This is a gentle reminder to all those with one of our reed-bed and wetland systems.

It’s time now to cut last year’s dead reed growth and remove all the dead stems and leaves from the surface of the beds whether they are of the vertical or horizontal flow type.

All the dead plant debris needs to be removed to fully expose the sand or gravel layer underneath.  Old reeds should be cut before the end of January before birds start establishing their new season’s nesting sites.

Cutting the dead reeds and removing all the dead plant debris prevents these from composting down on the surface of the media and blocking up the gravel or sand media.