MN. Indoor Winter Options

Creative Ponds & Landscapes is a landscape contractor specializing in the installation of backyard ponds, waterfalls, pondless waterfalls, fountains, assorted water features, low voltage landscape lighting & landscaping in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis & St. Paul, MN & surrounding area.

Wintering Fish Indoors

Your Twin Cities of Minneapolis & St. Paul, MN outdoor pond fish can be kept indoors during the winter months. Set up a stock tank, aquarium, or ridged pond liner in your basement or someplace cool. It is best if the water temperature is kept below 50 degrees or lower. Transfer some clean pond water into the holding tanks, this will create less stress on the fish. A small pump can be used to circulate the water. Filtration is recommended if you have a large fish load or cannot keep the water below 50 degrees. We use the PF1000 from Pond Filtration Inc. It is affordable and very efficient in keeping your holding tank crystal clear all winter long with minimum maintenance. Plants such as hornwort (Ceratophyllum) and Canadian pondweed (Elodea Canadensis) should be added to the tank to ensure water quality. Resist the urge to feed your fish when wintering indoors. If the water temperature is below 50 degrees do not feed them at all. If the water temperature is between 55-65 degrees they can be fed a small amount once or twice a week. Overfeeding will quickly foul your holding tank, especially if it does not contain a filter.

It may not be pretty. We realize this option is not feasible or desired by some pond owners, but it does work. The tanks above are in a unused basement but this method would work in a heated garage or greenhouse as long as the temperature does not dip below freezing for long periods of time.  The water is circulated with a 350gph pump through a PF 1000 biological filter that can be set in the holding tank itself. The water temperature is about 57 degrees on average and the water is crystal clear. I attribute this to the use of the filter combined with the many aquatic plants that also are kept in the tank. The whole setup is quite like a small pond ecosystem. The dozen goldfish beg but are only fed a small amount about 1-2 times a week.

Over Wintering Aquatic Plants Indoors

Over Wintering Lilies Indoors

We have been successful the Twin Cities of Minneapolis & St. Paul, MN and surrounding area with hardy lily varieties by removing the tuber from the pond and then gently hosing off the excess soil. Cut the leaves back to about 3-5". Place the tuber in a Ziploc plastic bag containing a damp sand/gravel mix. A small amount of peat moss or soil added to this mixture will help retain moisture. To prevent rotting the tuber should not be kept soaking wet. Place the Ziploc bag into a black or dark colored bag. The hardy lily requires a dormant season and should be kept in a cool, frost free, dark place such as a basement. Click here for step by step photos of this procedure.

Over Wintering Tropical Aquatics

Tropical plants can be treated as annuals or some can brought indoors during the winter months. Tropical aquatics such as Taro and Umbrella Palm will need to be moved indoors before the first frost or before water temperatures drop below 60 degrees. Parrot Feather & Floating Tropical plants such as Water Hyacinth and Water Lettuce are very difficult to keep indoors and should be treated as annuals and replaced in the spring.

Keeping Tropical Aquatics Indoors

We have had success in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis & St. Paul, MN and surrounding area with Taro, Umbrella Palm, zebra rush, & water zinnia using this preferred  method. This method requires a waterproof tub or pool capable of containing at least 8-10” of water. Place the potted Tropical plants in the tub and fill with pond water to the level the plants were growing in the pond, 1-2” above the base of the plant. Purchase a shop style florescent light fixture and using chain or wire suspend the fixture 6”-12" above the plants. Special plant grow lights should be installed and used in the fixture. They are available at most home or pet supply stores. A timer can be used to regulate the on and off times. Provide your plants with 10-12 hrs of light and monitor the water level through out the winter months. During the winter months your plants may not grow much and could become leggy but will survive and be ready come the arrival of spring. They should be slowly reintroduced to the outdoors in the Spring when temperatures are consistently above 55-60 degrees.

We have had success with Taro & Umbrella Palm using the following method. Purchase a watertight garden pot slightly larger than the pot the plant is growing in. Place the plant in the container and keep filled with water. The plant should be placed in a sunny window and provided maximum exposure to light. The Taro is much more tolerant to low light conditions and should be monitored for leaf burn from direct sunlight. Do not allow plants to dry out.

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