Steps to winterizing

[teeemkay]

They are predicting a warmer and drier winter here in Illinois this year thanks to El Nino. As miserable as the past two winters have been (plus cool and damp springs that followed), all that snow that melted into the ground was great for spring gardening, it kept the pond fairly full (I only had to put water in a few times due to winter evaporation) and the lawns greened up quickly and stayed green with very minimal watering all summer into fall. I could use a break from near-daily shoveling, salting, snowblowing, scraping, shivering... lots of S words associated with snow... LOL

 

[Lisak1]

I could use a break from near-daily shoveling, salting, snowblowing, scraping, shivering... lots of S words associated with snow

Amen to that... but you missed slipping, sliding, and swearing! Let's hope they are right and we get a bit of a break this year.

 

[addy1]

We didn't get much snow, did get the really low temps, that is what killed off a bunch of our plants.

 

[peter hillman]

I use window screening to keep stuff from being blown in the pond and don't have a skimmer but turn off bigger pumps and put 1000 gph pump in and put heater above the pump and it has always worked for me .It catches all the finer stuff as you can see when I mow the grass on a windy day what it catches .

Made up my leaf screen today, just need to attach screen. I have a locust that hangs partially over the water and a Ash tree close enough to drop leaves. The locust is already tossing leaves around. I only plan on using it till the leaves have dropped then I'll take it off.
Thank you sissy for showing how easy it really is What about my sky today??

 

[tbendl]

Will that thing float?? If it does that kind of a great idea for me.

 

[peter hillman]

Will that thing float?? If it does that kind of a great idea for me.

I'm sure one could be made to, I didn't glue the joints so mine would fill with water. But you could just put small swim/boating buoys on it.

 

[sissy]

I used metal pipe for mine on the ends where it sits on the boards but on the bridge I had to use pvc so it would conform to the bridge .The metal pipe is stiffer and I also have pipes across my pond that i have my pumps tied to and all i do is pull the pipe to me and pump comes with it .The pipe extends out to where the bananas are

 

[MitchM]

I'm with you. We can stop this if we all band together

Sorry, winter is the norm here. How dare you challenge my way of life.

 

[sissy]

pool noodles sliced open and stuck around pvc pipe would make it float

I'm sure one could be made to, I didn't glue the joints so mine would fill with water. But you could just put small swim/boating buoys on it.

I used pool noodles sliced on the top of my extension ladder protects my siding

 

[tbendl]

That's a good idea. I'm considering some type of netted raft that would allow me to blow the needles off of it while the tree sheds then pull it out. I'm heading to Lowe's today for other supplies so might look into the cost of doing something like that.

 

[sissy]

pool noodles you can get end of season sale ,the ones at the dollar store fit tight on the pvc and sometimes to tight .The ones at walmart are really good because they are over sized .

 

[tbendl]

Yeah I would like to raise it out of the water just a bit. Thinking large kids balls might work tethered under a pvc frame covered with window screening. I can pull the window screening all the way to the ground essentially giving me a ramp to blow the leaves off the pond. I only need it until the tree sheds most of it's needles.

 

[sissy]

true and a good idea since the ball will just roll on top of the water and if it doesn't work it is a cheap fix any ways

 

[tbendl]

Yeah kinda what I'm thinking. We will see how motivated I can get before they start falling.

 

[peter hillman]

Yeah kinda what I'm thinking. We will see how motivated I can get before they start falling.

You don't have much time.. When you get done you can surely relaxand enjoy a beverage