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Pond project

Category: Pond project | Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 10:31 am

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Well looks as though the sun is going to come out after all so I'd better get my wellies on!!!

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Pond project.

Category: Pond project | Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 10:30 am

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Hello and a warm welcome to anyone reading my blog.

Today it has started to rain which is holding us back. Ian (OH) is also away to a beer festival with our daughter which doesn't make things any easier. I'll try to do as much as I can by myself as soon as the weather clears. Hopefully everything to do with the pond will be finished before winter sets in.

Things to do to prepare for winter.

Water Lilies:
Stop fertilizing hardy lilies when there are no more flowers being produced. The leaves will gradually become smaller and you will notice there are fewer of them. Keep trimming the spent leaves as they yellow. The last leaves of the year will not reach the surface of the water. These should be left on the plant. The pot can be left in the bottom of the pond all winter. Tropical lilies will continue to bloom much longer than the hardies. Keep fertilizing them every 2 weeks until they stop blooming all together. If we have a mild winter, your night blooming tropicals might come back next year. Leave them in the pond all winter to see if they will make it.

Marginal Plants:
Trim off dead growth as needed in the autumn to maintain a nice appearance. When all the foliage is brown, trim back entire plant to about 2" above the water level. If you like the looks of the browned foliage it will not hurt the plant to leave it on there until spring. Some of your hardy plants such as irises may stay green most of the winter. If so, lucky you! Just wait until you notice the plant needs tidying up in the spring before you trim back anything. If you have any tropical marginal plants such as Elephant Ear or Papyrus, you can take them into the house or garage for the winter. As long as they don't freeze you may be able to use them again in the spring.

Floating Plants:
Hyacinth and lettuce will not survive our Scottish winter but you may be luckier. If they do die back then take these plants out of the water as soon as they get brown so that they don't end up on the bottom of the pond with the leaves making algae food for next spring!

Submerged Plants:
Anacharis and hornwort should be left in the pond over the winter. Both are hardy in Scotland. You may want to trim them back if they have gotten very big as any fish you have won't eat them during winter.



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