Water Gardening
 
Winterizing Your Water Garden...
 
More and more people are adding water features to their yards. A water feature can be anything from a waterfall, pond or fountain, to just a plastic tub. Basically anything that holds water can be a water feature. Water gardening popularity has increased for many reasons, but the main one’s are for the beauty and serenity of water.
One of the most important decisions when planning a water garden is the location you choose to put it and also its size. If you plan to have plants and fish, choose a sunny location. This will also reduce leaves and debris from falling into your water garden. If you choose to have plants, they should cover no more than 50% of the water surface area. Plants add oxygen and will help keep the water healthy. You can’t forget about fish. If you have a pond, you’ll probably want to add fish. Koi, goldfish and many other types of fish can be added to your water feature. To over winter fish safely, you will need an area in your pond that is at least thirty inches in depth.

One of the biggest problems in water gardening is keeping the water clear of algae. If your pond is constructed properly with good filtration, algae and other problems can be kept to a minimum. A healthy balance between water aeration and plants will also help in algae control. If all else fails, there are chemicals that can be added to kill algae that won’t harm plants or fish.

Water gardening doesn’t really take any more time than regular gardening. You may even be the type of person that can’t grow a flower but turns into an excellent water gardener. Water gardening can be a fun, relaxing hobby when done properly.


 
 

 
Preparing your water garden for cold weather will help ensure the health of your plants and fish. Your first step is to remove any leaves or mulch which have happened to settle to the bottom of your pond. Do this with a net in a slow moving motion as to cause as little turbulence as possible in the water. If you have hardy plants like lilies, arrowheads, or other marginal plants, remove the foliage. This prevents debris build-up as the leaves die. As the leaf material decomposes, it releases a methane gas which can be toxic to fish. Once the plants are cut back, place them at least 18 inches under water; below the freeze line. Any floating plants are inexpensive and multiply rapidly negating the need to winter over.

Caring for fish as winter approaches requires an entire change of diet. As the water temperature drops, change to a Spring/Autumn fish food which is lower in protein and higher in carbohydrates. Once the water temperature drops below 50 degrees, stop feeding. This is the point at which a fish’s metabolism slows drastically. Start feeding again in the spring when the water temperature reaches 55 degrees.

To keep the surface of the pond from freezing over, disconnect and drain any tubing and place the pump about 18 inches below water level with the discharge pointing toward the surface. Another option is the use of a pond de-icer. This is a thermostatically controlled floating heater, designed to keep a hole in the ice allowing oxygen into the water and preventing dangerous methane gas from building up beneath the surface.

Preparing your water garden for winter now may seem like a cold dirty job, but it beats the “no maintenance” route risking the loss of both plants and fish. It also will allow you more time to enjoy the splendors of spring to come.