New pond.....need plan for winter

[Loree]

Hi everyone! I've been watching/reading posts on here for a while now...waiting for my pond to be dug. Well it's DONE. Well, not really...still needs lots of work, but it's running! Pump and filter have been running for about 2wk. I have 3 small "fair" fish that I put in to start cycling about a week ago. I found 2 frogs already!
Put plants this weekend. Got 2 waterlillies, a mini cattail and some water lettuce and,hyacinth. I KNOW the lettuce and hyacinth won't winter well here in central ohio, so planning on tossing them when they start dying off.
My questions are....the cattail and lillies need divided. Should I do this NOW? Or wait til spring? WHEN do I lower them to deepest part of pond? When do I lift in the spring?
I am planning on getting a lot more plants in the spring. I just wanted to get some in there to help with algae and cycling.

My pond is about 9x12 and about 3ft at deepest. It has morning shade and afternoon full sun. Today's readings are
Am 0.25 (down from 0.5 yesterday)
Na & Ni both 0.
pH steady at 8.2

Another question is WHEN should I shut down the filter for the winter? Do I keep the pump going thru winter?
Sorry so many questions. I'm adding pics, but please realize it's not done...still have a ways to go as far as aesthetics.

 

[EricV]

I'm not sure I'd divide lilies so late in the season. Why do they need to be divided? Did you get established lilies from someone? Cat tails, I don't know.

If you can keep your lilies below the ice line, I don't see any need to go through the hassle of raising them and lowering them in the pond. Mine just stay in one place on the bottom level of the pond year round. As for cat tails, I wouldn't think you'd need to lower them. I'd assume that's a plant which would be fine frozen solid.

When to shut down? That's totally up to you. The only reason to actually shut down a pond, IMO, is if you feel you are at risk for losing water because an ice dam will form and direct water out of the pond. Personally, I usually do it at the beginning of December and try to have water circulating again in late February. But if you don't want to be out messing with it in the cold, you can do it earlier. Or not at all as some do.

 

[Loree]

I'm not sure I'd divide lilies so late in the season. Why do they need to be divided? Did you get established lilies from someone? Cat tails, I don't know.

These lillies are very established. They were growing out of their container...I did put them in a bigger container when I got them home. The guy at the nursery told/showed me that he could get 4 separate plants out of this one so I was just wondering since I need more plants, I'd go ahead and divide it, but don't want to possibly stress it this close to colder weather. Same thing with cattails... totally root bound so I put in larger container.

 

[Tula]

I have groomed my lilies both in the fall and in the spring, seems to not make a difference. They seem to be pretty hardy plants

 

[addy1]

I usually groom in the fall, like October, November, once they quit blooming. So far they are still cranking out flowers.
I also have planted hardy plants in the fall, dividing them etc, seems to make no difference to them.

I lower mine, I do have some shallow areas that could freeze up in a bad winter, so I just push my groomed lilies a bit deeper into a group on the bottom. I also toss around 1.4 cup of osmocote in the bottom of the pot, that feeds them for the entire next summer. In the spring pull them back up, takes just a bit of time.

 

[Loree]

Thanks! I'll probably divide them up tomorrow. It's still pretty warm here and to hit 90s this weekend so I think they'll have some time to recover.

 

[addy1]

Best part in the spring you don't need to groom them! Just enjoy!

 

[CometKeith]

Hi. Re shutting down your pumps. I keep a airfilter and water pump with no biofilter running all winter. I set up the water flow pretty low so that when my pond freezes over it shoots water under the ice. You definitely need to take out your biofilter before the first hard freeze otherwise it can crack. Most good pumps are designed if there ever is a blockage where it cant work it will shut down. The main thing is you want to make sure your yard doesn't becomes an ice skating ring if your pump squirts water the wrong way!