In the summer evenings, the sound of a water feature can be a soothing part of a relaxing night. It provides an ambiance that works for dinner parties or quiet evenings reading or talking in the garden. It’s also visually pleasing. This fall, take care of your water features so that you can enjoy them in future summers as well.

Take Care of Your Water Plants

As the dormant season approaches, take care of your water plants. If you fertilize them, stop so that they know it’s time to stop growing and start moving into dormancy. Cut dead leaves off of your water plants if they’re trailing into the water so that they don’t add to the nutrient levels in your pond.

Falling Foliage

In a small pond, large numbers of leaves can change the nutrient levels in the water, causing problems for the animals and plants in and around the pond. If your pond is under or near a tree, use a leaf skimmer or add a temporary net over your pond to prevent the leaves from entering the pond.

Manage Your Water

If you have a rain garden or other naturally-fed water feature, you’ll need to manage your water flow during the fall months. You may find that your pond or rain garden overflows at times. Clean your drains or add gutter covers so that fall rains can move easily through your home drainage system and into your garden water features.

Put Your Fish to Bed

If you have fish that go dormant and stop feeding during the winter months, keep a close eye on the water temperature during the fall. The water temperature is what lets the fish know that it’s time to stop feeding. When the water temperature is around 55 F and you have fish that are becoming dormant, stop adding food to the water. Excess food will make the water dirty and it will be harder for the fish to survive the winter.

Winter Break

If you live in an area that gets cold in the winter, as winter approaches, think about how you would like to shut down your pond or water feature for the winter. Even a small amount of water in a small clay water feature could expand and lead to cracking during the winter months. If you choose to keep your pond running and you live in a cold climate, you may want to add a floating de-icer so that the pond does not cool off completely. If you have a small water feature that incorporates moving water, you may choose to keep it running during the winter months if the temperatures do not drop too low.

Are you planning for the fall and winter season? This is when Harry Helmet shines. Our gutter covers shield your gutters from falling leaves, ensuring that your roof drains freely during the wet fall and winter months. Contact us today to see how we can help keep your home and garden beautiful this fall.

Written by Del Thebaud