Getting rid of my sunken pond as no frogspawn/frogs in past 3 years.

pinkskyinthecity

I made a pond specially for frogs using a plastic storage box sunken into my flower bed. It's about 60cm x 30 x 60cm. I couldn't get a box shallower than this, but I was successful in the first 6 years of having frogs respawning year after year. Unfortunately, one hot summer when it was a drought, one of the plastic sides cracked about 4" deep but I couldn't replace it straightaway as I still had waterlife and frogs using it. However, the following year, I didn't replace this and later on, I did put in a new box, but still I had no frogspawn, and two years after this, the same. 

I'm now thinking of doing away with the pond as I don't think the frogs will return as they haven't done so in two years. What do you think? 

NB. I've always had crocks and ramps to allow the pondlife to come in and out easily. 

Ceres

What sort of plants do you have in the pond?

pinkskyinthecity

Marsh marigold, elodea crispa and hornwort. These thrive in water as well as pond snails. 

Fire

I think the pond will be useful even if no frogs. maybe replace the box.

SueAtoo

Maybe some newts have moved in. They find frog spawn delicious.

Posy

But they don't like toads so you could keep trying.

garyd52

You'd do far better in not using a plastic box as they always end up cracking as the plasticers leach out into your soil so causing them to become very brittle , it sounds like you are limited on space and perhaps your frogs have found a nearby pond that suits them better (frogs will travel surprisingly far to find a good pond for spawning ) do away with the box and use a good quality pond liner ie not PVC ,, it need'nt be large and will look far more natural and last many years longer than a plastic box .

Dovefromabove

And don’t forget ... frogs aren’t the only creatures in need of a pond 😊 

pinkskyinthecity

garyd52 said:

You'd do far better in not using a plastic box as they always end up cracking as the plasticers leach out into your soil so causing them to become very brittle , it sounds like you are limited on space and perhaps your frogs have found a nearby pond that suits them better (frogs will travel surprisingly far to find a good pond for spawning ) do away with the box and use a good quality pond liner ie not PVC ,, it need'nt be large and will look far more natural and last many years longer than a plastic box .

I would have preferred a proper liner for the pond, but due to the small space  I have in my small flower bed, I had to make do with a box. I'm in an inner city environment where so few gardens in my area will have ponds and also a lot of housing are sectioned into fencing. There is very little hedging or natural wildlife corridors so we don't really get foxes or hedgehogs, sadly.