Water Garden Tips for Late Summer/Early Fall

• Keep spent leaves and flowers trimmed from all aquatic plants - if left in the water, they will begin to decompose in only a few days, possibly causing an unattractive algae bloom.
  

• Stop fertilizing aquatic plants. Hardy aquatic plants need to prepare for winter dormancy, so encouraging lush growth is not recommended now. Tropical aquatic plants, even if you plan to overwinter them indoors, need a bit of a rest period as well.
  

• Unless a skimmer box was part of your pond installation, or you plan to spend a lot of time with a skimmer net to clean falling tree & shrub leaves from the water, protective pond netting should be installed over your water garden. Usually black in color, it is barely visible, and prevents leaves from falling to the bottom of the pond and decaying. Periodically, lift the net, take to an area away from the water, and shake the leaves off – into the compost pile, if you have one. We still have a limited supply of pond netting in our Retail Barn.
  

• Don’t be alarmed if your hardy water lilies slow down flower production. They are preparing for winter dormancy. Tropical water lilies will continue to bloom later than hardy water lilies, and are generally considered annuals in our zone.
  

• If you have goldfish or koi in your pond, you will notice that they appear to always be hungry. This is a natural response to the shortening days and cooler temperatures. Feed them only what they will eat in five minutes, but make several feedings each day. As the weather cools, and their metabolism slows, switch to a wheat-germ based food. Ideally, if you plan to leave them outside over the winter, your fish should be very fat – almost pregnant-looking. At water temperatures below 50 degrees farenheit, they do not eat, and live off the fat stored in their bodies. If your pond is less than 2.5’ to 3’ deep, plan to overwinter your fish inside in an aquarium – they will not survive in solidly frozen water.
  

• Water gardening does not have to stop simply because the weather cools down. Many aquatic plants make great indoor container gardens. Dwarf Papyrus (Cyperus isocladus), Umbrella Palm (Cyperus alternifolius "Nanus"), Copperleaf (Alternanthera reineckii), Dwarf Water Bamboo (Dulichium arondinaceum), Primrose Creeper (Ludwigia arcuta), and Parrot’s Feather (Myriophyllum aquatica) all do well indoors in a container garden, as long as they receive sufficient light. Place in a southern-facing window, or supplement with artificial light. Resume feeding after a month or so of "rest." Oxygenators used in the pond are also useful in the aquarium. Although most will overwinter in the pond, why not enjoy them year-round? Foxtail (Myriophyllum canadensis), Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum), Canadian Pondweed (Elodia canadensis), and Liudernia rotundifolia all make great additions to the fish tank, and can be returned to the pond in spring. Be sure to rinse the pond plants thoroughly, or even soak them in a separate tub of water for 48 hours prior to introducing them to the aquarium, to be sure that no unwanted outdoor pests make the trip inside for the winter.
  

• It is never too late to start a water garden. We still have a selection of plants appropriate for indoor container water gardens and aquariums. Plan a visit soon, while there is still a selection!