A well-kept pond is not only a visual ornament for the garden, but also a real gain for the animal and plant world. During the winter months, however, pond owners have little more to do than hope that the protective measures taken will be effective.

More than just an eye-catcher: the garden pond is also a habitat for many animals and plants.

The big clean up after the winter

Now that the spring awakening is no longer just a faint foreboding, but really makes itself felt in nature, there is a lot more work to do - because the garden pond and its plants require the right care in order to be able to unfold its splendor.

Dealing with fish

Even if the anticipation of the work around the pond is great, a little patience is required despite all the enthusiasm. As long as the water temperature is not permanently above 10 degrees Celsius (constant 12 degrees Celsius is better), we have to wait and see. If you get back into operation too quickly and start cleaning or even switching on the pond pumps, you may risk damaging the pond inhabitants: the movement of the still cold pond water would only cause the different temperature layers to mix. As a result, the water cools down even more overall, which in turn can severely disturb the fish. After the hardships of winter, they first have to get used to the warmer season, but slowly.

The same applies to feeding. When the water temperatures are too low, the fish's metabolism slows down so much that the food they eat is not digested at all. As a result, the fish die. Therefore, even with constant double-digit plus degrees, easily digestible food is the order of the day in order not to overwhelm the metabolism.

First care measures

Pond care begins in the spring where it ended in the fall. After checking the border - which could well have suffered from heavy ice formation during the winter - the first thing to do is to remove the autumn remains. The first thing to do is to use a net to remove dead plant parts and leaves. This is not primarily for beautification, but for prevention.

Otherwise, the large proportion of plant nutrients threatens strong algae growth as soon as the temperatures rise permanently. This is known to have a negative effect on the water and oxygen quality, which affects the entire pond landscape. It may also be necessary to use a mud vacuum to remove fallen autumn leaves from the bottom of the pond.

During this work, the fish can safely be left in the pond. However, if more extensive design measures are pending, a temporary relocation may make sense. This can be far less stressful than witnessing the planting or rearranging. The move can also be made a little more bearable by filling the alternative pools with pond water. In this way, the transition is less for the fish.

Technical check and commissioning

Apart from the regular checking of the water quality (this mainly affects the pH value and the nitrite-nitrate content), the next step is to put the technical helpers back into service. However, pond pumps and filters should be thoroughly checked beforehand to ensure they are clean and functional. Only then can they be installed in the pond again. Pond pumps in particular contribute to the water circulation in good time and thus to the enrichment of the water with oxygen.

Incidentally, filter systems that have been put back into operation should run around the clock. Because otherwise the very microorganisms that settle in the filter and ensure the purification of the water die off.

The big "reforestation"

Of course, no pond is complete without appropriate planting. This is not just decoration, but also contributes to the preservation of the entire biotope. Proper care is all the more important because of this dual function.

Pruning and dividing

The risk of algae growth can also be counteracted by taking care of the pond plants. Plants that have grown too much and dead plant parts should therefore be cut off and removed. At the same time, this lays a good foundation for the growth of aquatic plants and creates space for weaker plants.

Dividing the roots is of course much easier if plant baskets were used when creating the garden pond. They are comparatively easy to get out of the water and all you need is a well-aimed cut of the spade to divide the root area. With plants that are firmly rooted in the earth, for example in a natural pond, the company is much more complex. In such cases there are two approaches: either the water is drained from the pond until the plants are easily accessible, or the whole thing is tackled with the right legwear that does not require drainage.

New planting

You can start planting the new pond plants in May and June, but it is still perfectly possible to do so at a later date. Underwater plants, for example, continue to grow throughout the winter and are only really damaged by prolonged freezing. However, by no means all plant species are available at the same time or consistently - and even if specimens that have been brought up in the warm water basin are sometimes available as early as February, this says nothing about their suitability under the significantly less favorable external conditions at this time.

The latest date for planting also always depends on the period of time that the respective plant needs to prepare for its hibernation. However, the weather also plays a not inconsiderable role, but from September until the new season it is over with new plants. If you don't want to buy any new additions, but still have a need despite the divided stock, you can exchange them with other pond owners.

What should it be?

There is an abundance of pond and aquatic plants, but this should in no way lead to a selection process based on visual criteria. Appearance is certainly not everything here, because the function for the pond is often much more important. In addition, the conditions of the pond must of course also be taken into account: Steep slopes and gravel banks, for example, are not suitable for all species. Some, like water hyacinths, need sufficiently high temperatures and a pond with direct sunlight to really thrive.

A classic among pond plants: the water lily

Even if they are generally widespread - not least because of the beautiful flowers, which are now available in a wide variety of colors - water lilies have certain demands on their environment. Like water hyacinths, they need a minimum amount of warmth and sunlight, five hours a day should be enough. In addition, the depth of the pond is not irrelevant, because the different types of water lilies are more or less suitable for different water depths.

In addition, planting in baskets is recommended, because sometimes the water lilies tend to grow too much. This can be contained better with plant baskets and the overall impression of the pond can be better controlled. When placed in the pond, weighing down with stones will help prevent the baskets from floating away. In this way, it can also be prevented, for example, that the plants slip down into an area that is too deep - in the worst case, this can lead to death. On the other hand, planting too shallow can have a negative impact on growth.

Not just for natural ponds: the cattail

They can be found almost everywhere in nature and are also suitable for a wide variety of garden ponds due to the variety of species. Cattails are attractive because of their typical appearance and because they are comparatively easy to care for. The effort can be reduced even further if plant baskets are used from the start. This curbs the otherwise quite pronounced growth, which could quickly crowd out the other existing plant species.

As far as height expansion is concerned, two factors play a role: on the one hand, some species are much larger than others, on the other hand, this can be regulated somewhat by the water depth. If cattails two meters high are too much for you, you can still use the Typha minima variety. A water depth of 15 centimeters is enough for it, but in return it grows correspondingly smaller. A sunny to semi-shady location helps all species, but additional fertilization is not necessary. In addition to its visual charm for the pond landscape, the broad-leaved cattail Typha latifolia is also popular as a medicinal plant: leaves, flowers and roots can be used for medicinal purposes, the effect ranges from styptic to diuretic to generally strengthening.

There are also numerous design options with underwater plants or marsh plants for the shore zone. If they are only newly planted, the foothills of swamp forget-me-not or lady's mantle after the main bloom ensure that the "construction work" can no longer be recognized within a short time. By summer at the latest, the garden pond will be in all its splendour.

Category:

Garden design