Even though the weather is still warm, late summer is the time to start thinking about over-wintering your pond. You should choose a date before the weather turns really cold. This process can be done in steps or all in one day. Some general clean up and trimming can be done early to alleviate some of the work later on when the water is a bit cooler. The dates listed below may vary depending on the weather, and remember that it is possible to get an early storm at the beginning of October. Make sure your pond is ready for winter before such an event occurs. By breaking up the winterization you can enjoy some of the hardy plants into early winter and still accomplish your clean up while the water is relatively warm.

The first step can be done around early September. Trim the brown, dead leaves from the marginals back to the crown of the plant. Take this opportunity to do some basic cleaning of the pond also, like removing dirt and debris from the edge of the pond. Outside debris should be removed as it is blown into the pond including paper trash, tree leaves, pine needles, etc. Remove tropical water plants before the first hard freeze; they may either be taken in the house or thrown in the compost pile. Some plants are easier than others to over-winter in the house. These "winter houseplants" should be placed in a container of water where they receive a lot of sun. Plants that are easier to over-winter and make nice house plants include taros, palms, papyrus and cannas. Make sure to watch your winter houseplants for insects and disease over the winter. Spider mites, aphids and whiteflies are a few of the common pests. Plants that are hard to over-winter include water hyacinth and water lettuce.

The second step should be done mid to late September. Keep in mind, even though the plants may still be lush green, the water temperatures are dropping. Cool water temperatures are harder to work in, making it uncomfortable to do a good job. Some hardy water plants cannot survive a freeze in the winter or they will rot and die. Water lilies and lotus must be lowered in the pond to avoid ice from touching the crown of the plant. This depth is usually around two feet deep, but each pond varies depending on its size and location. Before the lily is lowered, mature leaves and flowers/buds should be trimmed back to the crown. DO NOT TRIM OFF new leaves that are still curled up growing around the crown. New flower buds should also be left near the crown. These leaves and buds will be your first leaves and flowers in the spring. Once the lilies are lowered some leaves may continue to grow to the surface. These surface leaves should be removed periodically. Amazingly, some leaves may even continue to grow to the surface of the pond under a layer of ice. The tender, hardy marginals should also be lowered to the depth of the lilies. Trim them back to about four inches in height and remove dead foliage. This includes hardy plants that may not have survived the winter in your pond the past winters. A list of tender, hardy plants includes parrots feather, pickerel rush, lobelia, melon sword, water clover, lizard's tail, golden club, spearwort, and water chestnut. Oxygenators and submerged grasses should be trimmed back to about four inches in length and lowered to the same depth as the lilies and lotus. If your pond is not deep enough to avoid a freeze to the crown, the lilies and lotus may be removed from the pond and stored in a cool dark place for the winter. This could be a cool garage or crawl space that doesn't freeze; about 40 degrees is best. The pots may be put in a garbage bag and kept moist by watering about once a month. Do not let the lily dry out. The bottom of your pond should be cleaned to prevent build-up from rotting and polluting the water over the winter. This is also a good time to clean your filter. Every filtering system is different and should be cleaned according to the specific type of filter. [BR&D recommends the Aquascape filters be cleaned yearly in the spring but not necessarily the whole pond. That can be done about every three years.]

The third step is done after the marginals have started to turn brown from a heavy frost. This varies from early October to early November. Hardy marginals should remain at the same level where they grow during the summer. Some plants may stay greener longer than others and may even remain so all winter, like sweetflag and horsetail. The hardy marginals may be trimmed all at once or as they turn brown. Plants should be trimmed about three to four inches above the level of the water. Again, make sure to remove all leaves from the pond. Keep in mind that most of these hardy plants need to go dormant for the winter in order to revive themselves in the spring. Some plants are triggered to go dormant based on cold-water temperatures while others go dormant based on the length of the day.

Salting a pond helps the fish get through stressful times, especially springtime when their slime coat is compromised after winter. Use only plain salt, not iodized, and add enough to reach about .02%.

Remember that once you've added salt, it never goes away unless you remove water. If your fish are sick, it's okay to add up to .06% for a couple days, but then do a water exchange to get the levels back down. We can also do this process for you .