Asked By: Austin of Breesport, NY
A: Leaves—there's just no getting around them. Deciduous trees drop their colorful foliage each fall, creating headaches for those who have to rake them up.
Natural bacteria do a great job breaking down the fallen leaves in your pond or lake—but only when water temperatures exceed 50° Fahrenheit. Take your pond's temperature with a submersible thermometer. While the water is at or above that 50° mark, keep using MuckAway and PondClear. The microorganisms in those products continue to work hard, breaking down organic debris.
As winter approaches and temperatures plummet, most bacteria go dormant. There are still a few options for keeping your pond looking its best as the weather cools. Here's what we recommend:
- Rake Up Fallen Leaves: As powerful as natural bacteria are, they will still take a long time to break down fresh leaves. Help those microorganisms by raking up and disposing of as many leaves as possible before they blow into your pond.
- Skim Out Floating Leaves You likely won’t get them all, so use a PondSkim, Razer Rake, or Weed Raker to remove the debris from your pond. When an abundance of leaves remains in the pond as ice begins to form, it could lead to poor water quality. As leaves and debris break down, they release toxic gases that edge out available oxygen. If ice covers your pond, those harmful gases get trapped, which is bad news for your fish.
- Aerate All Winter: Unless you plan to use your pond or lake as an ice rink this winter, keep your aeration system running. Aeration will help keep a hole in the ice, circulate the water, and boost dissolved oxygen levels.
- Maintain Your Landscape: In addition to raking up leaves, trim and maintain the foliage around your pond. This prevents organic debris from getting into the water and turning into fertilizer for algae and weeds.
Dealing With Fall Leaves in Your Pond
When fall leaves start blowing, help your beneficial bacteria out by removing as much leaf litter and organic debris as possible. While you cannot entirely prevent leaves from falling into your pond, the fewer that do, the better. Learn more fall pond care tips by calling 866-POND-HELP or contacting us online today!
Check out these related seasonal maintenance articles:
Do I Need to Aerate My Pond in the Winter?
When Do I Turn Off My Pond Aerator for Winter Recreation?
Spring Start-Up for Ponds & Lakes
Aeration System Start-Up
Last Updated: June 12, 2024