pond plants over winter

is it better to remove the plants or just cut the dead leafs off and keep the roots in ? also i have turned my pump off now do i need to remove it or will it be ok 2 leave in

It depends on your location, temperature, the number of fish you have, the size of your pond and many other variables. Also, is it going to freeze over in the pond? If it doesn't freeze then there is no reason to remove the pump.

Just be advised that small pumps tend to freeze up when not used. I had a spare used one that worked perfectly, I bought a larger one and kept it as a backup. When I needed it, it smoked, I discovered the shaft was frozen.

I'm in So. Cal so we don't often get ice in our ponds. I ran mine for several hours a day during past winters. With the number and size of my Koi today, I'm planning on running my small waterfall 24/7.