Maintaining Your Backyard Pond During the Cold Winter Months

Winter will be officially upon us this month and as an owner of a backyard pond or other water feature, it’s incredibly important you keep it properly maintained throughout the cold and dry months if you choose to keep it operating. In this post, will look at a few tips for maintaining your backyard pond in the winter that include water, plant, and fish care.

Water care

First, as leaved and other debris are falling from surrounding trees, you will need to check your skimmer daily to ensure it’s not being overtaken by debris. You should also keep your backyard pond clean by removing as much of the leaves in your pond as you can before they begin to make your water discolored. However, a few stray leaves are unlikely to cause any problems.

Plant care

The first thing you should do is begin pruning any yellow or otherwise discolored leaves from the plants around your backyard pond. You should also make sure any dead plants are cut back as well as removing any tropical plants you may have. You should also discontinue any fertilization regimen.

Fish Care

Fish care during the winter months is of the utmost importance. You should stop feeding your fish once the temperature has reached fifty degrees – this will help their digestive systems to slow down for the winter. You should also make sure to have an aerator or pump that will properly oxygenate the water. In Michigan, the bubbling water will likely not be enough to keep an open area in the ice. You should also have a deicer and pond heater running in those cases.

The professionals at Great Lakes Pondscapes have years of experience in preparing backyard ponds for winter. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us!