Water gardening Jobs to do this Autumn

Autumn is upon us,so time to start thinking about preparing your pond for the coming colder months

Feeding fish

Stop feeding high protein growth feeds when the water temperature hits 15℃ and below, and from 15 -10℃ switch back to a staple food

Feed wheatgerm throughout autumn, winter, and early spring, feeding daily when the water temperature is between 10℃ and 4℃.

When water temperatures drop below 4℃ stop feeding altogether.

Fit a pond net to help prevent leaves falling in the pond this will also help protect your fish from the dreaded heron.

Plant care

Cut back any tall marginal plants like Iris and Bullrushes. Remove and discard any browning pond plant leaves to prevent them from fouling the water.

Keep the pump running through winter and clean your pump and filter in the normal way to maintain good water quality.

Winter water lily care

Water lilies are deciduous. However, as they grow from a rhizome (thick woody stem) covered by at least 20cms water, the roots continue to grow even when the pond is covered in ice. Autumn is a good time to plant a water lily. The root system can then become established over winter, giving it time to get ready for an early start as the water begins to warm up in the spring.

With established lilies, just fish out the dead brown leaves so that they don’t rot down and add to the detritus in the bottom of the pond. If you have any sort of pump or filter system, it is wise to lift the lily baskets and replace any soiled washed out by the movement of the water.