A Science Lesson

We were doing some research today on solutions for algae control in the pond and learned some interesting things.

The first thing we learned was that there are two plants often mistaken for pond algae. The first is water meal and the second is duckweed. The former looks like tiny green seeds; the later has tiny leaves with little root hairs. So we found a jar, took a sample and... Yes, it was duckweed after all!

The bad news about duckweed is that it is very hard to control. Koi will eat it if they are placed before it takes over, but once it takes over it is too late. Ducks love it (hence the name) but also can cause an algae problem. It can also inhibit photosynthesis.

But here's the good news! Duckweed is sometimes used in sewage treatment plants to clean the water. The plants are high in nitrogen and phosphorus. They can be skimmed off and used for fertilizer. Good news for our garden! And I'm glad I placed the compost heap near the pond!