Winterizing

The acorns are beginning to fall thick and fast here in the Ozarks, beating a staccato rhythm on the roof. The nights are crisp and cold, the days a glorious swan song to summer. While enjoying the last notes of the season I begin to lay the foundation of this years winter program. Last month I discussed some preliminary steps, now we get down to the real deal.

First things first, get out the leaf net and skim. For me that is a daily, or nearly so, task. I also flip out acorns sticks and other debris that has blown in. If you cover the whole pond with a net now is the time to do it.

The filter will need one more good cleaning this season before taking the pump in for the year, here in zone 6 I take it in around the end of November or first of December. I take mine in to keep it from cracking in the event of thick ice. Many people leave the pump running year round, but use a fountain attachment rather than running the water over the falls, if the fall is left running an ice dam can form and empty the pond in no time flat. When I take out the pump and pre-filter I also dismantle the bio-filter. The plants I have in it can be overwintered in the pond, I rinse out the filter medium dry it and store it until next year.

I am going to order a pond heater for this year, I learned my lesson last year. To keep that hole in the ice, I may need some extra help. Other folks use "bubblers" to keep a hole in the ice and they work fine except when the weather turns wicked like it did here last winter, then you need the large artillery.

As for the plants, the lilies leaves are dying back, so it is time to stop fertilizing them. Hardy Lilies need to be trimmed back and while you have them out of the pond check to see if they need repotted, then sink them in the deepest part of the pond. Iris and Pickerel Weed are pretty hardy, I usually trim them back, for Iris make sure they are still above water, then put them back in the pond at their regular level. This year I have several tropicals I am going to overwinter. The lily will be divided and one part I will keep in a black plastic bag in the utility room. That room is not heated above 55-60 degrees in winter, so I think it will work for the lily. The other half I will keep in an aquarium I am setting up. This is an experiment. I am also going to keep Water Poppy and Parrots Feather in it as well. Some of my plants will find a temporary home in the greenhouse of a friend, but I will keep them growing at home just as long as I can.

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