General maintenance
Place nets over ponds to prevent autumn leaves falling in.
Lift out tender water plants and remove any dying foliage. Place the plants in trays of deep mud or damp sand, or even in a bucket of water. Keep them in a frost-free place such as a conservatory or greenhouse, until the risk of frost has passed in late spring.
If you did not tidy up the pond last month, then clear out any debris, weeds and excess oxygenating plants now. Leave all removed material on the side of the pond for 48 hours before composting it so that any wildlife has time to escape back to the pond. For any marginal plants that haven’t collapsed, you can delay cutting back until late winter to provide maximum protection for invertebrates.
Remove pumps or fountains and removable lighting systems, clean them, and store over winter in a safe place.
Problems
Continue to look out for waterlilies affected by fungal problems, and cut off any affected foliage.
