Tips For Winterizing your Pond

When the air become crisp and the leaves change color, it’s time to start shutting your water feature down for the winter. Get tips for winterizing your pond and getting it ready for spring in this P. Allen Smith video:

1. Shut down any above ground water features such as a waterfall or fountain. Make sure all of the pumps are turned off. You will want to remove and clean the pump and store it until spring if you live in a colder part of the country.

2. Stop feeding any fish in your pond once the temperature drops below 50 F as they go into hibernation. Monitor the temperature using a pond thermometer. If there is any chance the pond may freeze completely, install a deicer.

3. Move hardy plants to the center of the pond to winter. Remove any tropical or floating plants. Place them where they will get plenty of light and where the temperature is above 50 F, and check them weekly to make sure they are consistently moist. They can be placed back in the pond in the spring.

4. Keep vegetative matter out of the pond and out from around the pond to prevent ammonia levels from spiking which is not good for your pond’s ecosystem. Cover the pond and the edges with protective netting to keep debris out. This will save you a lot of effort in the spring.