How to winterize a pond - a simple step-by-step guide

Wintering the garden is a must for enjoying a beautiful oasis in your yard next spring. In a few steps we will show you how to take care of your water oasis.

1. Clean out the pond. Remove any dead plants and leaves. Rotting foliage will produce gases in the water underneath the ice that can be fatal to fish. 



2. Remove plants. Move the plants to deeper water, at least 45 cm to keep them from freezing. If the pond freezes entirely, remove the plants and store them indoors for the winter.



3. Clean the pond filter. Moving the filter close to the surface of the pond so that the air bubbles breaking the surface of the water may prevent the pond from freezing. 



4. Put the pump on the bottom in the deepest part of the pond. If you prefer, you can remove the pump from your pond and overwinter it in a basement, garage or shed.



5. If you have fish in the lake, be sure to install a water heater.



6. Feed fish less. If your pond contains fish, reduce the amount of their food as the temperature gets colder. Stop feeding the fish completely when the temperature drops below 10C to keep the fish from creating more waste products. 



7. Cover the pond. Keep the pond clean from falling leaves and branches by covering it with a screen for the winter. This will also make pond preparation in the spring much easier. Be sure to secure the screen around all edges of the pond.



Advices:

1. If you want to prevent the water surface from freezing, let the pump run. Water movement will protect the pond from freezing in winter in mild climates. But if you are in colder weather, you will need a heater.

2. If you don't have fish in your lake, you don't have to worry about the water freezing. Durable plants will survive. But if you do not plan on installing a heater, you must remove the pump and filter box. Otherwise, if the pond freezes even at its deepest, it can destroy your pump.

3. If your lake is equipped with a fountain and you live in a milder climate, you can let it work all winter. However, if the equipment freezes, it may break it. Therefore, we recommend turning off the fountain during the winter.