6 Tips and Tricks to Keep Your Pond Healthy Over the Long Winter Months
Ponds are the perfect habitat for both people and wildlife. Unfortunately, they can also attract some unwelcome guests that may wreak havoc on your water garden. It’s important to take the proper precautions to ensure that your pond is protected throughout the winter season so you can enjoy it all spring long!
Keep reading to learn about six tips for keeping your pond healthy over the long winter months.
Harsh weather conditions can affect ponds in various ways, including ice cover, fluctuating temperatures, drop in dissolved oxygen levels, increased biological activity, and reduced clarity. These factors can adversely affect fish health and reproduction rates, reduce plants’ abilities to photosynthesize, lower dissolved oxygen levels, and produce algae blooms and other unsightly water conditions.
A well-thought-out winter plan will help you prepare for these types of challenging weather conditions. For example, if your pond lacks a protective ice cover, consider placing a tarp or blanket over the surface to reduce the amount of fluctuating temperatures and protect plants from heaving.
During extended periods when your fountain is turned off, harmful levels of ammonia may build up in your pond due to biological activity between beneficial bacteria and fish waste. If left untreated, this can lead to low dissolved oxygen, which will harm plants and fish alike. The best way to prevent this from happening is by adding beneficial bacterial supplements before it gets cold.
Beneficial bacteria break down harmful pollutants and solid debris in your pond, which will help improve water clarity and make it easier for plants to absorb nutrients such as carbon dioxide and phosphates (which stimulate plant growth). It also reduces algae blooms that can occur during the spring months. This product helps maintain healthy water conditions over the winter season!
If you live in a place where winter brings ice cover, it’s essential to remove any ice from your pond before it can do any damage! Heaving from fluctuating temperatures is a common problem among ponds without protective ice cover. When the weather warms up during the day, small areas of ice melt, causing soils below to expand upwards towards the pond’s surface. This repeated process can cause heaving in areas where soils are susceptible to being moved, which can potentially damage your plants and disturb your fish habitat.
Winterizers provide key nutrients that promote plant growth and essential minerals for healthy fish living over the winter months. They also help enhance water clarity which will improve your overall water quality. If you have dormant or evergreen plants in your outdoor fountain, consider using a specialized splash pot, so you don’t damage them when turning on/off your fountain during warmer weather! Some products even include beneficial microbes which break down organic sludge and waste, further improving pond water quality!
Before draining your pond, it’s important to remove any plants and debris. Once the water is drained, you’ll need a pump designed for outdoor use to remove standing water from fountain basins and other hard-to-reach areas. Using a garden hose with an aerator can also help speed up this process by creating bubbles that displace standing water. If space allows, keep your outdoor fountain plugged in, so the pump doesn’t have to work as hard when refilling your water feature!
Before bringing your pond back online in early spring, test for total dissolved solids (TDS) and phosphates to ensure that there are no adverse effects caused by a harsh winter. If your TDS levels are too high, a water softener may help reduce the number of minerals harmful to plants and fish alike. In most cases, it is ideal for keeping pond water temperatures around 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal plant growth.
Finally, Happy Winterizing!
By following these simple steps before closing your water garden, you can rest assured that the pond will be ready for spring when warmer weather returns.