pond maintenance – The Deck and Patio Company

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A Few Maintenance/Planting Tips – Before the Leaves Fall

Over the next weeks, we’ll provide more in depth information on specific fall backyard maintenance. But today, we’ve got a few tips to begin planning.

Fall Foliage Is Coming

It may be weeks yet before you’ll have to face falling leaves, but for sure that colorful foliage will fall in the not too distant future. So kick back and give a few thoughts to some backyard maintenance that can be done now — and that might make falling leaves less of a problem.

Pruning at: Berkshire Botanical Garden

Pruning is not something to wait doing. Actually right now — on the cusp of early fall — is the ideal time for this bit of maintenance. Cutting plants back now will give them enough time to callous over before the first frost.

Without callouses, frost can cause them to die back or not bloom come spring. And we don’t want that.

Ponds

Pond Netting

If you have a pond or water feature, before too long, it will be time to protect your feature from falling leaves.

“Netting your pond before fall foliage is important,” says Dave Stockwell, owner of Deck and Patio. “But once the leaves have all fallen, you can pull out the netting and easily dispose of the leaves and have pristine clear water come spring. By the way, water features can be enjoyed all through fall, and even into winter.”

Pond experts suggest “tenting” the net so it doesn’t sag into the water when it becomes heavy with leaves and debris.

It’s also a good idea to trim back aquatic plants to reduce the amount of organic material decomposing in the colder months.

Tree Trimming

Photo: Courtesy of Aquascape Inc.

Before the leaves start falling off your trees, check them out to see if there are any branches that do not have leaves on them.

“This will tell you which branches might offer potential problems later down the road,” says Dave.

“Come the cold weather, dead limbs snap off due to the weight of ice and snow. This can cause havoc with power lines. Not to mention they can be a source of accidents to cars, people and homes.”

So, tree trimming should be on that “to do” list before the leaves fall.

Plantings

Skimmia: (Photo Credit: Musical Linguist at the English language Wikipedia)

To give plants a head start before spring, beginning now, through the end of October, is a great time to be planting.

Many of you will, of course, be thinking of planting bulbs for spring beauties like tulips, daffodils etc. But you can get all kinds of perennials in the ground now that will give you buds in spring, and color next fall/winter.

In an earlier blog, we discussed — Skimmia — along with other plants that offer color in the colder months. In spring these will give you vibrant white flowers; in fall, crimson red fruits (berries) that last through winter.

Deck and Patio pond project built during winter

A bit of effort before the leaves fall — brings big rewards come next outdoor season. Clean pond water, tidy and safe yards, blooming with color.

By June Sullivan|2022-09-15T13:35:07-05:00September 15th, 2022|Backyard Maintenance, Backyard Refurbishments, fall maintenance, Landscaping, Outdoor Living, outdoor maintenance, Plants, Ponds & Water Features, Seasonal Landscapes, Streams, trees|Comments Off

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Backyard Maintenance Before the Leaves Fall

Updated 10-26-23

Leaf Tannin Can Cause Staining

According to the experts to track peak foliage, we’ve got a few weeks before the leaves start falling.

That gives us time to plan. For one thing, leaf tannin stains decks and driveways so we need to plan for removing the leaves. Also, leaf debris in water features can lead to a messy clean up come spring. Plus, there’s plant pruning, tree trimming and even some planting to do during fall. So let’s get planning.

Pond Netting

Pond Netting

As we wrote in detail awhile back, pond netting is key if you own a pond. Pond nets can keep out even the smallest pieces of debris such as falling leaves and pine needles. We recommend netting from Aquascape Inc. (St. Charles, IL) which includes hold-down staples to secure it.

“Netting your pond before fall foliage is important,” says Dave Stockwell, owner of Deck and Patio. “But once the leaves have all fallen, you can pull out the netting and get rid of the leaves and have pristine clear water come spring. Water features can be enjoyed all through fall, and even into winter.”

Prevent Staining from Leaves

Wet Foliage Can Stain:

“Fallen leaves have tannin,” adds Dave. “The tannin can stain concrete, pavers and decks. People often don’t realize that it’s preferable to simply remove the leaves than to seal your deck or patio.”

Sealants, he continues, need to be regularly redone, which is a lot more maintenance than just getting rid of the leaves. (Indeed, some new deck materials such as Trex Transcend, don’t require sealants and it’s a good idea not to use them at all on these types of decks.)

Plant Pruning

Fall Maintenance

In order to give plants enough time to callous over before the first frost, right now, that is early fall, is the ideal time to prune.

Without callouses, frost can cause them to die back or not bloom come spring. And we don’t want that.

Tree Trimming

Photo: Courtesy of Aquascape Inc.

Before the leaves start falling off trees in your yard, check them out to see if there are any branches that do not have leaves on them.

“This will tell you which branches might offer potential problems later down the road,” says Dave.

“Come the cold weather, dead limbs snap off due to the weight of ice and snow. This can cause havoc with power lines. Not to mention they can be a source of accidents to cars, people and homes.”

Time to Plant

Skimmia (Photo Credit: Musical Linguist at the English language Wikipedia)

To give plants a head start before spring, now, through the end of October, is a great time to be planting.

Many of you will, of course, be thinking of planting bulbs for spring beauties like tulips, daffodils etc. But you can get all kinds of perennials in the ground now that will give you buds in spring, and color next fall/winter.

Skimmia — along with other plants that offer color in the colder months. In spring these will give you vibrant white flowers; in fall, crimson red fruits (berries) that last through winter.

Feature Photo

Deck and Patio Pond Project

A bit of effort in early autumn— before the leaves fall — brings big rewards come next outdoor season. Clean pond water, tidy and safe yards, blooming with color.

By June Sullivan|2023-10-26T12:45:04-05:00October 21st, 2021|Uncategorized|Comments Off

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When It’s Time to Cover Pools in Fall, It’s Time to Cover Ponds, Too

Mesh Pool Cover by Loop Loc

Although pool covers will be on for the duration (fall through early summer), the good news is your pond ‘netting’ cover will only be there until autumn’s leaves have fallen.

This is because your pool needs to protect pipes and other pool equipment. But your pond can be enjoyed even during frigid snows. (More on that in upcoming blogs.)

One thing does apply to both these water features, however. Falling leaves and twigs etc. can do harm.

Healthy Pond Water

In the case of the pond, too much debris collecting at the bottom will leave sludge on its floor. Over time, the build up can become so thick it can affect the pond’s depth and alter the water quality.

The antidote?

Simple pond netting, put up in advance of peak autumn foliage, will capture the leaves and other debris.

“Of course it’s best to put up the netting before the leaves drop,” says Deck and Patio’s Dave Stockwell. “However, if some leaves have already fallen in, a long-handle pond net can be used to scoop out the debris before covering it with the net.”

Dave adds that if you’ve had some buildup, there are natural pond cleaners that will break down accumulation from previous years.

Fall Backyard Maintenance:
Along with covering your swimming pool at the end of summer, it is helpful in due course to put up pond netting to collect foliage debris; nets also offer an extra layer of safety for your pond fish by protecting them from birds and other animals.

Installing Pond Netting:
Aquascape’s Dave Kelly suggests tenting the net so it won’t sag into the pond when its full of leaves. Photo: Aquascape Inc.

Pond Netting:
Pond nets can keep out even the smallest pieces of debris such as falling leaves and pine needles. We recommend netting from Aquascape Inc. (St. Charles, IL) which includes hold-down staples to secure it.

Backyard Water Features in Fall (Long Island/NY):
Watching leaves moving along a backyard stream is as peaceful an activity as you can find. If there’s only one or two — just sit back and enjoy the scene! But don’t let too many leaves collect in your backyard water features. Photo: Aquascape Inc.

By June Sullivan|2020-10-22T14:24:03-05:00October 22nd, 2020|Aquascape Biofalls, Concrete (Gunite) Pools, Koi Ponds, outdoor maintenance, Plantings/Pondscapes, Ponds & Water Features|Comments Off

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Net Your Pond in Fall, If You Can’t Leave It To Beavers

Autumn Ponds

A few leaves falling into a backyard pond is not a problem. Some leaves actually add to the health of a pond’s ecosystem.

However. If your pond is surrounded by deciduous trees, autumn’s storm of foliage are leaves of a different color.

Too much debris collecting at the bottom of a water feature will leave sludge on its floor. Over time, the build up can become so thick it can affect the pond’s depth and alter the water quality.

What to do?

If you’re a naturalist, you might hope Mother Nature and beavers could come to the rescue. Their flat tails, acting as shovels, could have that sludge dug up and turned into a beaver lodge before you can say TIMBER!

Alas, the rodents disappeared from Long Island long ago. Anyway they would gnaw through those precious deciduous trees that dropped the leaves in the first place.

Beavers

But Deck and Patio suggests a simpler alternative — cute as beaver’s buck teeth may be. Simple pond netting, put up in advance of peak autumn foliage, will capture the leaves and other debris.

“Of course it’s best to put up the netting before the leaves drop,” says Deck and Patio’s Dave Stockwell. “However, if some leaves have already fallen in, a long-handle pond net can be used to scoop out the debris before covering it with the net.”

Dave adds that if you’ve had some buildup, there are natural pond cleaners that will break down accumulation from previous years.

Fall Backyard Maintenance:

Along with covering your swimming pool at the end of summer, it is helpful in due course to put up pond netting to collect foliage debris; nets also offer an extra layer of safety for your pond fish by protecting them from birds and other animals.

Installing Pond Netting:

Aquascape’s Dave Kelly suggests tenting the net so it won’t sag into the pond when its full of leaves. Photo: Aquascape Inc.

Pond Netting:

Pond nets can keep out even the smallest pieces of debris such as falling leaves and pine needles. We recommend netting from Aquascape Inc. (St. Charles, IL) which includes hold-down staples to secure it.

Backyard Water Features in Fall (Long Island/NY):

Watching leaves moving along a backyard stream is as peaceful an activity as you can find. If there’s only one or two — just sit back and enjoy the scene! But don’t let too many leaves collect in your backyard water features. Photo: Aquascape Inc.

By June Sullivan|2018-10-11T11:51:27-05:00October 11th, 2018|Koi Ponds, Landscaping, Living Landscapes, Natural Swimming Ponds, Outdoor Living, outdoor maintenance, Plantings/Pondscapes, Ponds & Water Features, Seasonal Landscapes, Sustainable Water Features|0 Comments

Gallery

Before the Leaves Fall: Some Backyard Maintenance Tips

It’s weeks away. But as sure as leaf tannin stains decks and driveways, fall foliage is coming.

So kick back and give a few thoughts to some backyard maintenance that can be done now — and might make falling leaves less of a problem.

Pruning

Right now — on the cusp of early fall — is the ideal time to prune. Cutting plants back now will give them enough time to callous over before the first frost.

Without callouses, frost can cause them to die back or not bloom come spring. And we don’t want that.

Ponds

Pond nets can keep out even the smallest pieces of debris such as falling leaves and pine needles. We recommend netting from Aquascape Inc. (St. Charles, IL) which includes hold-down staples to secure it.

One area that needs a little care before leaves drop is the backyard pond.

In a previous post, our blog covered in detail the importance of protecting pond water from falling leaves.

“Netting your pond before fall foliage is important,” says Dave Stockwell, owner of Deck and Patio. “But once the leaves have all fallen, you can pull out the netting and get rid of the leaves and have pristine clear water come spring. Water features can be enjoyed all through fall, and even into winter.”

Pond experts at Aquascape Inc., a leading pond supply company, also suggest “tenting” the net so it doesn’t sag into the water when it becomes heavy with leaves and debris.

They also say to trim back aquatic plants to reduce the amount of organic material decomposing in the colder months. A previous blog offers more details on water plants and how to care for pond fish in fall.

Tree Trimming

Photo: Courtesy of Aquascape Inc.

Before the leaves start falling off trees in your yard, check them out to see if there are any branches that do not have leaves on them.

“This will tell you which branches might offer potential problems later down the road,” says Dave.

“Come the cold weather, dead limbs snap off due to the weight of ice and snow. This can cause havoc with power lines. Not to mention they can be a source of accidents to cars, people and homes.”

Plantings

Skimmia (Photo Credit: Musical Linguist at the English language Wikipedia)

To give plants a head start before spring, now, through the end of October, is a great time to be planting.

Many of you will, of course, be thinking of planting bulbs for spring beauties like tulips, daffodils etc. But you can get all kinds of perennials in the ground now that will give you buds in spring, and color next fall/winter.

In an earlier blog, we discussed — Skimmia — along with other plants that offer color in the colder months. In spring these will give you vibrant white flowers; in fall, crimson red fruits (berries) that last through winter.

Deck and Patio Pond Project

A bit of effort in fall — before the leaves fall — brings big rewards come next outdoor season. Clean pond water, tidy and safe yards, blooming with color.

By June Sullivan|2017-09-14T12:10:31-05:00September 14th, 2017|Ask the Experts, Backyard Escapes, Backyard Refurbishments, Creative Design, Gardening, Koi Ponds, Landscaping, Living Landscapes, Outdoor Living, outdoor maintenance, Plantings/Pondscapes, Ponds & Water Features, Updating Landscape|Comments Off

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“Pondless” Waterfall Features Are Easy to Create and Maintain

In order to enjoy the beauty and serenity of a flowing stream or waterfall, some sort of basin is required to capture the water. Frequently, such a basin is a pond, possibly adorned with exotic water plants as well as being a home to pond fish. But there are many who want a water feature — just not with a pond.

Photo: Aquascape Inc.

Those with very young children, for example, sometimes worry that a full, deep pond in their backyard might present safety concerns, and prefer a pondless waterfall (left) where river rock allows water to seep down into the ground. In addition, come spring and fall, ponds require maintenance to keep it healthy and beautiful.

Another reason for not wanting a pond came up with one our water feature clients. Their property abutted parklands, and they feared a pond would attract too many wild animals. With other clients, budget and property size are factors.

For all or any of these reasons, if you are considering a water feature, you may want to go “pondless.”

Certified Aquascape Contractor

Deck and Patio is a Certified Aquascape Contractor, which means we’ve been pre-qualified as experts in designing and building water features of all types, including “pondless” waterfalls. Aquascape offers years of experience in this field and their products are both technologically and biologically efficient. Their pondless systems allow water to drain through gravel into a reservoir, which stores the filtered water underground and recirculates it.

“Of course, having a pondless waterfall does not mean that it can’t be adorned with robust plantings, especially when you consider that you’ve not had the added expense of any extra labor and materials required in creating a pond,” says Dave Stockwell, owner of Deck and Patio.

Deck and Patio Pondless Waterfall

For the handsomely landscaped pondless waterfall pictured here (right), we planted durable thick and compact evergreens, including the low-maintenance Procumbent Juniper, which spreads well. For splashes of color we added Begonias, Coleus, plus Astilbe with its beautiful and showy flowers.

With a pondless waterfall, you are recirculating water, which is definitely eco-friendly. But natural evaporation will require that this recirculating water be “topped off” and refreshed occasionally. For those who would prefer to go totally “green” and not use town water to replenish your stream/waterfall, Aquascape also makes a RainXchange reservoir system.

With RainXchange, runoff rainwater — either from a roof or permeable pavers — is collected to maintain the water feature’s system through completely green rainwater harvesting methods. This captured rainwater can also replenish the surrounding landscape, wash a car, rinse down a deck or patio, etc., and is especially helpful during droughts.

Water doesn’t soak into asphalt and concrete and picks up contaminants

“Whether you harvest rainwater or maintain your water feature with town water, an Aquascape Inc. pondless system will keep the spillover water from running into over-burdened sewer systems,” says Dave.

“That is because we use river rock underneath the waterfall. It not only allows water to seep through to the reservoir, but it helps filter it. This river rock process is essential, because water doesn’t soak into asphalt and concrete, but, instead, flows away to the local waterways, picking up contaminants as it goes.

“So if you’re not sure you want a pond, but definitely want the sounds and sights of running water, pondless just may be the way to go,” says Dave.

Natural Retaining Wall with Pondless Waterfall: Here, Deck and Patio used plantings as a key part of a natural retaining wall we built. “Along with boulders and other rocks, their root systems add to the overall strength of the support system,” says Dave Stockwell. “Deck and Patio always chooses plants for their color, bloom periods and how they grow. You can see the river rock we used here instead of concrete or asphalt so that the water seeps through into the reservoir below.

Outdoor Bar with Pondless Waterfalls: Here sheet waterfalls (a.k.a. sheer descent waterfalls) offer a modern sleek look as they flow out from a pergola-adorned bar positioned just above the family’s swimming pool. Robust plantings bring bright pops of color; the flowing water is captured in a pondless waterfall system from Aquascape Inc.

Pondless Water Feature as Focal Point: Lush landscape surrounds a pondless waterfall that makes an ideal focal point near the edge of what was an existing patio. The fact that the pondless waterfall feature doesn’t require much maintenance (that a pond would require), it is provides a truly relaxing escape for some quiet, or to enjoy it with friends.

Pondless Water Feature as Focal Point: Lush landscape surrounds a pondless waterfall that makes an ideal focal point near the edge of their patio. The fact that the pondless waterfall feature doesn’t require much maintenance (that a pond would require), it is provides a truly relaxing escape for some quiet, or to enjoy it with friends.

Walkway Waterfall: Our new “hardscape” patio design was tied together with lush, colorful perennials throughout, and at the top of the asphalt walkway we had room to add a new waterfall to create a luxurious and soothing highlight. As you can see from this photo, if you are going “pondless” you can fit a waterfall just about anywhere…even between a driveway and upper patio.

By June Sullivan|2017-01-21T16:34:28-05:00January 5th, 2017|Aquascape Biofalls, Backyard Escapes, Backyard Upgrades, Creative Design, Landscaping, Living Landscapes, Outdoor Bars, Outdoor Living, outdoor maintenance, Pergola, Plantings/Pondscapes, Pondless Waterfalls, Ponds & Water Features, Rainwater Harvesting|0 Comments

Are Koi Carp Difficult to Keep in Backyard Ponds?
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Are Koi Carp Difficult to Keep in Backyard Ponds?

Koi are delightful ornamental versions of the more common fish known as “carp.” Koi were bred for color by the Japanese for their private ponds or water gardens. But, as some of you may already know, these lovely creatures aren’t just for show. Their presence can help balance the entire pond’s ecosystem and even help to reduce pond maintenance.

Why, then, are so many pond owners anxious about keeping them in their ponds?

“People fear they won’t survive. It is true that koi can be tempting to cats, raccoons, herons, etc., but there is much that can be done to reduce such threats,” says Bill Renter from Deck and Patio.

Renter suggests adding koi castles and tunnels at the bottom of the pond to give fish a safe place to hide from many predators.

Rock overhangs look natural

Additionally, including rock overhangs around the outside of the pond, which first and foremost will make any pond appear more natural, help discourage cats and raccoons from reaching into the water after the fish.

“Planning a water feature with sufficient water depth can also dissuade raccoons and cats further, since neither enjoy swimming to get their dinner,” says Renter. “Plus deeper water at the edges — more than 18” deep — discourages heron wading.”

Another helpful idea is adding a waterfall feature. Continuous flowing water into the pond isn’t just beautiful and pleasant sounding, but the ongoing movement from the falls will put off many avian predators and even stop mosquitos from breeding.

Other precautions koi pond owners can take is adding scarecrows, such as owl statues. But with ongoing climate change and continued new construction, changes to their habitat are also causing changes in the behavior of local wildlife. “If all else fails, a netting can be installed over the pond,” says Renter.

Tips for Keeping Koi Safe:

— make your pond as large and deep as possible

— try to locate your pond in an area that you can see from inside your home so you can chase away any predator that isn’t deterred by other means

— try to include a waterfall to aerate the pond and scare away some predators

— lighting with movement sensors near the pond can frighten away an animal at night

— scarecrows (like owls) discourage many predators — herons and kingfishers in particular; some scarecrows also have moving sprinklers which do double duty to dissuade prey

— don’t put food for the birds you’re trying to attract near the pond — put it as far away as possible

— create hiding places for the koi inside the pond such as castles and tunnels

— if you still have problems, a pond net will do the trick.

Here’s a small sampling of our favorite Deck and Patio pond features. And, yes, even if not picked up in the photos, there are koi in each and every one.

Pond Koi:

Contrary to popular belief, pond fish will actually reduce pond maintenance, as they graze on string algae and bottom feed from the pond floor. (Note: Plants in this pond include bullrush, pink canna lilies, horsetail, and a “rose arey” hybrid water lily.)

Pond Netting:

It’s wise to have pond netting even if you don’t need it to keep away predators. In order not to let a collection of debris into your clean pond water, you’ll want to put a net in place before leaves begin falling in autumn. Then, simply pull it out when they’ve all dropped. You can tent the net so it doesn’t sag into the pond when it gets weighted with leaves, say experts at Aquascape Inc. (Photo/Pond Net: Aquascape Inc)

Ponds with Waterfalls:

The continuous movement of the pond water because of waterfalls not only oxygenate the water to keep it healthy and free of mosquitos, but the spilling water will put off many avian predators

Pond Ecosystems:

Koi is a healthy part of this pond’s natural ecosystem; this pond also offers koi lots of room to hide as well as swim. There are also plenty of rock overhangs to discourage predators.

Keeping Koi Safe:

Planning a water feature with sufficient water depth can help dissuade raccoons and cats, since neither enjoy swimming to get their dinner. Plus deeper water at the edges — more than 18” deep — discourages heron wading.

By June Sullivan|2017-01-21T16:34:30-05:00August 25th, 2016|Backyard Escapes, Creative Design, Koi Ponds, Living Landscapes, Plantings/Pondscapes, Ponds & Water Features|0 Comments

Fall Pond Maintenance: ‘Netting’ the Leaves Fall Where They May
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Fall Pond Maintenance: ‘Netting’ the Leaves Fall Where They May

“Fall foliage will soon be at its peak here on Long Island and many backyard ponds are located near an abundance of these deciduous trees,” says Bill Renter, Deck and Patio’s Outdoor Living Expert. “Even when not immediate to your pond, fallen leaves from nearby trees can make it into your pond. So you’ll want to use a pond net to keep them from accumulating in your stream or pond’s water.”

Indeed, undesirable debris can create a build up of muck on the bottom of your pond and change the water’s pH balance, turning the water murky. For one thing, during winter when the water is colder, the natural bacteria that usually maintains the pond’s balance isn’t active enough to handle it all.

“It’s best to put up the netting before the leaves drop; however, if some leaves have already fallen in, a long-handle pond net can be used to scoop out the debris before covering it with the net,” says Bill.

Dave Kelly at Aquascapes Inc. (St. Charles, IL) adds that you can tent the net, so it doesn’t sag into the pond when it gets weighted with leaves.

Kelly also suggests trimming back and removing dead foliage from aquatic plants to help remove excessive organic material that would otherwise decompose in the water feature.

“When spring comes, you’ll be really happy you took the time to do these few steps,” says Bill. “You’ll have greatly diminished spring pond maintenance, which means you’ll be enjoying a pristine pond sooner — with so much less effort.”

Pond Netting:

Pond nets can keep out even the smallest pieces of debris such as falling leaves and pine needles. We recommend netting from Aquascape Inc. (St. Charles, IL) which includes hold-down staples to secure it.

Installing Pond Netting:

Aquascape’s Dave Kelly suggests tenting the net so it won’t sag into the pond when its full of leaves. Photo: Aquascape Inc.

Preparing Backyard for Fall:

Along with covering your swimming pool at the end of summer, it is helpful to put up pond netting to collect debris; nets also offer an extra layer of safety for your pond fish by protecting them from birds and other animals.

Pond Maintenance:

If you take a few precautions in the fall, come spring you will be delighted at how much less maintenance will be required in order to have clear pristine water.

Backyard Water Features in Fall:

Watching leaves moving along a backyard stream is as peaceful an activity as you can find. If there’s only one or two — just sit back and enjoy the scene! But don’t let too many leaves collect in your backyard water features. Photo: Aquascape Inc.