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Spring and Summer Care Guide

Follow these steps when it's time to get your pond ready for the Spring and Summer seasons:

  • Remove any netting used to cover your pond during the winter in March or early April.
  • If your bog plants have been set in the deep section of your pond during the winter, now set them in place on the bog shelves for spring and summer. At this time, you should see new green shoots growing. This is the time to start fertilizing your plants.
  • Remove sediment from the bottom of the pond with either a wet or dry vac or a fish net. If the sediment is too thick, draining the pond might be necessary.
  • When the water temperature starts warming, your fish will become more active and you can then start coaxing them to eat floating fish food. Remember to measure water temperature halfway down—the thermometer should read at least the upper 40’s.
  • Bring your pond pump from storage, and place it in the pond for spring and summer use.
  • Raise the waterline to the top of the pond if there has been evaporation over the winter. If adding less than 6” of water, de-chlorination is not necessary; if more than 6”, add a de-chlorinator.
  • Clean any pre-filters and biological filters thoroughly.
  • Spring is a great time to add some fish medications as a preventative step because the immune system of fish is often weaker in the spring.

Spring is the time of year to prepare your pond plants for their summer splendor!

In the early part of the year—as the weather warms and ice melts from the pond—early flowering pond plants should be moved to their proper depth. Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris), water iris, water-forget-me-not, lobelia (and others) all need to be near the surface so they can start their spring growth and set bud for a late-year bloom.

Make sure to remove old growth from plants so that the pond remains clear. Fertilize hardy water plants when the pond temperature reaches about 50°F, using 1–2 pond tabs per gallon of soil. You can also divide many water plants—especially water lilies—in the spring, before they start actively growing. Repotting is appropriate for many marginal plants at this time of year.

Summer is when you sit by the pond, relaxing in its peaceful beauty. As your pond plants grow and prosper through the summer, they need little care beyond monthly feeding with plant fertilizer and occasional trimming of spent flowers and dying foliage. Summer is also a good time to divide water iris after they have finished flowering for the year.

Your lotus, in particular, will command center stage with lush leaves and large, showy flowers in midsummer. Also, Pickerel Rush and other late starters—such as ‘Bloomin Baby’ Arrowhead—will come alive.

Water lilies will reach their peak bloom, showcasing varieties that range in color from deep red and bright pink to peach, yellow, white, and even changeable hues.

Keep in mind that summer can lower oxygen levels in the water, so adding extra aeration will benefit your fish and help control algae.

Equipment and Other Items You Will Need:

  • Long-handled hand net
  • Hose and water source (to replenish evaporation losses)
  • Pond vacuum for cleaning (best used in spring, when it’s less stressful on the fish)
  • Protective cage for the pump intake
  • Tub for holding fish (for treatment and/or quarantine)
  • Aerator or spare pump for water oxygenation
  • Water treatments—dechlorinator, pond dye (if desired), etc.
  • Beneficial bacteria for green water algae control
  • Algaecides for string algae control
  • Lily pruner (especially helpful in large water gardens)
  • Fish food
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