In the early fall, continue feeding your fish with high protein color enhancing foods, but switch to low protein-high carbohydrate foods as winter approaches. Color enhancing foods are not necessary in the fall but won't hurt either.

 

Once the pond water temperatures drop to 50°F, discontinue feeding your fish. It's a good idea to purchase additional submerged grasses to give fish grazing material throughout the winter. This allows your fish to eat what they need when they need it during the winter months.

 

Keep lilies well pruned as they produce fewer and fewer leaves, cut back frost killed foliage.

 

Stop fertilizing lilies at the end of September.

 

Consider a pond cleaning. If this isn't necessary, remove as much bottom detritus as possible.

 

A Bacterial Activator such as Clarity Max or Water Garden Cleaner helps break down debris in the bottom of the pond and may allow you to skip an annual pond cleaning.

 

After two or three freezes check tropical lilies for tuber production.

 

For Water Gardens in zones 8-9, either leave the plants in the pond, where depending on the severity of the winter, they may or may not survive, or collect the tubers and store them in plastic bags filled with water in a cool spot. (50°-60°F)

 

Check pumps for maintenance. Raise the pump up off the bottom of the pond (set on a cinder block or paver) so only upper surface water is re-circulating, thus allowing the pond bottom to stay warmer.

 

Remove falling leaves from the pond as soon as possible. Covering your pond with leaf netting for a few weeks is also helpful.