September and October are clean-up month--subject to an Indian summer or early winter. Good preparation here will ensure a successful over-wintering of your pond, fish and plant life. We can help by providing a pond service. Contact us for more information.

FEEDING:
Feed fish on pellets and live food as long as they remain active.

WINTER PREPARATION:
Be sure to have a pool cover net on by this month to prevent leaves from blowing into the pond. Before the onset of winter, the debris that has accumulated on the pond bottom can be siphoned or vacuumed off. Any water replaced should be treated to condition it and remove harmful pollutants like chlorine.

FROGS, NEWTS etc:
If you have an area nearly, a small collection of logs will provide the perfect hibernation home for your frogs and newts. Alternatively, don't cut back all the vegetation around the pond (e.g. dead bergenia leaves) as this dead cover may also become over-wintering homes.

PUMPING & FILTRATION:
Remain pumping and filtering, remembering to check and clean the filter should you be disturbing dirt and silt in the pond. If winter is arriving early, follow the pumping and filtration advice in our new FAQ section

PLANTS:
Continue to remove old foliage from plants as they die back.
Plant early flowering varieties such as marsh marigolds and bog primulas now to get best results in the spring.
Dying leaves of Gunneras and Rheums should be cut and laid over the crowns of the plants to give natural winter protection.
The tender floating plants - winter hyacinth and water chestnut should be over-wintered in a bowl of water in the greenhouse.