This is a guide for those with a soft pond liner. If you have a hard pond liner, you have many less steps to take, which can be found easily online. Make sure that you check which type of liner you have before you begin to winterize your pond.



Your first step is to empty half of the water from the pond. You can do this by taking the hose that is connected to your pump, and reconnecting it so that the water is pumped onto the ground. This will make it easier for you to see while you clean.

Next, you must remove your potted plants, an important step when winterizing a water garden pond. You must also trim your plant, to ensure that the leaves will not die over the winter and fall into the water, dirtying your pond and creating an unhealthy environment for the fish.

Remember not to re-pot the plants until the spring, and doing so in the fall will hurt them. You must also remember to cut your water lilies to their base, and again, if they need replanting, save that task for the spring months.

Your third step is to catch and remove your fish. When you have caught them, place them in a bucket filled with pond water. This will clear the pond so that you can continue to your next step, clearing the pond of debris. This debris makes a great mulch.

You can now place your plants back into your pond. They must be at least a foot and a half beneath the freezing line. If your plants are hardy, and are under three feet of water or more, they should be able to survive the winter months. Now it's time to return your hose to your pump.

Finally, return your fish to the pond. You can stop feeding you fish when the temperature hits 50 degrees, and should again feed them when the temperature hits 55 degrees. Make sure you keep a hole in the ice winter long for your fish, creating it with warmth, and not a hammer. And you have winterized a garden pond for winter!