Hughes Water Gardens’ October
Newsletter
Volume 1, issue 10
Winterizing Issue
In this issue:
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Winter care for plants
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Feeding fish in winter
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Tinkerbell’s Pond Tips: Winter care of pumps, filters and general fall clean up.
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Class schedule, hours and a coupon.
Upcoming Events:
Fall Sales going on now!!!!
All Plants 40% off
Pottery 30% off
Select Fountains 25% off
UV Lights 25% off
Pond Fish 2 for 1
Sale through October 15th 2008
Winter care for Plants:
Many people are unsure how to care for their plants in the winter. The proper care
depends on the type of plant. There are three main categories of pond plants: hardy,
semi-tropical, and tropical.
Hardy plants are those that will winter over in your pond without any special care
required, then will regrow in the spring. The majority of plants we sell fall into this
category including hardy water lilies. Hardy lilies will winter over as long as their crown
does not freeze. In our Willamette Valley climate, a depth of 18-24” is usually sufficient.
There are a few hardy plants that require some protection. These include Saururus
cernuus (Lizard’s Tail) and Pontaderia cordata (Pickerel). These varieties should be
dropped deeper so that the top of the pot is at least six inches under the water to
protect the plant from freezing.
Semi-tropical plants are those that will winter over with some protection. Although
many pond owners simply drop them to the deepest section of the pond (at least 18”
deep), it is safer to bring the plant into an unheated garage or cold frame. It is important
not to let the plant completely dry out.
Tropical water plants don’t go dormant in the winter. For this reason, they require a
protected environment such as a heated greenhouse where they can receive necessary
warmth and light to continue growing. Many tropical plants can also make good
houseplants through the winter given the right conditions.
Most floating plants are also tropical. The most popular are Eichhornia crassipes (Water
Hyacinth) and Pistia stratoides (Water Lettuce). Due to their high light and water
temperature requirements, it is best to treat them as annuals and remove them from
the pond in fall.
All of our plants come with plant tags that tell what category they are in. Our staff is
happy to answer any questions you may have about particular plants.
Feeding Fish in the Winter:
As cold weather approaches, fish metabolism will slow down. For this reason, it is
important to have a thermometer to monitor the water temperature and feed fish
accordingly. As the water cools, gradually cut back on how often you feed. Below 50
stop feeding altogether. It is also a good idea to switch to a wheat germ based food that
is easier to digest, yet still allows the fish to continue to bulk up before entering
dormancy.
50 degrees and under – No food at all
51 to 60 degrees – Feed once a week
60 to 65 degrees – Feed every 3 to 4 days
65 to 75 degrees – Feed every day
75 to 80 degrees – Feed 2 – 3 times a day
80 to 85 degrees – Feed 2 – 3 times a day and increase amount to no more
than fish can eat in 5 minutes.
85 degrees – Decrease amount due to possible oxygen depletion
Fish and Water Circulation: Waterfalls or fountains add cold air into the pond
water. As a result, many people with koi choose to disconnect those features and just
circulate water below the surface. Koi owners will also lift the pump off the bottom of
the pond in order to leave a layer of water undisturbed for the dormant fish. Depending
on the stocking level of fish, it should not cause problems if the surface of the pond
freezes over for a short period of time; however, many people use a floating pond deicer to keep a section of the surface open to allow for gas exchange.
Tinkerbelle’s Pond Tips: (Many tips for fall).
Fall Clean-up: This is an excellent time to catch up on maintenance left over from
summer. Any debris or decomposing plant material that accumulates in the pond can
not only be harmful to the health of your fish, it can also feed algae when spring arrives.
A simple skim net will allow you to remove any surface debris and material that has
collected on the bottom. Preventing further debris from falling into the pond is another
area not to be overlooked. This can be accomplished with netting to cover the surface
of the pond and prevent leaves from falling into the water. While not visually appealing,
the netting only needs to remain over the pond for a few weeks to catch most of the
leaves.
Filters: Most filters are removed from the pond, cleaned, and then stored until the
arrival of spring. In the case of a biological filter, the beneficial bacteria are inactive
below 50-60 water temperature. As a result, it is not necessary to operate the filter
throughout the winter. Ultra-violet lights are another component that it is best to
remove for the winter. If you choose to leave any filter outside through the winter, it is
important to either dry it completely or else continuously circulate water through it to
prevent freezing and cracking.
Pumps: You may choose to remove your pump prior to cold weather, but in our mild
climate, you can enjoy water features year around. In short freezes, a running waterfall
can successfully keep an open hole in any ice that forms on the pond surface. However,
during a prolonged freeze pumps should be turned off. If your pond completely freezes
over, water from the waterfall can spill across the pond surface and out into the
surrounding garden. In the case of a stream, the water can freeze in the streambed
before it can return to the pond. In either case, the result is an empty pond and possible
damage to an overheated pump. Pumps plumbed with flexible PVC hose can be turned
off anytime without worry; however, hard PVC pipe can freeze and crack without water
circulation. If you have used hard PVC we recommend that you turn off the pump
anyway. It is much cheaper to replace cracked pipe than a burned out pump.
Remember, never let the pump freeze.
Princess Tinkerbelle Hughes
Class Schedules for Oct. 2008
Oct. 4th
10 am – Building Ponds and Waterfalls.
Oct. 11th
10 AM – Winterizing Your Container or Small Water Feature
Oct. 18
10 am – Winterizing Your Pond
Oct. 25th
10am – Building Ponds & Waterfalls
(Last Class of the year. Classes will start up again in March 2009).
All classes are single day classes usually one to two hours long held at
our nursery.
Pre-registration is requested.
- For more information about Hughes Water Gardens’ products and
services visit our website at www.hugheswatergardens.com and
go to retail store.
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For information on the construction department of Hughes Water
Gardens, click here “Hughes Water Gardens Water Feature
Construction” or here, Hughes Water Gardens Portfolio of water
features created by Hughes Water Gardens. If you would like an
estimate on having a pond or water feature built by us, call (503) 6381709 and ask for Randy, our construction manager.
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If you would like to see past newsletters please see our website. Hughes Water Gardens
Newsletter
Hours:
March - October
Monday – Saturday 9 to 6
Sunday – 10 to 5
map link
Hughes Water Gardens - 25289 SW Stafford Rd – Tualatin,
Oregon 97062
We have decided to give our valued customers access to exclusive coupon
offers from some of our suppliers. We will do this in our new “Vendor
Focus” section below.
Vender Focus:
Garden Gallery Iron Works
We would like to share some product information from one of our valued suppliers.
Garden Gallery Iron Works is located in the Woodburn Company Stores mall. They
are a leading manufacturer of a great line of garden iron products such as obelisks,
window baskets, arbors, plant stands, and much more. We invite you to visit the store
and see what a difference you’ll find between imported products and a quality product
manufactured in the USA.
Fall is in the air and it’s a great time to plant your new found vine. Whether planting in
the garden or a container the use of a structure will add an extra dimension to your
garden or patio.
Garden Gallery Iron Works offers two great clematis ladders, manufactured with solid
steel and a black powder coat finish. The addition of a clematis ladder will be a focal
point of your garden, and will last a life time. Garden Gallery Ironworks is offering our
customers at Hughes Water Gardens a special $15.00 savings on either of the clematis
ladders. Take advantage of this great savings by presenting this coupon to the staff at
Garden Gallery Iron Works. This is a great savings and we’re proud to pass this offer
on to our customers. Please direct any questions directly to Garden Gallery Iron
Works, phone 503 982-0946.
For Hughes Water Gardens Customers
Valuable Coupon
$15.00 off a Clematis Ladder
Good thru the month of October 2008
Garden Gallery
Iron Works
(503) 982-0946
Located at the Woodburn Company Stores mall
(No Cash Value)
(Cannot be combined with any other offer)