Looking After Water Gardens
Maintaining a water garden is not that difficult - all you have to do is sort out the ponds, water features and clear away fallen leaves. You will also have to remove pesky toads otherwise you and you neighbors will never get some decent sleep. The fish need to be feed and checked for any diseases. The plants around the water garden also need to be checked for pests and diseases.
Like every normal garden you will need to mow the grass, mend items, prune the shrubs and trees, mulch and clear the paths and walls.
Routine tasks that you have to perform
Spring
You need to clean out the pond and repair any damaged items. The pumps and filters should be reinstalled in their original positions. The old plants must be removed and replaced with new ones. Spring is "healing time" for the pond as winter is harsh and results in a lot of things getting damaged.
Summer
Inspect the pond and water features after every week. There are some pondweed plants that need to be skimmed and removed from the water. Summertime is "clean up time" - mowing grass, raking leaves and tidying up borders
Autumn
Dead leaves need to be cleaned up and foliage that is dead needs to be trimmed. This is also the time to decide which plants are going to moved into the house to be over wintered. When cleaning the butyl/plastic-lined pond, make sure that you do not damage the linear. Do not use spikes, sharp sticks and garden folks.
Repair gates, walls and pergolas and check to see if the fence and panel are stable
Winter
Wash all the water structures with clean warm water. Make sure that all the delicate plants are in the house to protect them from the harsh cold. Put food such as fat and nuts out for the birds. Some people drain formal ponds during this time.
Pond maintenance...
The pumps need to be cleaned regularly, structures need to be repaired and plants need to be moved. The leaks in the pond need to be sealed, while dying fish need to be surfed out. Your children can also join in and help you with cleaning the pond - they will have fun doing it as well.
When and how to clean the pond
Cleaning the pond will involve the following steps. You do not have to worry about cleaning big natural wild life ponds as they normally take care of themselves quiet easily.
- In late summer or very early spring, gently pump most of the water onto a neighboring bed or border
- As you go, very carefully net the fish and put them into holding buckets and tanks
- Remove containerized plants (those which are growing in baskets and pots)
- Switch off, remove and clean the pump
- Remove floating-leaf plants and aquatics/oxygenators
- Scoop out the rest of the water
- Remove the mud and put it on waterside beds and borders, so that the small creatures can make their way back to the water
- Brush and clean the pond, and check for potential structural problems
- Wash and clean small, formal ponds with warm water
- Divide and replace plants to suit
- Refill the pond
- Carefully return all the fish to the water