Thank you for visiting Pondforum. This column will go over some basics of pond over-wintering, and detail some new pricing changes implemented for 2003.

November is always the quietest month for us, which is one reason why we are happy to welcome our vistors from New Zealand, where winter for us is spring for them. Pondforum.co.nz is starting small with just certain water lilies available for purchase in New Zealand, but we plan on gradually expanding our product availability in the coming year. All of the water lilies available for purchase in New Zealand are sourced from growers there, so quality remains high and shipping costs low, just like in the US.

However, the majority of our visitors are facing snow and ice. Wintering over the lily pond is a simple process, but it can be more complicated depending on your exact climate zone and the depth of your pond. Hardy lilies need to be cut back and moved to the deepest part of the pond where they will lie dormant until spring. It’s important to remove as much dead leaves and loose organic material from the pond as possible before the ice sets in, but we do not recommend ‘cleaning’ the pond, as that can do more harm than good. Organic matter will decompose under the ice and create a build-up of toxic gas that, in excessive quantity, will kill fish.

Indeed, it is this gas build-up, not freezing, that is the biggest danger for fish. The reason pond de-icers work, therefore, is not so much because they prevent the pond from freezing, but because they create a hole through which the gas can escape. Larger and deeper ponds have the advantage of more volume, which dilutes the toxic gas, while shallower ponds have less volume and are more likely to reach toxic levels before spring.

Pondforum is introducing some new (and lower) price points for the holiday season and 2003. We have revamped our water lily store with a cleaner format and a consistent pricing system. Now, when you buy one water lily, you pay 37.00 each, but if you buy 3, you pay only 18.99 each. Shipping on all plant orders is still a flat 9.50 regardless of the order’s size.

Pond Kits have also been restructured. When you purchase a pond kit, the price of each product is the same, but the shipping cost on everything but the liner is free (shipping cost on liners is already built in). So the price you see is the price you get. And some kits come with a free Ground Fault Interruptor extension cord.

Due to customer demand, Pondforum has switched back to Firestone PondGard EPDM liner, and we have built in shipping cost to the 48 contiguous states into the new price of 64¢ per square foot. This price soundly beats brick and mortar pricing, and is competitive online.

Thanks again for visting Pondforum. We are looking forward to another year of growth, and interaction with our customers. As always, feel free to email us with your water gardening stories and questions.

Happy Holidays,

Rob Sheldon and the Pondforum Staff