NEWSLETTER

Nov -Dec. 2011

SWG's Water Garden Center News

We are Now in our Winter Mode!!!
Nov, 2011 - March 15th,2012 Open by appointment only. Just give a call first. 913-592-2143 Thanks for a great 2011!

Taking the Mystery Out of Having a Winter Pond...
Short crisp days...long cold nights...the snow is threatening and Jack Frost is knocking at our windows...winter is on it's way! The old school of thought regarding ponds was simply "Turn off your waterfalls and wait for Spring'. In other words literally forget about your pond until it warms up in the Spring. One of the main problems with this is you loose the whole entire Winter Wonderland experience every year. Having a Winter pond is actually a way of making our dreary Winters much more enjoyable and something to look forward to instead of dreading. The breathtaking ice sculptures alone, are well worth the experience. As in snowflakes, no two are ever the same. This results in ever-changing designs in your pond. The ice sparkling on a sunny winter's day can't help lift your spirits. There is really no good reason to turn off your waterfalls for several months at a time regardless of the season. Your fish, plants and overall water quality will remain healthier and alive if you do leave it running as much as possible. Any time you shut down a pond for any length of time, your pond's ecosystem will become unbalanced. Usually resulting in stale, 'smelly' water. The stagnant water will result in an anaerobic environment in which sludge buildup increases and thus the poisonous gas level will rise in your pond.

Q & A's to help understand your winter pond.
Q. What are winter evaporation rates? A. Most of us, when we think of evaporation rates, think in terms of summer evaporation. We all know that the heat of the summer will cause evaporation rates to increase substantially. Also the dryer the air is due to lack of rain, the more the evaporation. We all got to experience this in the Kansas City area this last summer and Fall when the dry air absorbed the water right out of our ponds. And then of course, our aquatic plants absorb a lot of water. But what most people don't realize is that there is a certain amount of evaporation due to ice build up in the winter time also. In the first place, all the ice created in your pond is made up of the pond's water. As a result you may experience water loss. Replace same as you would in the summertime. But ice, itself, also evaporates so when it thaws you usually do not maintain the same level on your pond as you started with. Ice in a freezer will evaporate over time same as it will in a pond.

Q. Do I have to turn off my waterfalls during the winter? A. Waterfalls are an important part of enjoying your pond. Just be sure to watch the ice buildup created by your ice sculptures. They could 'dam' up your water resulting in diverting the water out of the system. If this looks to be the case, simply unplug your pump and wait for it to thaw out some and then plug your pump back in.
Q. Do I have to take my pump out when I shut it off? A. No, most manufacturers suggest storing the pump in water if you pull the pump out of the water. It is much easier to leave the pump on the pump box and then simply plug in again as soon as you can.
Q. What happens to my fish? A. Your fish go into a semi-hibernation state during the cold winter months. Their metabolism slows way down, so DO NOT feed the, you can actually do more harm than good. They will usually hang towards the bottom of the pond and occasionally will come to the surface on warmer days. Wait for Spring when water temperatures stay above 50 degrees before you start feeding again.
Q. What about Winter string algae blooms? A. Yes, on occasion you can get string algae in the winter. Unfortunately most of the products that you used all summer do not work in the cold water. Winter Prep and Pond Balance will work in colder water.
Q. IS there any way to aide my benefical bacteria levels in the winter? A. Autumn/Winter Prep is a cold water bacteria that will keep your benefical bacteria levels up in the winter. More info below.
Q. Is there ever a situation when I should turn off my waterfalls and shut down for the winter? A. If you are a snowbird and leave for several months and there is no one to regularly check on your pond while you are gone, you will certainly want to shut down your pond while you are gone.
So now for the real question...Why create an unhealthy ecosystem when you can have a beautiful healthy winter water garden??? Winter is a time for slowing down and enjoying the sights and sound of your own personal Winter Wonderland!


Paver Patios, Walkways, Retaining Walls & Firepits
Now that you have your water garden established, it is a prefect time to add hardscapes to your landscaping. A patio next to the water garden affords a place to relax and enjoy the wonderful views of the waterfalls. A firepit is a prefect place to snuggle around when the cool crisp night air moves in...a place to congregate and tell stores and roast marshmallows. Paver walkways make for a smooth, dry transition to walk on between areas. No more wet grass trails! If you haven't made it out to our garden center in a while, you need to visit us this Fall during our special events and see what the pavers are like. The transformation the paver walkways and patios have made in our main gardens is remarkable. It is now more convenient to get around and makes foe an easier surface to walk on for old and young alike. It is a drastic improvement here at our center and could be for your yard, too.


Leaf Nets
-- are great for keeping leaves out of the pond for you. They are available in a variety of sizes. (IF you need extra fine netting they are available in 10x10). Decaying leaves in the pond will result in toxic gases to be released in the pond. IF these gases get trapped under the ice in the winter, they can kill your fish. Toxic gases are responsible for more fish kills in a winter pond than lack of oxygen as cold water holds more oxygen than hot water. Some will choose to leave some of the plants in the pond to help keep up the net out of the water or you might decide to cut off all the plants before you put the leaf net on. You could use PVC across the pond to help keep the net out of the water. Net frames of PVC are a great way to hold up the net.

Aerators for an Air Hole in the ice
-- are a great way to keep your pond's water aerated all year round. The air pump unit must be kept above water level and best when protected from the elements as much as you can and not ever be setting in water during rains or otherwise. The airstone itself needs to be in the middle or lowest part of the pond to be the most effective. it will create millions of little air bubbles. The aerator will keep an airhole in the ice during the winter and allow the toxic gases to escape and oxygenate at the same time. Higher levels of oxygen is not only good for the life of the fish but aides benefical bacteria which needs oxygen to grow and colonize and helps not only break down debris but keeps your water crystal clear. Even if the ice domes over the bubbling action on the surface, there are still small air bubble holes where the gases can escape from.
Microbe-Lift Autumn/Winter Prep
--- is a form of benefical bacteria that works in cold water keeping your ponds environment healthier. It helps accelerate the decomposition of leaves, scum, sediment and other organic matter on the bottom of the pond. Use Fall into the winter to jump start your pond to have a better balanced pond for the spring. Autumn/Winter prep is a two part system containing both liquid and dry bacteria. The dry packets are in soluble packets of cellulose producing bacteria that works in water temperatures below 50 degrees and below. When water temperatures reach 50 degrees consistently, stop using your summer bacteria (Clarifier or ML), as they are for warm water and you will start them up in the spring again.

De-Icers for an Air Hole in the ice
Leaves and other debris in the bottom of the pond will give off toxic gases as they start to decay. It is necessary to keep an airhole in the ice during those times when you do turn off your waterfalls in the cold of the winter. IF you are not using an aerator it will be necessary to have a de-icer on hand. They are thermostatically controlled by water temperatures. A de-icer is designed to heat up and leave an airhole in the ice. They are not designed to heat the entire pond.

Fish--getting ready for the winter pond
Water temperatures are slowly cooling down. When the temperatures reach 50 degrees or below you will need to stop feeding your fish. Between now and then you will want to feed your fish Autumn food which is easily digested and will give them nutrients to make it during the winter. If you haven't fed your fish you may want to give them a little now. Your fish will go into a semi-hibernation state during the winter and feeding your fish can actually harm them. Aeration or a hole in the ice is more important than food in the winter.

UPCOMING Events

Refer to our "UPCOMING EVENTS" page. No Special Events during the OFf Season... so go here for Winter Wonderland Pond Pictures Instead!
Frog Notes:
Frogs living in very cold environments may hibernate over the winter. Some frogs use strong concentrations of sugar as antifreeze. The sugar also gives the organs energy to get going again upon thawing.


Rain Harvesting Project at the Research Center
Come and visit us at the research center for the finished rain harvesting system. Check out the step-by-step installation on our website under "Photo Gallery-Rain Harvesting" pages. Finished photos have been added. We started with a rain garden in the ditch, a dry creek bed connecting the ditch to the pondless waterfalls feature w/700 gal capacity storage, which is connected to a 2000gal capacity rain harvesting storage unit by a running creek bed. We now have finished off the area over the 2000 gal storage unit with mini golf putting green and zero-scaping. This all ends with a dry creek bed to the fence line for any overflow. Research Center: Open Mon-Fri 9-6 Sat 9-4 20001 Padbury lane Spring Hill, Ks 913-592-2143 for directions

QUOTES "Advice from a Moose" Think Big! Spend time in the woods. Eat plenty of greens. Hold your head up high. Stay on track. Keep your nose clean. It's OK to be a little wild! *Author unknown

P.S. NEW FRIENDS
Late this summer we had two tree frogs take up residence in our gift shop.				Last week we started putting up our Christmas decorations, Kylie decided to join the fun and I actually had to shove her out of the way to put up these little reindeer... not realizing that she had taken a real liking to them. After they were put up, Kylie slept with them for several hours. I wonder if she was disappointed when they didn't get up and follow her?

Swan's Water Gardens 20001 Padbury Lane Spring Hill, Ks 66083 Open: Mon thru Fri 9-6 Sat 9-4 Closed Nov.1-March 15 Open by appointment only
(Family Owned and Operated Since 1994)
913-592-2143 fax: 913-592-5059
E-mail: swans_watergardens@yahoo.com