March is the month that leads us from the short, cold, and blustery days of winter to the longer, warmer days of spring. It’s the month that signals the coming of spring, but it never makes any promises as far as the weather is concerned. St. Patrick’s Day is for certain, but beyond that, you never know what might happen in March.
A Jump on the Season
March is an unpredictable month, but if we’re lucky, it may just warm up enough to let us start-up our ponds early. Your pond can be started up any time after the ice has melted. We usually wait until late March or early April to start pond clean-outs. If you want to get a head start on the season, there is a good chance that you could get your pond open in March.
To Clean or Not to Clean
Before you start up your pond for the season, you should make a few decisions. Does your pond need a full draining and washing or does it merely need a bit of tidying up? If your pond looks clean and there isn’t a lot of debris or sediment on the bottom and you didn’t have water quality issues last summer, then maybe you can skip the extensive clean out and just tidy up a bit. On the other hand, if you have a lot of decaying plant matter and sediment on your pond bottom, had problems last year, have too many fish or if you would just feel better knowing that it is clean, then you had better do the full drain and wash. The next decision that you need to make is; will I do this work myself or should I hire a professional?
A Word to the Do-It-Yourselfer
If you’re the type of person who doesn’t mind getting a little wet, and a little dirty, then maybe you should choose to do it yourself. Please be sure that you know what you are doing prior to starting your clean-out. The fish are very slow, cold and vulnerable at this time of the year so you don’t want to disturb them any more than necessary. You can learn about the different ways to clean your pond by checking our website www.hurthwaterscapes.com or attending one of our pond clean out seminars. If you would like to attend a seminar, please call 262-268-1121. A pond clean out is nothing to be experimenting with … especially since the lives of your still sleepy fish are hanging in the balance. Do it right and your fish will be as happy and healthy. But do it wrong and there could be dire consequences.
A Word to The Clean and Dry
For those of you who would like to stay clean and dry, I would suggest that you hire a professional. We would be more than happy to do this work for you, but please contact us as soon as possible. The spring schedule fills up quickly and the earlier that you call, the earlier we can get the work done.
Make March Count
So even though March isn’t the most reliable month for outdoor work, you may be able to get a jump on the summer and open your pond early. Even if you don’t get it done this month, you had better make your important decisions this month so that you are sure to have it done in April. Once it warms up, the fish get faster and harder to catch, the plants are already developing and you would rather be enjoying the weather alongside the pond, not waist deep in the pond. If you have any questions, please give us a call, we are always happy to help 262-268-1121.