"Peter Goddard" wrote:

Hello Peter

PG Scooping out the blanket weed was always a worrying time -
PG it used to snare newts and dragonfly larvae, so I had to
PG gently check every last strand to make sure they were all
PG released back to the pond. The fairy moss is much better
PG because it has short dangly roots which don't trap wildlife.

One little tip I read about which I've been using this year and seems
to work well. Put a plank alongside the pond, angled so it falls into
the water. Plonk the excess weed onto it, have a quick root through to
fish out the snails and any obvious eggs, and leave for a day. The
little squigglies wriggle around and eventually fall back into the
pond. Even skimming off duckweed I've managed to catch several
goldfish by accident, and this method means I've not inadvertantly
left them on the compost heap.

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK Ý http://www.digdilem.org/