Build a greenhouse structure over your pond.
Is your pond or water garden small enough to build a PVC or wood frame structure over it and add 6ml clear plastic? Do you have fish in your pond? Then why not give your pond an early start to the season. This is for you gardeners that live in especially cold areas where the pond season seems to be way too short. Building a passive solar frame structure is something you can actually do in the late fall, but since I’m writing this article in March I’ll give you some hints about getting your pond up and running before the ground thaws.
March is a good time to start picking up solar heat from late morning to early afternoon. Four to five hours of passive solar heating will have your pond teaming with life in no time. Building a structure that will cover even part of your pond or watergarden will help warm up the water and if installed in the fall after giving your water a thorough cleaning will prevent winter debris from accumulating in the bottom of your pond.
To build the frame out of 2″ Schedule 40 PVC will require some plumbing skills. The piping comes in 10′ lengths and several angular joints (11 ¼º, 22 1/2º, 45º,
90º Elbows, Cross T, Side Outlet T, Side Outlet 90º, Pipe Extenders). With the right combinations you can construct a durable frame that you can cover with clear plastic. Dry fit the joints and you can deconstruct the frame each spring for easy storage. Mark all your joints for easy reassembly. Someone with some good old Yankee ingenuity can help you with this if you are not comfortable working with PVC pipe. You’ll be able to use your frame for many years.
NOTE: See all the various joints and fittings available HERE. PVC is available locally in your area at a plumbing supply outlet, hardware store or building supply store.
A wood frame structure option is also available. Construct the base out of pressure treated deck lumber. This structure will be much heavier than the PVC, but will serve you well over the years.
Over the winter it is wise to keep a pump going near the bottom. I’ve placed the pump inside a filter basket with a pipe going to the surface. I’d pull it out periodically to clean the filter. This keeps the water oxygenated for the fish and keeps the surface from freezing solid. The cover of the greenhouse structure helps considerably in keeping the water from freezing solid. Once the water temperature gets below 40º F the fish stop feeding nor do they even move much at all. As long as the water does not freeze solid to the bottom of your pond they will be just fine.
NOTE: Anchor any frame with weights of some sort. Large rocks, concrete blocks, etc. The plastic can act as a sail in strong winds.
Questions or Comments Below Please
