Frog pond need advice

10 years ago

So last year I put in this pond but it had a black plastic liner and birds and the western toad couldn't get out so I put in a ton of rock. This reduced they amount of actual space but that is okay by me. Last year was a success in hatching a ton of tree frogs and dragon flies. So I am hoping the same this year. I need improvements though, the dragon flies need some kind of marginal plant to hatch out on. It does freeze intermittently in winter but nothing kills the larvae only plants and algae which I need for my tadpoles. I live in Red Bluff CA. Please give me some advice on plants or any criticism you may have.

I currently have two bullfrogs that came in recently, I see them daily in the pond while my adult tree frogs come out at night around the edge. I am thinking I need to get rid of the bullfrogs since they are such heavy predators to the dragonflies and tree frogs. I am trying to build habitat that can sustain itself too so this is only a temporary management tactic. My little rattlesnake and garter snakes don't seem to care for the bullfrogs :( I took this pic with my iPad not great quality and it's not full of water I was going to see what next weeks rain brought.

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Comments (3)

chas045
10 years ago
As I have mentioned before, I am a big fan of 'Sweet Flag' aka Acorus. It grows fine in zone 7 so zone 8 should be good as well. It needs dampness or grows directly in water. If you got a pot of it, you could divide it into way more plantlets than you need and the only issue is that it might take over. You certainly need plants to soften the edges.
snycal
Original Author
10 years ago
Thank you so I did a quick search

http://search.store.yahoo.net/thewatergardenshop/cgi-bin/nsearch?query=Sweet+flag&searchsubmit=Go&vwcatalog=thewatergardenshop&.autodone=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thewatergardenshop.com%2Fmarginal.html

Are you talking about the variegated sweet flag that goes dormant? Or did you have another one I should buy?
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chas045
10 years ago
Well, I thought I had purchased ' variegated sweet flag'. I wasn't aware that there might be differences. I do note that both listed varieties are called variegated. Mine don't go dormant; at least not the ones directly in the water.

I note that your link showed an individual offshoot. I got mine as a big clump of perhaps 25 to 50 offshoots all growing together in a gallon? pot sitting in water at a garden/pond store. Originally, I just put the pot in a few inches of water at the edge of my pond. Eventually, I divided the pot into 4 or so sub clumps and sunk them into areas of my recycled stream. I now just lay a rock (like one or three of yours) on top of some of the root clump to keep roots underwater and they take off from there.

The real issue is to keep them under control. In your pond, they would probably expand everywhere, under and over rocks. If you left them alone, you would probably have a hard time getting them loose from entwined clumps of rocks, roots and more rocks and roots. Just keep an eye on them and do some separation. They will grow on land that remains moderately damp. The land clumps may go close to dormant, but not really. My guess is that your link is simply wrong or is focused on the zones closer to 4 rather than 7 where I am.

I like it because it grows very well but you still need variety. If you get significant shade you will find that impatiens and Hosta will both grow directly in water but are probably better in wet pots. Elephant Ear like a BIG pot in water too and can probably take much more sun. The hosta and EEs would also grow in the ground; go dormant; and re-emerge next year. I don't think the EEs would overwinter in the water.