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Pondspectives with Mike
Monday, Dec. 5, 2011, 6 p.m. EST
Pond Winterizing Checklist
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By Mike Garcia
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| Aeration is one way to keep a hole in the pond surface during winter. (Courtesy of EasyPro Pond Products) | With the chilly temperatrues, gardens often come to a standstill and ponds reach a grinding halt. Here is a pond winterizing checklist for you and your customers to use.
Stop fertilizing about six weeks before first frost. When cold weather starts turning the plant's leaves from green to yellow or brown, trim off all the foliage. Tropical plants, on the other hand, should not be exposed to night temperatures lower than 40 degrees. Move tropical plants indoors before their leaves start to change.
Part of the pond must be at least 30 inches deep, preferably 36 to 48 inches deep, to protect koi and other pond fish from long cold spells. More dangerous than cold water is the buildup of toxic gases in pond that become completely iced over for extended periods of time. Owners must keep a portion of the pond's surface open to allow the pond to "breathe," disposing of toxic gases and adding oxygen. Two common ways to keep some pond surface open are by using:
1. A heater or de-icer. Use de-icers designed for concrete, liner and even preformed ponds. The classic version is powerful enough (typically 1,250 watts or more) to keep a small pond ice-free or leave a breather hole in a larger pond. They have been tested at down to -10 degrees. To save electricity, most are pre-set to operate only when the water temperature approaches freezing. Aquarium heaters are unsuitable for outdoor use. Should they break due to harsh weather, live electrical wires are left lying in wet snow.
2. An aerator. A large airstone operated by a standard aquarium airpump can keep a small opening in the ice during mild weather. Unfortunately, precise aerator placement is hard to arrange and critical to its success. For example, if the aerator is placed too near the surface, it will freeze in place during colder weather. The aerator ideally should be placed about halfway up from the deepest part of the pond and monitored frequently.
Watch out feeding koi and other pond fish. In cold water, fishes' digestive systems stop. When the pond temperature drops below 55 degrees, feed easily digested foods, especially those made from wheat germ. Stop feeding koi and other pond fish altogether when the pond temperature drops below 45 degrees.
For those who choose to empty their ponds for winter, remove the koi and other pond fish and then leave the outdoor pond nearly full of water to counteract pressures from freezing and thawing ground. Adding a few plastic milk jugs, inner tubes or other containers to float in the pond can absorb some of the shock of the pond water freezing and thawing. Drain or remove plumbing and tubing from the pond.
What are your key tips for successful pond winterization?
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