We get many questions regarding water garden care in winter. The common ones pertain to aquatic plants – for the record, most of our aquatic plants will take a rest in winter and die back. They are not dead and there is no reason to cut back the dead and frozen stalks. The root systems are very viable and the stalks still will be habitat for a variety of micro-organisms and one celled creatures that form the basis of your ecosystem.

Plant growth and viability is triggered by length of day light hours and temperature. Once we have consistent 72 degree nights (typically May) the aquatic plant growth takes off in earnest. One of the reasons we perform annual pond cleanings in March and April is to beat that cycle and prune back the dead growth, separate the plants, new soil in the pots and fertilization so that once the growth cycle resumes the unsightly winter dead has been removed and the plant roots are ready to regenerate. Tropical Water Lilies will normally continue to bloom through December in our climate and to some extent stay green through the winter. The jury is still out for this year as our temperatures have been far below normal for a gulf coast winter.

Your fish will not be very hungry during the winter months and may not eat at all. If you continue to feed the fish and notice that they are not coming up to feed or the food pellets are still floating untouched for a period of 10 or more minutes I recommend discontinuing feeding until spring. If you continue to feed your fish, and they are not utilizing it, all you are dong is adding to a nutrient overload as the food decays at the bottom of the pond and the result will be a very healthy filamentous algae bloom as soon as the spring sun rises. The organisms in your pond and the algae growing on the pond sides will nourish the fish as they need it during the pendency of winter.

Leaves accumulating in the pond should be removed with a net. If allowed to settle and decompose for a long period of time the decomposition process will set up an oxygen deprivation zone that will send the fish into higher water searching for an oxygen rich layer.  If you notice your fish gulping for air at the top of the pond in the morning hours, it’s time to clean your pond and chances are you have a mat of decomposing material sitting on the pond bottom.

Water garden care in the winter is very simple – scoop leaves as needed and let nature take its course. Winter is the rest time required for the plants and fish prior to active growing and breeding seasons.

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