Using a Barleystraw minibale in a pond:
Renew the Barleystraw minibale now that you put into the pond last February/March.
The pond needs to have a constant supply of active barleystraw to combat greenwater and blanketweed algae.
- Barleystraw decomposes over time.
- The existing minibale is old now.
- Possibly turning black and smelling when dunked in the water.
- Add its replacement to the water to float alongside it for the next month.
- Leave the old minibale in whilst the new one is activating.
- Make a note to remove the old one next month - you don't want it rotting any further.
- If barleystraw is left to rot down completely in your pond it will add to the sludge layer on the pond base.
- This rotting will create more algae or blanketweed in the future as it continues to deteriorate.
So add a new minibale in July and remove the old one in August.
Renew the barleystraw minibale like this twice every year - once in February (remove the old in March) and again in July (remove the old in August).
Liquid Barleystraw Products:
Continue to add the liquid Barley Bio Algae Control to a small pond or container pond feature:
- weekly - or twice a week if it gets really hot. Remember you cannot overdose it is a natural product.
- Increase the frequency not the dosage size in hot weather.
- This helps keep the water free from greenwater and blanketweed growth in the hot summer months.
- When it starts to get cooler change to fortnightly dosing.
- Don't stop dosing until the clocks go back in October.
- Start again with the change of the clocks next Spring unless March is a hot one and then you need to start earlier.
