Fall and Winter Pond Care

The summer has flown by, fall is here, and winter is quickly approaching! Are you and your pond prepared for the coming season? Below we have provided some tips that just may help you properly maintain your pond during the fall and winter season!

1. Trim back your plants: Once the first frost hits, be sure to trim back excess foliage and drop your bog plants down below the freeze line. This goes for hardy lilies and hardy bog plants/marginals. For more specific instructions visit: www.lilyblooms.com/fall-and-winter-plant-care
2. Remove floating plants: Don't forget to take out all floaters after the first frost, such as Water Hyacinths and Lettuce. Leaving them in will result in unwanted debris in the pond. If you plan on wintering over tropicals, be sure to take them out before the water temperature falls below 60°.
3. Reduce feeding: After water temperatures fall to 60°, you will want to switch over to cold weather food for you fish. Check out Lilyblooms Spring/Fall Fishfood and Microbe-Lift Cold Weather (Wheat Germ) fish food. Once your pond water temperature reaches 50°, stop all feeding completely.
4. Cover your pond: As beautiful as the Autumn season is, we all know that those fall leaves are unwanted in the pond. Placing a pond net, such as our Deluxe Pond Netting, will help keep leaves and debris from settling into your pond, making the spring season much easier when it comes time to re-open the pond. Visit www.lilyblooms.com/pond-netting-pond-covers/
5. Pick up any much needed items for the fall and winter season: We recommend switching your Microbe-Lift cycle to the Autumn/Winter Prep, which will also help break down debris in the bottom of your pond. Adding Microbe-Lift Barley Straw Extract will continue to combat algae growth throughout the winter. Finally grab a de-icer so that your pond doesn't completely freeze over. This allows for a proper exchange of gas and oxygen for your pond, helping keep your fish alive!

For more in-depth information on fall and winter pond maintenance tips, click here, or you can also read more on fall and winter plant care by visiting:www.lilyblooms.com/fall-and-winter-plant-care.