6 clever ways to improve your pond

Autumn is a good time to get your pond in order and improve oxygen levels to help plants and wildlife.

1. Cut back overhanging trees, shrubs or taller perennials overshadowing the pond to give aquatic plants plenty of sunlight;

2. Reduce overgrown pond plants by thinning them by hand or with a rake. Too much vegetation will choke the pond;

3. Decomposing leaves will give of noxious chemicals as they decay. Fish them out with a dipping net or install a net right across the pond surface if you have a high volume of fallen leaves.

4. Upright marginals need cutting back to about 15cm above the surface to stop spend growth collapsing into the water

5. A build up of silt can turn pond water brown and smelly. Drag a dipping net along half of the bottom of the pond to remove excess silt, place on the side for 24-48 hours then add to the compost heap.

6. Pull off old waterlily leaves and clear away blanket weed and any other debris in and around the pond, such as soggy grasses or tatty rafting plants.