Readying your water garden for winter means pond cleaning, plant and fish care, and pump and filter maintenance. Your Growise Center staff can offer helpful tips for a healthy pond.

THE POND

Remove leaves from pond with a leaf skimmer.

Clean base of pond to loosen muck. Follow with a liquid to clear up water. Or use a water garden vacuum to finish clean-up. Cover pond with a taut, strong mesh net to keep out leaves and twigs. Visit your Growise Center for pond clean-up tools and products.

PLANTS

Hardy Water Lilies

Prune and lower the lily to deepest part of pond. If sufficient depth of water can be maintained to prevent root freeze, plant can remain in pond. If brought indoors, submerge plant in tub or barrel in heated basement or garage. Change water monthly.

Tropical Water Lilies

After frost, cut back to couple inches above container. Wrap container in damp newspaper in plastic bag; store at 65 degrees F. Open bag weekly for 24 hours.

Hardy Marginals

Cut plants back to 6 inches from the top of pot. Place in bottom of pond after first heavy frost.

Trim-hollow stemmed plants above water line to prevent rotting.

Tropical Marginals

Discard or winter over in greenhouse in tub or barrel filled with water.

Tropical Floaters

Discard or winter over in greenhouse the same as Tropical Marginal Plants.

Oxygenators (submerged)

Cut back to 3 inches above pot.

Place in bottom of pond.

FISH

Discontinue feeding when temperature drops below 50 degrees F.

Keep an area ice- free with floating pond de-icer. It provides an oxygen/gas exchange.

PUMP and FILTER

Turn off pumps or filters. Remove. Clean filter. Store out of the house as odor could become strong.