Covering your pond in autumn and winter with a pond net is one of the best things you can do as part of seasonal maintenance, as it will help protect your pond from the worst of the hardships of the colder months. Covering you pond with a simple net can protect it from leaves, fallen twigs and other debris blowing about in windy, stormy weather, and with some types of net may even help in preventing your pond icing over – although we recommend a  Pond Heater to really safeguard against that. Another vital benefit of course is that it can prevent heron and other opportunistic predators from making a meal of your prized and much loved fish!

Covering your pond in autumn and winter will save a lot of work further down the line - preventing any leaves and debris from sinking to the bottom of your pond. Leaves, twigs and other debris on the pond bottom, over time will cause a build up of sludge. Pond sludge will eventually lead to poor quality water which could harm the health of your fish – possibly leading to illness or worse! Installing a protective net will prevent you having to remove that sludge later with a  Pond Vacuum, Nets or other method.

As mentioned,  Pond Cover Nets are also a brilliant tool to stop predators. In winter the usual food sources for predators, like rivers and lakes can offer slim pickings. Predators like herons, otters other birds and even maybe the neighbourhood stray cat, may therefore turn to garden ponds for a quick and easy meal.

There are basically two types of cover net that we stock at Bradshaws. Firstly there are surface nets which are secured flat across your pond. Keeping the net taught will stop leaves getting to the water and sinking to the bottom to rot and cause sludge. These nets are easily installed and secured with anchor stakes or pegs hammered into the ground.

Whichever option you decide is right for you, installing a cover net is something you won’t regret and is bound to help keep your fish healthy and safe through the harsh autumn and winter weather.