October is time to think about preparing your
water garden for winter. If you have deciduous trees near the
feature, it is a good idea to cover your water with a net to prevent
leaves from collecting in the pond. Should this approach prove
to be impractical, either skim out the leaves every couple of days or
use a spa vacuum to gather them from the bottom. It is important
to eliminate the leaves, as well as the nuts from pecan and oak trees
(they contain acids that will harm the fish and stain your water
either black or brown.
If your pond needs a total drain and clean
(due to excessive sludge buildup or neglect), then Fall is the best
time to do it. Wait until the leaves have fallen from the trees
before you undertake the total cleaning. If this is the pond's
first season, it is not necessary to take part in the ritual;
although, depending on when the system was setup, there may be a need
to divide the plants.
To accomplish a total clean, drain all of your
water, collect the fish and house them in containers (buckets and tubs
work well), set your plants aside to divide and re-pot, vacuum out all
the debris that has collected at the bottom, add the proper amount of
chlorine remover and begin filling the pond with new water (it is best
to add chlorine remover at 15 to 20 minute intervals, instead of all
at once.)
Allow the fish to float (in their containers
in the pond) while you are refilling the feature. This will let
them adjust to any changes in water temperature (expect the fish to
float for 30-45 minutes.) Test the water pH to ensure there is
not a drastic change between the new and the old water. You will
need to lower the pH if there is a difference larger than 5%.
Mix the new water with the water in the containers 2 to 3 times before
you release the fish. Net your fish out of the containers and
dump the old water in your flower beds or lawn.
When dividing and repotting underwater plants,
use pots that do not have holes in them. Heavy clay soil works
best for the planting medium (cat litter without additives may be
used.) Fill the pots 3/4 with loose soil and pack it down
firmly to remove air pockets. Either ruse moist soil or saturate
the pot with water. Apply the fertilizer and lightly cover with
dirt. Prepare all pots before you start dividing. Pea
gravel may be used for a medium if you use baskets or pots with holes
in them. Never use potting soil or any light weight/organic
planting medium. They ten to float and mess up the pond.
To divide most of the bog or marginal plants,
mentally group the plants into smaller sections, separate the leaves
or stems, and cut through the soil with a hand shovel, trowel or knife
(you may need a saw or shovel to take on larger plants.) Bog or
marginal plants are to be centered in the pot. Stand them
upright, anchor the roots with soil, and spread gravel to cover.
A hardy lily may be divided by locating the
best growing tip and cutting or snapping it off. If you desire
more plants, continue severing tips. Give away or compost the
excess. It is a good idea to keep your lilies sorted by variety
as you divide them. To repot, place the growing tip of the lily
with the cut end against the side of the pot. Slightly point the
growth up (around a 45 degree angel.) Anchor the roots with soil
and top off with a layer of gravel.
Lotus require special care when
dividing. They have delicate root systems and do not take well
to abuse. The root looks like a series of small
"bananas" that are connected end-to-end. At least 2
complete (whole) connected "bananas" are needed for
transplanting. Lay the root in the prepared pot and trace the
outline in the soil. Remove the root and dig out a shallow
trench (about 1/2" deep). Place the root in the depression
and cover with soil. It is important not to "bury" the
root too deeply (1" to 2" of soil.) Top off with
gravel.
Transport the plants to the pond and slowly
lower them into the water. This helps to avoid leaching
soil and debris, as well as to allow excess air pockets in the soil to
fill with water, and prevent the plants from uprooting or floating.
Tropical lilies are to be left alone until the
spring.