If you’ve spent months creating and maintaining a beautiful outdoor water garden, you may worry about how to take care of it in the snow. It’s natural to be concerned about the state of your investment, but with a few simple steps, you can preserve your favorite water feature and the plants and animals within it. Use the following tips to ensure your pond or waterfall is ready for action come spring.

How to Prepare Your Water Garden for Winter

1. Trim Surrounding Plants

To keep your water garden pristine in the frigid temperatures, trim plants around the area before they start to die and drop their leaves. In addition to creating less of a mess in your water garden, pruning surrounding plants will ensure your yard looks tidy all year long.

2. Don’t Drain the Pond 

Although you might be tempted to drain your pond and cover it, the water inside is crucial for supporting the sides and preventing cave-ins. If you feel like you need to lower the water level, experts recommend draining your water garden until it is right below the skimmer. 

3. Check on Your Fish 

Some fish, like koi, hibernate in cold temperatures, but you should still check on them before it gets too cold outside. To help your fish to prepare for hibernation, use feed that’s specifically designed for wintertime, and stop providing it when temperatures drop below 50 degrees. 

If you are a proud owner of a backyard water garden, let the experts at Clearly Aquatics in Bloomfield, NY, help you make it even better. In addition to providing pond installation and maintenance services, these professionals also offer an incredible variety of liners, beneficial bacteria, and underwater plantings. To check out their products and services, visit them online or call (585) 657-7679 today.