navvy technique.

• If the job is large, work methodically on a small area at a time. If there is more than one of you, work as a team.

A smooth flow of work is better than bursts of activity followed by halts. A circular pattern is better in this respect than a linear one. Full buckets or barrows go out by one route as empty ones come in by another.

*If you are leaving material to drain on the bank and small animals to escape, be careful not to smother large areas of bank and not to leave silt where it will run back or be washed by rain back into the pond.

Disposal

• Make a separate pile for real rubbish like broken glass and skip it.

• Sludge can grow over but be careful that it does not wash back into the pond. Reeds can be dumped to rot off or dry out.

At the end of the day

• Clean and grease up your tools.

See also: Cleaning out overgrown ponds