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September 2004 Vol. 9, No. 2
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PONTZ LANDSCAPE SERVICE, INC.
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813 ROHRER RD. LANCASTER, PA 17603
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717-285-3510 / FAX 717-394-6485
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Preparing Your Pond for Winter: The Inside Scoop
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Now that cooler weather has arrived and winter is fast approaching, it’s
time to get your pond “winterized”.
There are a number of things you can do to protect your pond and make
starting up your pond again in the spring a whole lot easier. We
recommend the following:
1. Cut back your aquatic plants and move your marginal (bog or shallow
water plants) into slightly deeper water. If your plants are planted directly
into the gravel and stones on the bottom of your pond, it’s not necessary
to move them, they’ll be fine where they are.
2. Stop feeding your fish as their metabolism is slowing down and they
don’t have a need to eat any more.
3. Clean the filter mats in your biological filter. Simply remove them, wash
them down with a hose and place them back into your filter. If you have
lava rock in your filter, that too can be rinsed off and placed back into the
filter. Note: Some folks clean their filters in the spring instead of in the fall
and that too is okay.
4. Empty the net in your skimmer and remove the filter mat in the
skimmer, rinse it thoroughly and place it back into the skimmer.
5. Cover your pond and stream with a light weight netting to prevent
leaves and other debris from getting into the pond. It is helpful to place a
frame of some type (2x4’s) across the pond to help support the net and
keep it out of the water. Lightweight netting is available at most hardware
stores.
6. When temperatures drop to the point that your pond begins freeze,
place a floating pond heater in the pond. The heater will keep a hole in the
ice which will permit oxygen to get into the pond and the bad gases that
accumulate in the pond will be able to escape.
7. You can leave your pump in your skimmer and keep your waterfall
flowing over the winter months however, if you decide to shut your pump
down for the winter, it’s best to remove the pump from your skimmer,
place it in a bucket of water and store it somewhere where it will not
freeze.
8. Remember, when your pond freezes over, don’t use a hammer to knock
a hole in the ice. The shock waves from hitting the ice can injure your fish.
9. In the spring, when your water temperatures rise and stay above fifty
degrees, start placing bacteria in your pond. Dry or liquid bacteria can be
used.
10. Finally, if you have a question that we have not answered, give us a
call. We’ll be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
“Integrity and honest build trust.”
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We would like to thank everyone who
stopped by our display at the Lampeter
Fair. This year marked the first time we
had a display at the fair and we were
amazed at how many people were in
attendance. We’ll be back again next
year and we hope to see you there.
The ninth annual, Millersville Community Parade is set to
begin at 9:00 AM on Saturday morning, October 29. The
parade is a joint Millersville University/community event and
it coincides with the university homecoming. This year’s
theme is “Circus Time”. The two and one half hour parade
will include many bands, floats, community groups, boy and
girl Scout troops, high school and college organizations, fire
companies, sports mascots, baton units and much, much
more. Beginning at Penn Manor High School, the parade
follows a one and one half mile route through Millersville
first north on Herr Ave. then west on Landis Ave. and then
south on George St. where it ends at the college student
union building. A reviewing stand is positioned in front of the
student union building where local radio celebrities Rick
Sten and Melanie Gardner of radio station WARM 103 will
introduce the parade participants as they pass the
reviewing stand. Various prizes will be awarded for best
appearing bands, marching units, floats, etc.
Pontz Landscape Service, Inc. is a major sponsor of the
parade and this year we will be participating in the parade
and sponsoring the appearance of a twelve foot high clown
helium balloon. Employees from a local insurance
company, the Securus Group, will be assisting us by
handling the balloon. We will also be sponsoring the
premier appearance of the “Pogo Squad”, a group of
teenagers from York, Pa. who perform stunts on pogo
sticks. Also participating with us will be several Make-A-
Wish children from the local area.
As of October 14, some of the groups and mascots
scheduled to appear are the “Barnstormers” Baseball Team
mascot, “Cylo”, “Boomer the Thundercat” and the “Philly
Phanatic”. Participating in the parade for the first time is a
group riding old bicycles, the “Victorian Highwheelers” from
Tamaqua, Pa. and Miss Pennsylvania will also be
participating. Bands and musical groups signed up to take
part include the U. S. Army, 3rd. Infantry, Colonial Fife and
Drum Corps (Washington, D.C.), Penn Manor High School
Band, Eastern Lebanon High School Band, Coel Neamh Pipe
Band, Millersville University Band, General Reynolds Coronet
Band, Westminster Municipal Band (Westminster, Md.),
Columbia VFW Band, Dixieland Express, Hanover Lancers
Drum and Bugle Corps., York Middle School, Fife and Drum
Corps, Boyertown Alumni Band, Boy Scout Troop 53, Fife and
Drum Corps, Woodland String Band (Philadelphia, Pa.), Rajah
Shrine String Band, and the Kiltie Band of York (York, Pa.).
Millersville Community Parade Information:
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“If it is to be, its up to me.”
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Newsletter Page Two
* Pontz Landscape Service Goes
to College
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*Perennials Suitable for Shade
* Workshop for Pond Customers
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Once again, we were honored to be
invited to take part in the Long’s Park
Arts and Craft Fair which is held over
the Labor Day weekend annually at
Long’s Park, Harrisburg Ave. in
Lancaster. This arts and craft fair is
consistently rated as one of the top ten
shows of its kind in the United Sates.
Our display featured a small
landscaped garden pond and we also
built two display planters on either side
of the show’s main entrance. The
planters each contained a Weeping
Blue Atlas Cedar tree surrounded by
Delphiniums and Lavendar. The four
day event was blessed with beautiful
late summer weather and over twenty
thousand people attended and enjoyed
this years show.
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Longs Park Arts and Crafts
Festival Update:
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