As summer winds down, start the over-wintering process by cleaning out devris, prevent leaves and needles from falling into the water feature and stop fertilizing plants. Prune away plants that are finished for the season. All tender water plants, like tropical water lilies, should be brought indoors or protected before frosts occur.
In mid to late Fall, place hardy water liliies and hardy marginals in the deeper parts of the pond. This will hopefully keep them ice free and more protected from extreme cold. Compost annual floaters like water hyacinths and water lettuce.
As frosts approach, stop and remove the pump from the water feature. Install a pond heater or bubbler in the pond to keep a small section of it ice-free. This prevents a build-up of toxic gasses that can be harmful to fish.
For more information about over-wintering your pond or water feature, call 604.882.1201 or visit Arts Nursery in person.