Here are some things that you can do to keep your water garden looking good during the Fall season.
- Stop fertilizing your aquatic plants when the weather becomes cooler. This lets the plants know the season is coming to an end.
- You may begin to notice an increasing number of yellow leaves this time of year, its ok to prune them off. Just be sure to trim the dying foliage to 2” above the water level. Your lilies – tropical and hardy – should still be going strong, at least until the first heavy frost.
- When the water temperature is around 55° F stop feeding your fish. Continuing to feed them could cause health problems, since their digestive systems are beginning to slow down for the winter. Read more about cold weather feeding here.
- Colorful leaves look beautiful on the trees, but as they begin to fall they can find their way into your pond and then eventually to the bottom of your pond. When left at the bottom they will decompose and negatively affect your water quality which can become toxic to your fish. Netting your pond is the easiest way to avoid this issue. Learn more about pond netting here.
- You’ll need to consider whether you want to keep your pond running or shut it down during the cold weather months.
- If you choose to shut your pond down, first unplug your pump and pull it out of the water, be sure to remove the check-value from pump and store indoors. Skipping this step can cause major damage to plumbing should water freeze and expand in pipes. The pump should be stored in a frost-free location, submerged in a bucket of water to keep the seals from drying.
- If you have fish, a small re-circulating pump that bubbles at the water surface is necessary to oxygenate the water. In all but extremely low temperatures, the bubbling of the pump will also keep a hole open in the ice to allow for a gas exchange, keeping your fish alive. It is not necessary to oxygenate the water or keep a hole open in the ice if you don’t have fish.
- You may consider adding a floating de-icer. Controlled by a thermostat, the unit only runs when the water temperature is at or below freezing, heats the water to just above that, and then shuts off again. Ask your installer or local supplier for products to help your pond during the winter.
- If you use a floating de-icer, place it away from the bubbler. The movement of the water can move the heated water away from the de-icer, making it run more than necessary.
- You can also choose to keep the waterfall running. This will require a little extra attention to make sure an ice dam does not form which could cause water to run out of the Pondless® Waterfall/ Pond basin. You will still need to replace water loss so the pump can continue to function properly. This extra effort during the winter will reward you with the most beautiful ice formations and patterns around the falls and stream beds.
These simple tips give you a good start on your fall maintenance.. If you’d like to learn more about pond maintenance we’ve developed a comprehensive Guide to Pond Maintenance that is available to you FOR FREE.
If you’d like to learn more about pond maintenance we’ve developed a comprehensive Guide to Pond Maintenance that is available to you FOR FREE just click the link below.
