This season we have had unseasonably warm weather for the entire month of October. Therefore, there is a chance you are still noticing pond algae growth. We always encourage pond owners to start their fall preventative maintenance applications September - October. Preventative maintenance applications are simply healthy doses of pond dye and pond bacteria to help prep your pond for the cooling temperatures and inability to use algaecides. By adding these products late in the season you will help slow down late season algae growth and accelerate the decomposition process of the dead material that has collected on the pond floor over the summer months.
Once water temperatures have dropped below 45°F pond algae treatments become useless. The plant, while still visible, is in a dormant state and absorbing very little nutrients or algaecide for that matter. Because temps have been so warm it is very likely that your water temperatures may still be warm enough to support a pond algae treatment this late in the season. Monitor your water temperatures and only apply a pond algaecide if the thermometer indicates it is still worthwhile. In the meantime, pond owners should be dosing their bodies of water with a little extra pond dye and pond bacteria to prepare for the inevitable cool down. For more questions about late season pond algae contact us.