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Autumn in the Water Garden

© Vicki Paull

The flowers are bursting into their last vibrant fling with color before the long rest. Monarchs are making their way south, stopping to rest on these last blooms of the season and I haven't seen a Hummer in two weeks. It can only mean one thing. . . .winter is coming.

After this past hot, dry summer the cooler days of fall and winter are anticipated with joy. Even the fall clean-up in the water garden seems a welcome activity. Good thing too, since the clean-up has already started. Every tree in my yard had begun to drop leaves, and every one of those leaves seems to find it's way into my pond! Oh well, it's good exercise and I love the excuse to skip the dusting.

So put on your garden clothes and jump right in, to the chores not the pond!

Here is a check list for fall/winter preparation.

• Pull all your pots up to the surface and trim off all the dead and dying leaves. Check to see if your plants are root bound. Now is the ideal time to repot. Stop fertilizing your plants. And don't feed the newly potted ones.

• This is the time to bring in your tropicals. One local nurseryman I asked gave me some good tips for overwintering tropical lilies. He takes them out of the pond, leaving them in their pots, trims off the leaves and puts them in a black plastic trash bag. After tying the top of the bag he sets them on the floor of the green house, where it stays 55 degrees in the winter. He says this works well. Don't forget to bring in any fish that can't take the cold!

• While you have most of your plants out of the pond go ahead and clean out all the leaves and other debris that has accumulated in there. Give the pond a good vacuuming as well.

• Start to ease off on feeding your fish. Once the water temp. stays below 54 degrees they don't eat anyway.

• Once the fish have quit eating it is time to remove any pumps and filters you won't be running in the winter. Any you do use need to be in an area where the pump won't freeze. If you keep your waterfall going check it daily and break up any ice that forms.

• Until you cover the pond for the deep freeze, be sure you top off the water regularly.

• Finally you will need to prevent the pond from freezing over completely. I have tried floating styro-foam and beach balls on the surface to prevent freezing and that does help, but in a hard, frigid winter it isn't enough. Covering the pond works for me. Since it is small I can just put a few boards across it, lay a plastic tarp over them and pile leaves on top. There are pond heaters available that will keep an area ice free. Bubblers will also work, and if the worst happens and your pond freezes, boiling water poured on the surface will clear a hole. Never try to knock a hole in the ice. This can kill fish and may put a hole in your liner.