Backyard Reflections

As winter approaches and the first snowfall occurs, the time has come to winterize your water features. Winterizing your water features will save you hundreds of dollars in expensive repairs, making it vital to schedule time for this annual upkeep. Outside components and landscape require regular maintenance, but it does not have to be difficult if a few very basic suggestions are followed. 

To assist you with this cold season duty, we’ve compiled a list of instructions, tips, and tactics for protecting your water features over the winter!

Winterizing your Water Feature

Winterizing water features can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Regardless of the style of shutdown you choose, there are numerous critical aspects to consider.

If you decide to keep your pond running throughout the winter, bear in mind that it may require some upkeep. Leaving your pond and waterfalls running throughout the winter, on the other hand, may result in breathtaking ice formations.

1. Winterizing Moving Water Fixtures

• Eliminate all liquids. Any amount of moisture in a fountain or similar structure poses a significant risk of freezing. Freezing water can cause cracks and breaks in your fixture, as well as in the pipes that transport the water, frequently forcing the fountain’s entire replacement the following season.

• Ensure that your fixture is covered. The goal is to avoid any moisture buildup caused by snow or rain, as both can result in ice and damage to your fixture and landscape. There are numerous coverings available, and a good number of them are accessible in hardware stores or online. In a pinch, blankets or towels will suffice, but you must ensure that no water enters the fountain or fixture for an extended period of time!

2. Winterizing Outdoor Fountains

• The most critical step is to remove the pump. Disconnect the pump from the power and water sources. Before putting it away, disassemble it and clean the pump and its parts. Submerge the pump in a pail of water and keep it somewhere dry where the water won’t freeze. This keeps the impeller from sticking by keeping the seals wet.

• Draining the underground basin is not a good idea. Contrary to popular perception, it is not a good idea to drain the underground basin. To reduce frost heaving during the freezing of the soil around the basin, keep the subterranean basin filled with water.

• Cover the fountain. If dismantling and storing the fountain in a dry location isn’t possible, try covering it. To cover the fountain, you can use a trap or a waterproof cover. Any cover that repels water and prevents water accumulation will suffice.

3. Winterizing Your Pond

   • Fish care. Many unusual fish species may require specific care, so always seek advice from a professional. However, common pond fish like Koi and goldfish can survive winter if the pool’s bottom is warm enough. As an extra precaution, invest in a pond aerator to provide oxygenated air for your fish, and a water heater to keep them from freezing.

   • Clean up and keep debris under control. Falling leaves and plant matter may try to make their home in your pond for the season, resulting in a murky, filthy pond in the spring. To avoid a large, goopy, frozen mess, landscape design specialists recommend skimming any pollutants and covering your pond with a pond net until fall has passed.

4. Applicable to All Water Features

• Store it if at all feasible. A pondless waterfall or other water feature that can be readily disassembled and stored is always a good idea no matter what time of year it is. This is the most convenient alternative because it eliminates the need for extensive planning and reduces stress.

• Any water plants should be removed. All water plants, whether water lilies or hyacinths, must be removed before the chill sets in. Plants can be easily replanted the next season, or you can investigate how to winterize them depending on the type of plant.

• Disconnect pumps and other potentially hazardous devices. Winter-rated water circulators will almost likely fail in cold weather, so remove pumps and other such equipment and store it someplace warm.

• Any aquatic life should be relocated to a more temperate location. Even in the wild, fish can endure cold temperatures, but that’s not going to be an option in your water feature. Install a water heater if you are unable to transfer them.

5. Ponds That Are Turned off for the Winter

• Alternatively, you may choose to winterize your pond. If you choose to do so, take the pump from the pond and store it somewhere warm to avoid damaging it. Next, drain the plumbing to prevent freezing, expanding, and possible pipe and equipment cracking. Remove the filter and accompanying parts, clean them with a garden hose, and store them with your pump.

• Installing a modest recirculating pump to oxygenate the water in your pond throughout the winter is the next step. As the ice begins to build, this precaution opens a small hole, allowing hazardous gasses to escape and oxygen into the pond water.

Tips to Keep Fountains and Ponds in Top Shape

1. Clean it

If you don’t want to rake up your autumn leaves and ruin your landscape design, let them where they fall to benefit insects and birds as well as the soil.

Remove garbage and dead plants before storing your water feature for the winter. You can vacuum or rake off large amounts of plant material from your pond’s bottom.

Make careful to clean your water garden’s pump before winter. Wash the pump in a vinegar-water solution first. After a few hours, remove the pump from the solution and rinse it with clean water.

2. Prevent it from Freezing

Plants and fish need oxygen to exist, thus a frozen pond won’t support them. If your pond was constructed for your climate, it should be deep enough to run the pump all winter without freezing. This graphic demonstrates the depth a pond has to be to avoid freezing depending on how cold it gets in the winter:

If your pond is shallow and hence susceptible to freezing, remove the pump and bring vulnerable plants (and fish) indoors for the winter.

3. Plant and Fish Care

Your pond’s fish can overwinter there if it has enough depth and doesn’t freeze over. Also, choose fish that are suitable for your outdoor living climate.

Fish need less food in the winter because of the slow metabolism caused by the cold. Feed them less frequently and with a low-protein diet

If you don’t already know, find out whether or not your aquatic plants are hardy. If they are hardy, you can cut them back and move them to the deepest part of the pond and leave them there over winter. Tender tropical plants must be either replaced or moved indoors for the winter. I personally just have inexpensive annual water plants which I compost in the fall and replace the following spring.

Backyard Reflections is a full-service home landscape design/build firm that has been offering superior landscaping services to Minnesota communities for over two decades. We are passionate about building outdoor living spaces that connect people to nature.

Call us at (320) 640-2626 in Annandale, (218) 220-2785 in Nisswa or fill out our online contact form to schedule your no-obligation consultation.