Fall Pond Preparation

Attention Water Garden aficionados! Fall is the time to cover ponds with netting to exclude fallen tree leaves. Your tropical lilies will continue to bloom until frost; remember top keep them fertilized to encourage strong blooming. Also, periodically remove the older, yellow leaves and spent flower heads of tropical lilies. Watch out for the LEAFMINER!! The water lily leafminer is a common pest that produces serpentine mines in leaves. The pest is easily eradicated by simply removing and discarding affected leaves. The china mark moth larva is another pest of lilies. The larvae live in small pockets of leaf tissue and float on the pond eating holes in the edge of lily pads. Pick off and dispose of the affected foliage. As always, avoid spraying pesticides around your pond. Aquatic plants and animals are very sensitive to chemical sprays. Now for the fun part -- October is a good time to clean out excessive plant growth in your pond and remove dead or diseased leaves. Interested in netting and supplies your Water Garden? See Yardiac.com, for our selection!