Winterizing Your Outdoor Water Features
If you have decorative ponds, waterfalls or other outdoor water features, it’s important to make sure they’re ready for the colder months ahead. Even in mild climate regions, there can be some periods where temperatures will drop below freezing. To protect your investment in these beautiful accents to your yard, take the time to perform the recommended fall maintenance.
Small Water Features
Most small water features, like fountains or self-contained pieces, should be emptied and stored for the winter. Since these are smaller, they will also freeze more easily, which can cause damage to the housing and pumps. Once emptied of all water, clean these features thoroughly and store in a garage or shed until the danger of freezing weather has passed.
Ponds And Larger Water Features
Large water features, such as fish ponds or waterfalls, will need more work to get them ready for winter. Any water feature which features a pump is in danger of having the pump freeze and become damaged. In most cases, removing the pump is necessary to protect it from freezing. In addition, you will need to winterize the following:
- Tropical water plants. In colder regions, these plants will need to be removed. In many cases, you can winter these plants to use again in the spring. Talk to your landscaper about how to protect your water feature plants over the colder months.
- Cleaning water features. Make sure you thoroughly clean out all debris from your water features before winter. Leaves, grass and other debris can deteriorate in the water over dormant months and can be deadly to fish, so make sure to cover fish ponds with netting before the winter.
If you live in a warmer climate, it may not be necessary to completely winterize your water features. However, it is best to consult your landscaping professional to ensure your features are ready to handle any unexpected cold weather.
Posted on behalf of Marty Shettle, Lane Landscaping
