Late summer is a glorious time of the year- warm days and cool nights, allows our plants and fish to thrive while algae populations may be low. We still have a few more months to enjoy our pond- the relaxing sound of water, feeding our fish and spending time admiring our living ecosystem. There are many plants that still bloom and are showy until late into fall and even into winter.
As the days shorten our ponds begin the gradual process of going dormant for the winter. There are many things we can do help our water quality, plants, fish and other living creatures in our pond with the seasonal transition.
Try these Late Summer Pond Tips that will help maintain or improve your ponds biological balance:
Divide Pond Plants- any plants that need to be divided, now is the time to do it, through mid-September. This will allow plant roots to heal before cold water stops their growth or rot becomes a problem.
Repot Plants- if you have plants that are overgrown and need to be in a larger pot, this can be done through October. Make sure plant roots are covered and protected from potential ice or freezing during colder months.
Remove dead foliage and spent blooms from plants if needed.
Transition to Spring/Fall (Wheat) Fish Food- You can mix your summer diet (growth, staple or maintain) with the fall food so your fish get used to their new food. Wheat based diets are better for fish during the cooler months of fall and spring as it is easier for them to digest. Start decreasing your feedings around mid-September (weather depending) once a day, then to every other day, every third day, until the end of October.
Water Quality Dosing- continue to add warm season beneficial bacteria and sludge reducer to keep sludge, fish waste and other debris at a minimum. You can switch to cold season bacteria sometime in late October or November. If your water quality is not so great (murky water, lots of sludge, algae, etc.) then do a partial water change or complete clean out if needed.
Make Adjustments- there is still time to add new pond fish and plants to your pond. Fish prefer a 3-4 week acclimation period before we turn colder, so figure you have until around the end of September (weather depending- if it is warmer you can add into October). Also, if you need to make adjustments to your pond, add waterfall foam, fix a leak, etc. now is the perfect time to do it.
If you would like to learn more about what you ned to do for your pond, fish and plants- stop by our store, email us a question or take one of our classes- September 19th, 2024 at 5pm Fall & Winter Pond Care Class- it is free but we ask that you email to sign up: Kerri.b@natureperfect.net
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