My Pond Project

[ETD66SS]

I did a little bit of work this morning, cleared the area for the final digging.

Here is what I have left to dig:



Here is a plan view of what's left, the yellow corss-hatching is what I have to hog out:

[KentT]

Looking good -- one question before you proceed. Are you sure you want to make that an island around the tree? Though it will obviously look great, you'll have to maintain it manually (string trimmer after using a boat to get over there).

Have you considered making a narrow peninsula instead, that is connected by a "thread" of higher ground to the mainland?

[Tororider]

Or you could plant perrenial daylilies or the like and just let them grow. They are pretty much weeds will do well in sun and need no maintenance. Plus they pretty much choke out everything else once they get established. There are options if you don't want grass.

Man that is going to be beautiful when you get it done. I am jealous.

[EddieWalker]

I like the daylily idea!!! That's something I've been thinking of for some of my landscaping areas.

I'm worried about that tree and if it survives. They have a bad habbit of dying two years after messing with them. I don't know that type of tree, but another concern is wet roots. It looks like the island is outside the drip line, so that might be ok, but then again....

I have an island on my small pond and if I was to do it over again, I wouldn't have another. They make the water look smaller and it's hard to control what grows on them. I have pines, willows and several dozen types of weeds on mine and it's just 12 by 20 feet. Hardly worth maintaining, not quite an eyesore, but something I shouldn't have left there.

Eddie

[ETD66SS]

Before I remove the land bridge, I will be putting in concrete sonotube pilings on the island for a future wooden bridge. The bridge span will be about 60 ft, and all I want to get across there is a push lawnmower, etc...

I plan to have a flower garden & bon fire pit on the island. It will definitely be something I will be maintaining.

If the tree dies, it dies... I'll just cut it down and plant some pines. The stump will be there, but I can just integrate it into the garden if need be.

Proposed bridge location:



Oh, that is a Maple tree on the island, not sure which kind, but the leaves turn yellow in the fall.

[EddieWalker]

The bridge sounds like a fun project. It's nice to hear your plans and how you've already thought these things out.

Very cool.

Eddie

[meadowlarkponds]

Originally Posted by EddieWalker

I have an island on my small pond and if I was to do it over again, I wouldn't have another. Eddie

Ditto what Eddie said. What has worked much better for me is to build underwater "islands" in the deepest parts of the pond....areas that rise up to within a couple of feet of the surface. This helps turn your deep water areas(below the thermocline), which are otherwise not used by fish, into fish magnets. It also provides a means to efficiently dispose of some of the excess dirt, rather than hauling it off.

[ETD66SS]

Originally Posted by meadowlarkponds

Ditto what Eddie said. What has worked much better for me is to build underwater "islands" in the deepest parts of the pond....areas that rise up to within a couple of feet of the surface. This helps turn your deep water areas(below the thermocline), which are otherwise not used by fish, into fish magnets. It also provides a means to efficiently dispose of some of the excess dirt, rather than hauling it off.

Well, the island is for me to enjoy, not the fish, lol.

[ETD66SS]

Well the county conservationist said I will most likely have weed problems with a 4:1 slope.

I guess it will just be something I have to maintain...

[KentT]

Originally Posted by ETD66SS

Well the county conservationist said I will most likely have weed problems with a 4:1 slope.

I guess it will just be something I have to maintain...

You may want to try finding a sickle bar mower for your tractor. They have the advantage that they're fully offset from tractor so you can mow 6 or 7 feet (typical smaller sizes) downhill from where you're driving. They also don't chop up things and sling them everywhere -- like into your pond.