Winter shut down

[GBBUDD]

One thing with those is they need the needles to be left alone and as they rot certain types of bacteria grow and die and that helps the tree to thrive . At least thasts what a horticulturist told me that i use to work with. they're dwarf and grow real slow MAGNIFICENT TREE Great shape

 

[donny young]

@donny young - if what you have been doing has been working, I wouldn't worry about changing.

We keep our pond running all winter long, so it's not something I actually worry about. I get everything cleaned up and ready for winter before Thanksgiving - some years that's perfect... other years it's just a bit too late! As you know in the midwest when winter "starts" can be anywhere from late October (like last year, when we had six inches of snow on Halloween!) to mid-December... we had 70 degrees here near Chicago just 10 days ago! So there's no way to pick a date and stick with it from year to year if you are hoping to let the pond run as long as possible. For most people it works best to pick a day when you can still work outside, before it gets too cold or snowy.

thank you for the info

 

[donny young]

@donny young Just curious, but how big is your pond and what kind of set-up do you have?

only 220 gallons, 1800 gph pump feeding two little streams

 

[donny young]

I have a 3000 gal pond with 10 large koi. I shut my pumps off about Nov. 1 and cover the pond with a homemade frame and clear reinforced poly. I also run 2 aerators using a Alita 15A pump which never shuts down. The clear poly acts as a hothouse and keeps the water from freezing. If the temps get real cold I use a heater but not very often. This system has worked for 10 years.

do your aerators ever freeze up and not work? i suspect condensation in the lines freezes when its colder and blocks the air to the stones!?!?!?