Horticulture News

DATE: December 03, 2007

HARDIN COUNTY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE
201 Peterson Drive
Elizabethtown, Kentucky 42701-9370

BY: Amy Aldenderfer
County Extension Agent for Horticulture

Cleaning Out the Water Garden

As with any outdoor water source, a water garden collects organic matter that needs to be cleaned out.  The best time to do this is when the water temperature is cool, such as in the fall.  This helps minimize any stress to fish that may live in your water garden.  A few basic steps to cleaning out your pond include:

  • Get a holding container for the plants or fish make sure it is large enough to hold the amount of water needed to sustain the plants and fish for several hours while you are emptying and cleaning the water garden.  It is best to keep the holding con­tainer in the shade during this time, also.
  • Fill the holding container with water from the water garden, then empty the remainder of the water out of the garden using a pump if necessary.  Use this water to irrigate other garden plants since it is rich in nutrients from organic matter.
  • As water is being emptied out of the garden, use a stiff, nylon-bristled brush to scrub down the sides of the pond so any debris collects in the bottom of the pond.
  • Use the nylon brush and a dustpan to collect the debris and any remaining water in the bottom of the pond for use as a soil amendment.  Do not be too thorough in cleaning out your water garden there are normal bacteria levels that need to be maintained in a water garden.
  • Refill the water garden with half of the water from the holding container, then fill it the rest of the way with tap water, putting in the appropriate dechlorinator if you have fish.  Next, fill the holding container with tap water also as this will help the fish become adjusted to the new water tempera­ture.
  • After a half hour or so, replace the plants and fish into the clean water garden.

Normally, you should need to clean out a water garden only once a year.  Also, it should not be necessary to add fresh water unless you have a problem with your fish.  Adding fresh water will not help control algae, and it may destroy the bacterial balance in your water garden.
When getting your water garden ready for winter there are really only a few adjustments you need to make.

  • Be sure leaves are kept out as they fall to keep the debris from accumulating on the bottom of the pond.
  • Set shallow plants down deep, if at all possible.  It is best to leave any water lilies at the bottom all the time.
  • When the weather becomes very cold, stop feeding the plants and fish and make no bacterial applica­tions.
  • When the pond is frozen, keep all leaves and other debris off the surface.

You can leave your recycling pump running all winter to keep the water moving in the pond. just be sure water does not splash out and freeze, causing more water to be diverted from flowing back into the pond.  If you want to stop a waterfall type of display, disconnect the pipes and drain them, but let the pump tube bubble toward the top of the pond to keep water moving.  This sometimes prevents the pond from freezing.  If you decide to cut off the pump, drain it and take it inside for the winter.

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