Keep the Garden Pond Clean With Snails

by Judy

You don't need a water treatment for your garden pond. A few water plants and a bucket of snails will keep the pond clean all summer. It sets up a perfect little ecosystem and everyone's happy - including me, who loves a clean pond and wants the dogs to be able to use it as their mega water bowl if they want.

keep the garden pond clean with snails, outdoor living, ponds water features, Before getting the snails from a nearby lake I went online to the DNR site to make sure that we wouldn t get in trouble by picking endangered or invasive species There were none in our area Good we re safe and ready to go

Before getting the snails from a nearby lake, I went online to the DNR site to make sure that we wouldn't get in trouble by picking endangered or invasive species. There were none in our area. Good, we're safe and ready to go.

keep the garden pond clean with snails, outdoor living, ponds water features, Arriving at the lake we took off our shoes and started walking up and down the shore looking for little black lumps on the sand in the water

Arriving at the lake, we took off our shoes and started walking up and down the shore, looking for little black lumps on the sand in the water.

We found snails about 6 feet in from the shore.

My intrepid assistants, helping gather snails.

keep the garden pond clean with snails, outdoor living, ponds water features, A lot of reflection in this photo but showing the snails in the water in the bucket I d brought along for the occasion

A lot of reflection in this photo, but showing the snails in the water in the bucket I'd brought along for the occasion.

keep the garden pond clean with snails, outdoor living, ponds water features, Mr Snail on the brick in our garden pond When we get them home from the lake we simply take handfuls of snails and gently set them in the pond at the water s edge We don t want any traumatized snails

Mr. Snail on the brick in our garden pond. When we get them home from the lake, we simply take handfuls of snails and gently set them in the pond at the water's edge. We don't want any traumatized snails.

Water lettuce in our pond, next to the last waterfall.

keep the garden pond clean with snails, outdoor living, ponds water features, Water hyacinth in our garden pond this one blooming You can see why it s called a hyacinth Together with the snails and other pond plants they keep the pond free of slimy algae all summer long

Water hyacinth in our garden pond - this one blooming. You can see why it's called a 'hyacinth.' Together with the snails and other pond plants, they keep the pond free of slimy algae all summer long.