Winter has arrived:

Our ponds and troughs in Leicestershire are now covered in ice and those further North are covered in snow.

• Now that ice and snow has arrived it is difficult to work in your pond.
• Hopefully, you have done the Autumn jobs and there is not much leaf growth or many dead leaves in your pond water.
• We have tidied back the Nursery outside troughs so they have less foliage falling into the water too.
• Any leaf debris will continue to try and rot down over the colder months.
• If ice remains over the pond for a long time a pond can run out of oxygen to complete the rotting task. This releases unpleasant gases into the water.
• The only pond plants that flower in Winter ponds are Aponogeton distachyos on the water surface. They will flower again as soon as the ice melts.

Wildlife in Winter ponds

• Rotting plant material in Winter pond water with insufficient oxygen can cause unpleasant gas build up.
• This build up can kill wildlife that may have remained in the water overwinter.
• Ceratophyllum demersum is the best oxygenating plant in Winter - even though it has dropped to the bottom of the pond and gone blacker in colour.
• These have dropped into the deepest water of the pond to avoid being trapped in the top layer of ice.
• More light allows it to produce as much oxygen by photosynthesis as possible for the amphibians that breathe through their skin under the water.
• Melting a hole in the ice will not help to add enough oxygen back into the water.
• Or help wildlife in Winter ponds to escape from the pond.
• But you can melt a hole in the ice using a metal saucepan so it melts gently to allow birds to drink or newts to pop up for a breath.
• Don't pour boiling water onto the ice or use chemicals or salt.
• Don't smash the ice! It sends shock waves through the deeper water  and can damage a liner.

  

  Winter pond

  

  Snow around a log pile

  

  overwintering Bug House for amphibians & insects

  

  Winter in the pond

  
  

Help wildlife in Winter ponds:

• Clear any fallen snow from the ice with a broom where you can safely reach so submerged oxygenating plants can see more light.
• More light allows these plants to produce as much oxygen by photosynthesis as possible for the amphibians that breathe through their skin under the water.
• We encouraged you in Autumn to leave the thinning out of deep water oxygenating plants until Spring.
• You can help reduce the likelihood of wildlife 'Winterkill' most by maintaining good oxygen levels in the pond.
• Use an aeration bubble if you like.
• But don't interfere too much in Winter ponds as British Native amphibians have become adapted to our Winter weather during their development.
• Most wildlife will have left the pond and found shelter and protection under plants nearby, under a shed or in a log pile or Bug House.

There is still time to create a Bug House or hibernaculum to give them shelter.

• Collect fallen tree leaves or pick up twigs, logs and fir cones on your Winter walks.
• Try not to disturb any existing piled up areas of leaf or twigs in the garden with too much tidying now!
• With Winter snow and ice around now it is better for everyone - both us and the wildlife - if you leave tidying the garden until Spring!

Stay warm inside and plan next year's garden projects!!