Preparing Your Pond for Winter

Preparing Your Pond For Winter

If you are in a region where the winter nights are firmly setting in, you need to think about your winter pond preparation.

Now’s a good time to start making a checklist of things you’ll need to ensure that you’re prepared to handle all the tasks related to winterizing your pond. 

Your checklist should include the following:

• Pond thermometer
• Pond netting
• Pruning tool, nets & skimmers
• Air pump, aeration kit, pond de-icer

Water Temperature

Since water temperature plays a huge role, especially if you have fish, it’s always a good idea to check if your pond thermometer is working properly. Water temperature is your cue to when you should stop feeding your fish all together. 

Fish Feeding

As the water temperature of your pond falls, the fish will require less food. Watch their food intake and adjust your feeding. Stop feeding your fish completely when the water temperature of your pond reaches an average of 45 °F (7 °C). At 47-50 °F (8-10 °C) the fish will begin to hibernate at the bottom of the pond. Regardless of the outside temperature or if your fish come to the surface during the winter do not feed them. They are surfacing for oxygen not food. If you feed them during this period, the food will not be digested.

 

 Pond Netting: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

One of the best ways to make maintenance easier is to place a pond net of over your water garden to capture falling leaves. This way, you don’t have to toil as hard later on to collect scattered leaves, especially those in the deep end. You can find a list of Laguna pond netting here.

 

 

 

 

If you follow all the above recommendations, you’ll be well on your way to making a seamless seasonal transition into winter!

Laguna Team Sponsors P. Allen Smith Garden2Blog Event

The Laguna team travelled to Arkansas May 7^th-May 8^thto visit the home of P. Allen Smith and to present at the third annual Garden2Blog event. The event hosted at Allen’s Garden Home Retreat at Moss Mountain Farm brings together 30 of the most influential garden bloggers from around the country for two days of hands-on product demonstrations from some of the leading gardening and lifestyle brands. The bloggers at this year’s event have a combined reach of well over one hundred thousand followers. They write for some of the most influential gardening web based media outlets such as HGTV, HGTVGardens and About.com, as well as traditional media such as Southern Living, Coastal Living, Family Circle and numerous television programs.  

The event itself is an opportunity for Allen’s key partners to present their newest products to the group. The format of the event is traditionally a 45 minute product presentation, which gives the bloggers an opportunity to test drive new equipment or learn about new product innovations.At this years event the Laguna team demonstrated how easily a pond could be installed and landscaped. 

Not content with following the traditional presentation format, the Laguna team’s time with the bloggers was broken down into three separate presentations over the two days.

Damian Hall kicked of the presentation by introducing the bloggers to the team and the Laguna brand. Dan Berg then took over and explained the design and construction process. The bloggers enthusiastically joined the Laguna team to finish laying stone around the pond and preparing the edges for landscaping.

Part two of the presentation was led by Chris Thier. Chris took the bloggers through the ins and outs of filtration and led the bloggers through the installation process of our Max Flo pumps that powered the waterfall stream and the Pressure Flo filter and Skimmer box.

The third and final presentation was kicked off by Allen turning on the waterfall! This event was quickly overshadowed by Mike Zmina’s water gardening and landscaping presentation where he explained the important role that water plants play in the ecosystem of ponds. The highlight of his presentation was when he turned the bloggers loose and coached them through the process of the planting baskets and floating plant bags that would be installed in the pond. 

This year’s event was a tremendous success. Before the team even left we began receiving information requests from bloggers and editors from HGTVGardens and HomeDepot.com. In the post event survey produced by the PAS group the Laguna “Pond Building” presentation was voted the best partner presentation of the event. 

P. Allen Smith and Laguna Pond Giveaway

Win Your Very Own Backyard Oasis with P. Allen Smith and Laguna.

Water features fill your garden with beauty and tranquility of moving water, adding one will transform your garden. To help create this relaxing sanctuary, Laguna has teamed up with award-winning garden and lifestyle expert P. Allen Smith and some amazing gardening wholesalers & nurseries  to provide one lucky winner with the backyard oasis of their dreams!

The prize package includes the design and installation of your very own backyard pond featuring two surrounding flowerbeds. In addition to the pond and landscaping, the winner will be featured on P. Allen Smith’s Garden Style television show for the 2014 season.

For a chance to win, go to the Laguna Ponds Facebook page and tell Allen why you’d like a landscaped pond and how it will beautify your life. Submit a picture of where in your garden you would like to have a pond installed along with your name, email address and city, state and zip code. The installation will be filmed sometime in June 2013 for the 2014 season of P. Allen Smith’s Garden Style television show.

Like our Facebook page and share the contest with your friends! Good luck!

Sponsors:

 

Hortus Ltd.

PO Box, AR 164870

Little Rock, AR 72216

www.PAlllenSmith.com

Bonnie Plants

1727 Hwy 223

Union Springs, AL 36089

www.BonniePlants.com
 

Berry Family of Nurseries

3656 HWY 51

Hulbert, OK

www.BerryNurseries.com
 

Star Roses and Plant
25 Lewis Road
West Grove, PA
www.conard-pyle.com

Laguna Ponds

305 Forbes Blvd

Mansfeld, MA 02048

www.LagunaPonds.com

Laguna Upcoming Events

With temperatures on the rise and spring in the air we are gearing up for a fantastic Pond Season!

Come and join us as we share our passion for water gardening in our Spring Series as Laguna Ponds hosts a variety of events and seminars at local garden centers throughout Canada and the U.S. Below, you can find a calendar list of our Spring Events. We invite you to join us at a garden centre near you.

Canadian Seminars

March
03/23: Burlington, ON - Holland Park Garden Gallery (Pond Opening Seminar starts at 10:00 a.m.)

April

04/06: Ste Rose, Fabreville, QC - Pepiniere Locas (Open Discussion/ Forum starts at 9:00 a.m.)

04/07: Arthur Sauve, St Eustache, QC - Ecoverdure Event (Open Discussion/ Forum starts at 9:00 a.m.)

04/13: Hornby, ON - Sids Ponds (Pond Opening Procedure, Pump/ Filter Care starts at 12:00 p.m.)

04/20: Maloney est, Gatineau, QC - Jardin Emery Event (Open Discussion/ Forum starts at 10:00 a.m.)

04/27: London, ON - Heritage Garden Gallery (Pond Opening Seminar starts at 10:00 a.m.)

May

05/03: Kitchener, ON - Grand Valley Garden Village (Breast Cancer Fundraiser starts at 9:00 a.m.)

05/04: Kitchener, ON - Grand Valley Garden Village (Breast Cancer Fundraiser starts at 9:00 a.m.)

05/04: Ste Marguerite, Trois Rivieres, QC - Jardin du Coin Event (Open Discussion/ Forum starts 9:00 a.m.)

05/11: Ste Foy, QC - Dyno Quebec (Open Discussion/ Forum starts at 10:00 a.m.)

05/12: Ste Foy, QC - Dyno Quebec (Open Discussion/ Forum starts at 10:00 a.m.)

05/18: Levis, QC - Dyno Quebec (Open Discussion/ Forum starts at 10:00 a.m.)

05/19: Levis, QC - Dyno Quebec (Open Discussion/ Forum starts at 10:00 a.m.)

June 

06/20: Stratford, ON - Klomps Nursery & Garden Center (Pond Seminar starts at 7:00 p.m.)

United States Seminars

March

03/08: Fountain, CO - Spencer’s Spring Lawn and Garden Show (Product Knowledge Seminar)

03/09: Fountain, CO - Spencer’s Spring Lawn and Garden Show (Product Knowledge Seminar)

03/09: Downers Grove, IL - Wannemaker’s Spring Show (Running Specials)

03/10: Fountain, CO - Spencer’s Spring Lawn and Garden Show (Product Knowledge Seminar)

03/10: Downers Grove, IL - Wannemaker’s Spring Show (Running Specials)
03/16: Mt. Holly, NJ - Lily Pond Emporium (Pond Opening Seminar)
03/21: Swansea, MA - The Bloomin Barn (Pond Opening Seminar)
03/22: Fairfield, NJ - Fairfield Garden Center (Pond Opening Seminar)

03/23: Frankfort, IL - Alsip Nursery (Product Knowledge Seminar)

03/24: St. John, IN - Alsip Nursery (Product Knowledge Seminar)
03/30: Jobstown, NJ - The Pond Store (Pond Opening Seminar)

April

04/11: Fairfield, NJ - Fairfield Garden Center (Ponds 101 Seminar)
04/13: Marion, TX - Water Garden Gems Texas Koi and Goldfish Show (Product Knowledge Seminar)

04/14: Marion, TX - Water Garden Gems Texas Koi and Goldfish Show (Product Knowledge Seminar)

04/20: Yucaipa, CA - Exotic Waterscapes (Pond Seminar)
04/26: Fairfield, NJ - Fairfield Garden Center (Advanced Ponds Seminar)


May
05/04: Howell, NJ - Twin Ponds Garden Center (Water Gardening Open House)
05/09: Fairfield, NJ - Fairfield Garden Center (Ponds 101 Seminar)

June
06/01: Lansing, IL - Water's Edge Aquascaping (Water Quality Seminar starts at 11 a.m.)

Getting Ready for Fall

Summer is not quite over yet, but you may have noticed that the days are getting shorter, nights are cooler, and leaves are starting to change colours in some areas.

All telltale signs that autumn is just around the corner.

Now’s a good time to start making a checklist of things you’ll need to ensure that you’re prepared to handle all the tasks related to transitioning to autumn, which will make winterizing so much easier later on.

 

Your checklist should include the following:

• Pond thermometer
• Pond netting
• Pruning tool, nets & skimmers
• Air pump, aeration kit, pond de-icer
• Fish Food for Fall Feeding

Water Temperature

Since water temperature plays a huge role, especially if you have fish, it’s always a good idea to check if your pond thermometer is working properly. Water temperature is your cue to when you should switch to feeding fish food specially formulated for fall feeding. More about this below.

Pond Netting: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

One of the best ways to make maintenance easier is to place Laguna Pond Netting over your water garden to capture falling leaves. This way, you don’t have to toil as hard later on to collect scattered leaves, especially those in the deep end.

Pond Netting

Pruning tool, nets & skimmers

Ensure that you have the proper maintenance equipment to get the job done. A pruning tool is excellent for trimming plants. Nets are perfect for handling fish, skimmers are ideal for capturing surface debris.

Air pump, aeration kit, pond de-icer

Take stock of your winterizing equipment and ensure that all is working well for the upcoming winter season.

Fish Food for Fall Feeding

As mentioned above, tracking water temperature is critical heading into colder weather. Pond fish have special nutritional needs when the air cools  and the water temperature gets into the 8° to 10° C (47° to 50° F) range – they need more wheat germ in their diet. So make a mental note to pick up a bag of Laguna Spring/Fall Fish Food with Wheat Germ.

If you follow all the above recommendations, you’ll be well on your way to making a seamless seasonal transition. In the meantime, enjoy the rest of the summer!

Canadian Laguna Spring Tour

Laguna Spring Series

We are excited to be bringing our tour north of the border! See our tour dates and locations below.

April

04/21: Embrun, OC, Co-op Embrun Rona, (Seminar Starts: 11am, Meet the Laguna Pond Specialist)

04/19: Chateauguay, QC, Animalerie Felix (Seminar starts: 4pm-6pm Topic: opening a pond+starting a pond)

04/21: Chateauguay, QC, Animalerie Felix, (Seminar starts: 9am, Topic: opening a pond and starting a pond)

04/28: Drummondville, QC, Pepiniere Henner-(discounts available, Topic: opening and building a pond)

04/ 29: L'assomption, QC, Pep. Villeneuve Porte ouvertes, (9am ,Topic opening and building a pond)

May/June

05/5: Chambly QC- Ferme Guyon (Seminar starts: 9am, Topic :pond opening and information event)
05/5: Burlington ON- Holland Park Garden Gallery (Opening seminar at 11am, Meet Laguna Pond Specialist)
05/6: Pierrefonds Montreal,QC-West Island Nursery (8am -11am Topic: Pond opening and information event)
05/6: Sainte Catherine, QC, Titi et Gros Minet (1pm-3pm Building and maintenance of a pond)
05/10: Mississauga, ON, Sids Ponds and Gardenscapes (7pm, Meet the Laguna Pond Specialist - Pond Opening and algae control seminar)
05/12: - Trois Rivieres, QC, Jardin du coin event (9am Topics: Laguna products and opening a pond)
05/26: -St Paul, QC,  Pepiniere ST PAUL, (9AM Topic: Pond building, maintenance, information session).
05/26: St. Paul, On, Klomps Plantscapes (10 am Topic: Combined seminar - Pond Opening and algae control seminar & Pond planting and maintenance with Moores Water Gardens)

05/26 - Trois Rivieres, QC, Jardin du coin  (9am,  Seminar on Laguna products and opening a pond)
06/2: Peterborough,ON, Peterborough Landscape Supply (10am-2pm,Topic: Meet the Laguna Pond Specialist day)

6 Easy Steps for Opening Your Pond

Spring… it’s time to clean that pond!  Here are 6 easy steps for opening your pond.

Step 1: Clean Up

The first thing you’ll need to do is clean up the mess left over during the course of the previous fall and winter.

Use a pond net, skimmer or pruning tool to remove leaves, twigs and debris in, around, and at the bottom of pond. Use your pond vacuum to suck up dirt and plant matter from the base of the pond.  Ideally, choose a cordless vacuum to allow you to move freely around your pond.  Look for one with chopping blades to help speed things up. Make sure your thermometer is working properly, if it isn’t, install a new one.

Step 2: Refill your Pond

Early spring is a good time to consider a partial water change, depending on the pond’s condition (and what was done in the fall). Winter run-off may contain pollutants that may have seeped into the pond.

Use a pump to partially drain the pond. Before refilling the pond, let the water run a few minutes to flush the pipes. After replenishing the water, add a pond water neutralizer to eliminate chlorine and chloramine as well as to neutralize harmful metals.

Step 3: Clean & Start the Equipment

Pond equipment should have been cleaned and packed away for winter. If it wasn’t, make sure that you clean them thoroughly before restarting.

Take your filter apart and thoroughly rinse all media in a bucket of water (pond water taken from the pond - never use tap water as the chlorine will kill off the beneficial bacteria that keep your pond water in biological balance).  Replace filter foams if required before reinstalling your filtration systems.

If pumps were in operation over the winter, remove and clean them. Reassemble any hoses and other water runs and inspect for damage. Repair and replace as required, then test to ensure that everything works.

 If you have a waterfall, use waterfall foam to fill in gaps and openings in waterfall area.

If you have a UV sterilizer or if your filter contains a UV-C lamp, early spring is a good time to replace the bulb as its effectiveness dramatically reduces after 12 months.

 When the water temperature remains above 7ºC / 45ºF, start the filter and the UV clarifier to maintain clear water.

To help achieve optimum water conditions, add in barley straw and peat granules to the filters biochamber or directly into the pond (using a mesh bag to contain the product).

Step 4: Adding Fish

Fish that have been kept indoors for the winter will need time to adjust to the pond’s environment. A sudden change in temperature and pH level can harm them. Ensure that the water temperature is a minimum 15°C /60°F before relocating the fish back into the pond. Allow them to acclimatize gradually. Never pour or drop them into the pond. Gently net and place them in a plastic bag for transportation.

If you have purchased new fish, put the bag in the pond and let it float untied on the water surface. Wait about 10 minutes or until the temperature of the bag and the water are about equal, then untie the bag and add a small amount of pond water to the bag and leave for another 10 minutes.

Repeat the process once or twice more, then add ½ a cap of pond water neutralizer before gently allowing the fish to swim out of the bag and into the pond.

Moving can be traumatic on fish, so watch them carefully to ensure that they’re adjusting to their new surroundings and that there are no losses. Also check ammonia and nitrite readings regularly, using a pond test kit, to ensure that the biological filter is establishingrapidly and effectively.

Fish should be fed only when the water temperature is consistently above 8°C/50º F. Once above 8°C/47ºF, begin feeding a spring/fall formula food enriched with wheat germ, it is low in protein, easier to digest, and helps minimize waste. When the water temperature stays above 10ºC/50º F, switch to an all season formula. Feed amounts that fish can eat within a few minutes and remove any uneaten food.

Step 5: Planting

Prepare a spot where you can set up everything you will need (soil, pea gravel, pruners, planting baskets or tubs, fertilizing spikes and pond plant fertilizer).  This location should be close to the pond in order to facilitate planting them into the pond.

To pot pond water plants, simply trim any damaged or dead parts and then partially fill the tub, planting basket or bag with soil (container will vary depending on plant type), center the plant and finish filling with soil – take care to leave enough room at the top to add a top layer of pea gravel. 

You can soak plant roots in a fertilizer solution prior to planting increasing their growth and flower blooms significantly (always read fertilizing directions carefully to avoid damaging the roots) or use fertilizer feeding sticks to ensure a well-balanced “diet” all season long.

Add new plants as the weather becomes appropriate for each plant.  Floaters should be added once the danger of frost has past (late spring). 

The plants can be placed back into the pond during the filling process. 

Step 6: Treat Pond Water

The best time to start the pond’s biological system is at the beginning of the season when the water temperature is above 10°C/50° F.

Add a dose of biological supplements to replenish essential biological colonies and eliminate harmful ammonia and nitrites.  Removing excess phosphates after the long winter will help restore and maintain the natural balance of pond water, resulting in clear pond water.

Now sit back and enjoy your sparkling pond!

Laguna Spring Tour

"All through the long winter, I dream of my garden. On the first day of spring, I dig my
fingers deep into the soft earth. I can feel its energy, and my spirits soar." ~Helen Hayes

SEE BELOW FOR TOUR DATES

A koi paradise!

With temperatures on the rise and spring in the air we are really gearing up for a fantastic Pond Season!

Come and join us as we share our passion for water gardening in our Spring Series as Laguna Ponds hosts a variety of events and seminars at local garden centers throughout the U.S. Below, you can find a calendar list of our U.S.A. Spring Events. We invite you to join us at a garden centre near you.

Water features add a touch of class to your pond

Laguna Spring Series

March

03/22: Swansea, MA - The Bloomin Barn   (Seminar)

03/23: Fairfield, NJ - Fairfield Garden Centre   (Seminar)

03/24: Berlin, NJ - Dambly’s Garden Centre   (Open house)
03/24 : Yucaipa, CA - Exotic Waterscapes   (Seminar starts at 9:00 a.m., discounts up to 40%)

April

04/05: Fairfield, NJ - Fairfield Garden Centre   (Seminar starts at 7:00, Topic: Ponds 101)

04/12: Howell, NJ - Twin Ponds Garden Centre   (Open house)

04/14: Vineland, NJ - South Jersey Landscapes   (Open house)

04/14 : Upland, CA - Mystic Koi   (Open house starts at 10:00)

04/14 : Marion, TX - Water Garden Gems   (Texas Koi and Goldfish Society show)

04/15 : Marion, TX - Water Garden Gems   (Texas Koi and Goldfish Society show)

04/18 : Fairfield, NJ - Fairfield Garden Centre   (Seminar starts at 7:00, Topic: Ponds 101)
04/21 : Davidsonville, MD - Tropic Bay Water Gardens   (Open house)

04/21 : Yucaipa, CA - Exotic Waterscapes   (Seminar starts at 9:00 a.m.)
04/26 : Howell, NJ - Twin Ponds Garden Centre   (Seminar starts at 6:30, Topic: Ponds 101)

04/27 : Fairfield, NJ - Fairfield Garden Centre   (Seminar starts at 7:00, Topic: Advanced Pond)

May/June
05/05 : Hyannis, MA - Hyannis Country Gardens   (Open house)

05/12 : St. Louis, MO - Alternative Pond Market   (Open house)

05/19 : Upland, CA - Mystic Koi   (Open House)
06/09 : Colts Neck, NJ - Brock Farms (Open house) 

Laguna at the Global Pet Expo

Laguna is at the 2012 Global Pet Expo!

Look for those Yellow boxes

Global Pet Expo, the pet industry's largest annual trade show, is presented by the American Pet Products Association (APPA) and Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA).

The 2011 Show featured 835 exhibitors, 2,380 booths and more than 3,000 new product launches. 4,691 pet product buyers from around the world attended.

In 2012, Global Pet Expo will take place February 29-March 2 in Orlando, Florida. Global Pet Expo is open to independent retailers, distributors, mass-market buyers, and other qualified professionals.

http://globalpetexpo.org/

Water Lilies

While many water gardeners take an enormous amount of pride in caring for a wonderful pond, some place more emphasis on the fish keeping aspect, while others focus on tending to the flowers, and grooming a beautiful garden.

Caring for water lilies is a neat niche within the pond world, and it has plenty potential for the passionate gardener to get more involved its finer details. Below is a neat link with a huge gallery of award winning flowers!

* * * * *

The International Waterlily & Water Gardening Society (IWGS) is a non-profit organization of multinational membership dedicated to the furtherance of all aspects of water gardens and their associated plants. As an organization we support and promote education, research, and conservation in these areas.

See the winning flowers from the 2011 New Waterlily Competition

X marks the spot.

Where to put your new pond.

An important decision involved in preparing to build your backyard pond is where to put it. Certainly, it’s important to consider safety, and that means learning if any utilities are located beneath your yard, and knowing where they are before you dig. Knowing where water, gas and electricity sources are located is also important for running your pond. Ideally, you want to be close to both a water and power outlet, while keeping them as discreet and out of sight as possible.

Another important consideration is topography. Do your best to position your pond away from low spots in your yard. The runoff from water after a rain can cause a host of pond problems, such as the introduction of contaminants as well as an increased chance of structural problems like liner damage.

Lastly, think about the view. Consider the places where you’d like to be able to view your pond from. If you spend a significant amount of time on your deck reading, BBQ’ing, etc., then make sure to place your pond well within line of sight of your deck. For many water gardeners, seeing their pond from the main kitchen window is a must, providing peaceful visuals throughout the day.

The more time your spend caring for your pond, the more time you will want to spend viewing it. So choose take care to choose a great location. Good luck!