Now it's that time again: winter is just around the corner. But what happens to the garden pond in winter? We'll tell you how to winterize it.
When should ice holes be provided?
If there is a pond in the garden, then you should not leave it out during the winter. The water should stay in the pond - if there are fish or plants, then even more so. If the garden pond is planted, then you don't have to worry about ice holes over the winter, since the pond will never freeze over completely anyway. The plants act as straws, keeping small ventilation ducts clear.
However, if you don't have any plants in the pond, you should always make sure there are ice holes. One or two holes are sufficient. The reason for this is that the water continues to be enriched with sufficient oxygen in winter and that additional fermentation gases can escape.
Make holes in the ice - but how?
To get holes in the ice, you can either buy special ice removers from a specialist shop or you can simply wash it yourself with hot water do. Pond heaters are not recommended, since animals that live in the pond could wake up too early from hibernation and their he alth would be weakened. So you have to lend a hand and ensure that there are always enough holes in the ice layer.