Keep backyards alive in winter

For many people with backyard ponds, fountains and other water-garden fixtures, the arrival of cold weather means draining the pipes and pulling the plug.

But water gardens can be attractive winter gardens, too, with the right preparation and landscaping.

Turning off a garden's water fixtures might not be necessary, depending on where you live, said Keith Folsom, president of Springdale Water Gardens in Greenville, Virginia. Their wintertime effect is always different and attractive with the use of landscape lighting and the right plants.

We had an extremely cold winter here last year but it wasn't a problem, he said. Pay attention and know how much water you're using below the ice. You have to keep that flow topped off.

Ensure that water lines and fixtures are drained if you do decide to turn them off so they won't expand with freezing and break, Folsom said. Running water, on the other hand, prevents icing. That's one of the reasons I tell people to keep them running.

Landscaping around water fixtures can mean simply adding a few evergreens for contrast against snow, or stringing some lights around the ice.

Tips for preparing your pond for the winter freeze-up:

Remove debris before it can decompose. That prevents organic rot, loss of oxygen and an accumulation of toxic gases. But the bigger problem comes if you stir it up, Folsom said. That can turn up bacteria that will be harmful to fish in winter.

Use netting. Cover the water with a screen, sweep the surface with a long-handled net or install skimmers like those used to vacuum swimming pools.

Prune. Pinch off aquatic plants as they die. Reposition your hardy potted water lilies into deeper water.

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Keep backyards alive in winter