winterize a small pond

Hello,
I live in Missouri and I have a small plastic pond tub approx.35 gal.
There are no fish,( well there was but they disappeared late summer we
suspect largebirds). We do have a few plants in containers and a few
floating. How do I winterize the pond to prevent the plastic liner
from cracking? And is it possible to keep the plants alive outside?
Please respond ASAP winter is upon us.

Thank you,
Karen

wrote:
Hello,
I live in Missouri and I have a small plastic pond tub approx.35 gal.
There are no fish,( well there was but they disappeared late summer we
suspect largebirds). We do have a few plants in containers and a few
floating. How do I winterize the pond to prevent the plastic liner
from cracking? And is it possible to keep the plants alive outside?
Please respond ASAP winter is upon us.

Thank you,
Karen

Karen:

What area do you live in? Since I live in California, we probably do
not have the problems you do, with freezing. Not only that, but the
pond liner we have is very thick and "kind of pliable." By that, I mean
it seems to be made of the same stuff as horse/cattle watering "pans."
And, by that, I mean it is roughly 3/8 of an inch thick and not "hard",
or, in other words, it flexes ... I would not think it would even be
harmed if all the water froze in it--it seems to be made of something
similar to car tires!

Although I may not be able to help you, can you be more specific on what
your "pond liner" is composed of, and where you live?

Warm regards,
JS

wrote:
Hello,
I live in Missouri and I have a small plastic pond tub approx.35 gal.
There are no fish,( well there was but they disappeared late summer we
suspect largebirds). We do have a few plants in containers and a few
floating. How do I winterize the pond to prevent the plastic liner
from cracking? And is it possible to keep the plants alive outside?
Please respond ASAP winter is upon us.

Thank you,
Karen

OK, I missed Missouri ... sorry. Perhaps someone in Missouri can add
something? However, what is the liner made of? Some type of "hard
plastic?", perhaps like a childs' swimming pool?

Regards,
JS

On Nov 5, 8:47*pm, John Smith wrote:
wrote:
Hello,
I live in Missouri and I have a small plastic pond tub approx.35 gal.
There are no fish,( well there was but they disappeared late summer we
suspect largebirds). *We do have a few plants in containers and a few
floating. *How do I winterize the pond to prevent the plastic liner
from cracking? *And is it possible to keep the plants alive outside?
Please respond ASAP winter is upon us.

Thank you,
Karen

OK, I missed Missouri ... sorry. *Perhaps someone in Missouri can add
something? *However, what is the liner made of? *Some type of "hard
plastic?", perhaps like a childs' swimming pool?

Regards,
JS

You really do not have a clue do you Johnnie Boi Smith. Not the first
clue whatsoever on what your answering, not even a smidgen of a
clue.

Karen.do your self a favor and go to the rec.ponds.moderated usenet
group or another ponding /. aquatic plant grouip like Koiphen.com or
Gardenweb.com where foks that answer know what they are tyalking about
and not talking through their ass, like Johnnie Boi. Living in
Kornifornia and winterizing a pond is not lik,e living in Missouri and
doing the same thing. There are lots of folks with ponds in your state
who patronize those gorups. Look around you on this group..is there
really anyone here that has a purpose.NOPE.

Johnnie Smith is totally wrong on his suggestions........Hard plastic
like a childs swimming pool.come on Johnnie boi they freeze abd bust
like glass inthe temps Missouri can get down to.......MOsrt if not all
aquatic plants can merely be dug up or pulled out of pond placed in
damp newspapers andplaced in a container under somehting like peatmoss
and placed in a cool dark area until spring time and do just fine. You
need tokeep water in the pond so frozen ground and water can butt up
against each other, or drain it and fill pond with sand since its only
35 gal or so, anbd cover with plastic. This keeps the ground from
freeing and pushing the hole / container in as much, but merely
lett8ing water init works too if its a decenty or typical ridgid
plastic pond. Depending on plants some may or may not make it so its
best unless a real plant person can tell you otherwise to bury em in
peat moss etc and bring em inside. Usually a pond of your size does
not really have any substantial depth to do its inhabitants much good
in freezing weather. Depth is the key for cold weather.

Hi Karen,
Checkout the more competently moderated message boards such as Koiphen
or koishack, I doubt any serious water gardener or ponder would want
to waste their time on message boards which have deteriorated to the
extent that rec.ponds, or scamericanponders have sunk

wrote:
Hello,
I live in Missouri and I have a small plastic pond tub approx.35 gal.
There are no fish,( well there was but they disappeared late summer we
suspect largebirds). We do have a few plants in containers and a few
floating. How do I winterize the pond to prevent the plastic liner
from cracking? And is it possible to keep the plants alive outside?
Please respond ASAP winter is upon us.

Thank you,
Karen

You want to save your plastic liner so you have to use heater rod or any heater which can easily workup your pond so your plastic will not break by it.