Pond Winterizing: Pond Preparation for Fall and Winter

It is a great idea to begin winterizing your pond once the fall weather comes and the pond’s water temperature begins to approach 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

The first step to pond winterizing and preparation is reducing debris and other organic matter. Any organic material in your pond will decay during the winter and deplete the water of oxygen. Leaves, sticks, and any other floating organic material should be removed. For everything submerged, we recommend the use of SparKlear to help reduce the amount of mucky buildup on the bottom of your pond.

Make sure to clear up any remaining algae and weeds. If you are experiencing late-season growth of weeds and algae, you should treat with contact chemicals such as Diquat and Mizzen. The more aquatic nuisances you eliminate now as you winterize your pond, the less regrowth you will experience in the spring. Treatments will still be effective as long as the water temperature is 60 degrees Fahrenheit or above.

If your pond is being taken over by cattails, now is the perfect time to treat for them. We recommend the Open Water Kit for easy cattail removal. Simply pulling the cattails will leave the roots behind and they’ll come back stronger next year, while the Open Water Kit kills the plants all the way down to the roots so you’ll have less regrowth the following year. Allow up to six weeks for full effectiveness.

Phosphorus levels often spike in the summer due to the use of fertilizers. An excess of phosphorus will promote weed and algae growth so we recommend using a product such as PhosControl to reduce the phosphorus levels as part of your fall and winter preparation.

We also recommend the use of a black dye in the fall. Dying your pond black will significantly reduce the amount of sunlight that reaches the underwater plants and algae. This will effectively slow their growth and limit the amount of regrowth the following spring. The black dye also gives the pond a reflective and natural appearance that looks great during the fall months.

In summary, there are many things you can do to curb weed growth with proper pond winterizing and preparation techniques. To discuss Lake Restoration products that will help reduce weed growth in your pond, please feel free to contact us anytime.