Give your pond a summer makeover while it's in full growth and problems are instantly visible. While you're at it, treat yourself to some of the fabulous summer-flowering water plants you'll find in our garden centre too, from pretty floating water forget-me-not to zingy purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria).
Follow our checklist to keep your pond in perfect condition this summer:
Get rid of algae: twist blanketweed onto a cane and remove, or use barleystraw which alters water pH so algae doesn't grow – you'll find easy-to-use liquid and straw pads in our garden centre.
Top up: summer ponds often run low on water in hot spells, so add more as needed. Rainwater is better for wildlife than tap, so use saved water from your water butt wherever possible.
Remove fading flowers: spent leaves and flowers rot into the water, encouraging algae, so snip them off as soon as you see them.
Thin oxygenating plants: fast-growing oxygenators are great for your pond's health but can get a little over-enthusiastic: pull out the excess and add to your compost heap.
Lift and divide waterlilies: wait till they've finished flowering, then remove from their baskets, split in half and repot into specialist aquatic compost.
