So with it being November 1st today, I decided it was time to cover the pond for winter, especially as I've had an unwanted guest the past week (heron).
It was easy to do, but is super ugly, and probably won't hold up to the wind lol. I just bought some heavy duty poly, stuffed some PVC topped with a T connector into the plant pots on the one edge (to hold the poly off the plants, kind of like when you stick toothpicks in cake before covering it with saran to keep it off the icing). Stapled the poly to the house (pond is built against the house), ran it down, over the PVC, and stapled it to the edge of the cap boards. Left the one side that doesn't get wind unstapled, so that I can still get in and out to feed the fish (water is still 55 degrees). It's pretty terrible actually - looks like one of those homeless shelters you see in a park. Oh well, it's in the backyard where nobody can see it. If it does rip off, I've got lots more poly. I'll probably just do a smooth tight cover (versus a sloped one) if it comes to that. The disadvantage is I'd have to cut back all my plants and keep it clear of snow and rain. Or maybe I'll just get a net to keep the heron and the leaves out and not worry about ice or snow...
Felt weird covering it up. I was working outside in a t-shirt, and wasn't even cold. What's more, my canna had a new flower stalk on it about to open up (broke it off by mistake with the poly when I was pulling it snug), and my lily is still flowering (albeit slower, just one flower at a time now). My taro, which is NOT hardy at all, is still growing like crazy. The canna that's flowering is not supposed to be a hardy plant, but it's so darned happy and healthy, I've decided I'm going to try leaving it in. It was only $10, so if it dies it's not a big deal.
Cleaned up the hardy plants - the pickerel, cattails, pennywort, moneywort, creeping jenny, crinum lily, forget-me-not, water lilies, marsh marigold, loosestrife, parrot feather, hardy water canna, and iris are all staying in for the winter.
Regardless, I've pulled out the taro and the two canna that were starting to brown (although still sending up new leaves) for the winter. I also pulled out most of the salvina so that the sun has a chance to heat the water now that the cover will prevent heat loss from evaporation. And chucked the rest of my hyacinth.
Filter and pump are still running. Anyone know what temperature it becomes too cold for beneficial bacteria?
Also, my pump (pondmaster 2100gph) keeps making the hose that runs between the intake and the filter (it's just a box filter but has been doing the trick) crimp/pinch, really restricting flow. Anyone know why that is or what I can do about it? I already replaced the hose once, and it's a bit pricey, I can't keep doing that (plus it's a PITA to keep putting a new hose in). The hose is flexible PVC made specifically for ponds.
It was easy to do, but is super ugly, and probably won't hold up to the wind lol. I just bought some heavy duty poly, stuffed some PVC topped with a T connector into the plant pots on the one edge (to hold the poly off the plants, kind of like when you stick toothpicks in cake before covering it with saran to keep it off the icing). Stapled the poly to the house (pond is built against the house), ran it down, over the PVC, and stapled it to the edge of the cap boards. Left the one side that doesn't get wind unstapled, so that I can still get in and out to feed the fish (water is still 55 degrees). It's pretty terrible actually - looks like one of those homeless shelters you see in a park. Oh well, it's in the backyard where nobody can see it. If it does rip off, I've got lots more poly. I'll probably just do a smooth tight cover (versus a sloped one) if it comes to that. The disadvantage is I'd have to cut back all my plants and keep it clear of snow and rain. Or maybe I'll just get a net to keep the heron and the leaves out and not worry about ice or snow...
Felt weird covering it up. I was working outside in a t-shirt, and wasn't even cold. What's more, my canna had a new flower stalk on it about to open up (broke it off by mistake with the poly when I was pulling it snug), and my lily is still flowering (albeit slower, just one flower at a time now). My taro, which is NOT hardy at all, is still growing like crazy. The canna that's flowering is not supposed to be a hardy plant, but it's so darned happy and healthy, I've decided I'm going to try leaving it in. It was only $10, so if it dies it's not a big deal.
Cleaned up the hardy plants - the pickerel, cattails, pennywort, moneywort, creeping jenny, crinum lily, forget-me-not, water lilies, marsh marigold, loosestrife, parrot feather, hardy water canna, and iris are all staying in for the winter.
Regardless, I've pulled out the taro and the two canna that were starting to brown (although still sending up new leaves) for the winter. I also pulled out most of the salvina so that the sun has a chance to heat the water now that the cover will prevent heat loss from evaporation. And chucked the rest of my hyacinth.
Filter and pump are still running. Anyone know what temperature it becomes too cold for beneficial bacteria?
Also, my pump (pondmaster 2100gph) keeps making the hose that runs between the intake and the filter (it's just a box filter but has been doing the trick) crimp/pinch, really restricting flow. Anyone know why that is or what I can do about it? I already replaced the hose once, and it's a bit pricey, I can't keep doing that (plus it's a PITA to keep putting a new hose in). The hose is flexible PVC made specifically for ponds.
