Soergel's Garden News & Maintenance Tips

Winter garden dormancy is the best time to plan spring and summer garden and landscape projects and improvements. Because its cold outside, lets talk about how to design outdoor living spaces. A little summer garden dreaming. Let's not just plan the next little project, but the whole enchalada. Let's talk about the complete landscape design process. Why? Well, it is easier to do the little projects if you have a plan to work towards, and when you're done it will fit together, it will work. You have seen the yards where every year another project gets plopped on the ground till the yard is full. Don't be that guy. Let's plan. 
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Water Gardens: Spring Pond Clean-out

Early spring, before your pond awakens completely from its winter dormancy, is the best time of year to perform your cleanout. As long as your water is cooler than 55ºF, the beneficial bacteria that grow in your filter and on your rocks will not yet be established. If a cleanout is done after bacteria colonies form, your ecosystem will be thrown out of balance and your pond will go through a “green phase” before your bacteria colonies reestablish themselves again. Continue...

You may also refer to our Step-by-Step Pond Clean-out Guide

Flower Planting Tips
First, pick a style. The plan, purchase, and plant.

Choose your flower garden: It could be English, cottage, Asian or formal. Next, design the space to put the flowers in. If you need assistance with style and design, you can schedule a consultation or attend one of my courses and seminars at CCAC and Soergel Orchards and Greenhouses. After you have the style and the design set, you need to begin the Threes. The old plant in threes rule need not apply here, but I do have three things to impart.
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Water Gardens Tips: Maintenance in the Summer

While the majority of the hard work (early-spring pond cleaning) is behind you, there are some summer maintenance items that still need to be addressed if you are to have a season of clean, clear water to enjoy. By keeping up on these tasks, you should have a healthy pond all season long. Keep your pond "topped off". Feed your fish. Do not clean or exchange your pond filter pads. Continue...

Water Garden Tips: Your Pond in the Fall

Water clarity is usually at its best in the fall because of fewer battles with algae. It truly is an enjoyable time of year. Here are some things that you can do to keep your water garden looking good. Take care of the leaves: When the leaves begin to fall and blow, cover the water’s surface with a net to catch them. The net discourages the debris build up on the pond bottom, which would otherwise decompose, create toxic gasses, and prove harmful to the fish during their hibernation period. Continue...

Water Garden Tips: What to do with the Fish in the Winter?

When the surface of your water garden turns to ice, there are two things to think of concerning safety of your fish. First, it’s important to keep a hole open in the ice. This prevents the buildup of gasses that could harm your fish. Although your fish are sleeping their way through winter, oxygenated water is still vital to their survival through the winter. Continue...

Water Garden Tips:
Should I keep my Waterfall Running through the Winter?

If you chose to keep your waterfall running through the winter, you’ll be rewarded with some extraordinary, natural ice sculptures and winter scenes. Winter also brings some unique considerations that you’ll need to keep your eye on.
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Ponds and waterfalls throughout the seasons

Enjoy a series of pictures of water gardens designed and built by Soergel's Landscapes - Aquascapes - Hardscapes - Florascapes. All were installed in Western PA in the greater Pittsburgh area (Allegheny County, Butler County, Lawrence County, Beaver County, Gibsonia, Pine Twp. Mars, Adams Twp., Marshall, Bradford Woods, Treesdale, Wexford, Cranberry Twp., Warrendale, Zelienople, Jackson Twp. Middlesex Twp, Hampton, North Allegheny, North Hills, Seneca Valley, Moon, Coraopolis, Sewickley, Bell Acres, Fox Chapel, Shadyside, Squirrel Hill, Point Breeze).

Water Garden Troubleshooting: Where is the Leak?
Leak s are among the most misunderstood and misdiagnosed problems anyone can have in their pond. Understanding the basic principles of leak detection and repair will save you time, money, and headaches in your water gardening adventures... guaranteed! Continue...

You may also be interested in the Step-By-Step Guide to Fixing Pond Leaks

Water Garden Troubleshooting: Pump Problems
The pump can be called the "heart" of the pond. Without it, the relaxing, rushing sound of the water over the rocks would not exist. The fish and the filtering bacteria in the biological filter also depend on the pump to provide fresh, oxygenated water. Most quality pumps should get you at least three years of maintenance-free service of re-circulating the water in your pond, so how can the pump not be working? Odds are the pump is actually fine. As a pond owner, there are a few things you can do to help detect, and hopefully fix, the problem before you call the installer or return the pump to the merchant from which you purchased it. Eighty percent of pump problems can be fixed in minutes, saving you further inconvenience. Continue...

YOUR ESCAPES - News from Us for You!

The 2011 Summer / Fall Newsletter was our last newsletter sent in the mail. From now on all newsletters will be e-newsletters, and can be found on this website. I will also post info and events on Facebook.

Sign up for our e-newsletter:

- Summer / Fall 2011 (PDF)
- Creating Paradise - One backyard at a time (PDF): Our 2009-2010 PDF brochure   
- Issue 5, Vol. 3 - Rainwater Harvesting - Going GREEN with BLUE (PDF)
   Rainwater Harvesting. Creating Paradise, and saving the world, one backyard at a time!
- Issue 5, Vol. 2 - Summer 2009 (PDF)
- Issue 5, Vol. 1 - Spring 2009 (PDF)
- Issue 4, Vol. 3 - Summer/Fall 2008 (PDF)
- Issue 4, Vol. 2 - Summer 2008 (PDF)
- Issue 4, Vol. 1 - Spring 2008 (PDF)
- Issue 3, Vol. 2 - Summer 2007 (PDF)
- Issue 3, Vol. 1 - Spring 2007 (PDF)
- Issue 2, Vol. 3 - Summer 2006 (PDF)
- Issue 2, Vol. 2 - Spring 2006 (PDF)
- Issue 2, Vol. 1 - Winter/Spring 2006 (PDF)
- Issue 1, Vol. 1 - Fall/Winter 2005 (PDF)

Soergels gives back to the community

Ponds donated to worthy causes total $95.000 
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Coffee Table Book Featuring Kevin Soergel's Work on Front Cover

"Water Garden Lifestyles - Exploring Water Features Across North America". This book offers hundreds of inspirational photos of water gardens including one built by our company. The book is available via Aquascapes Designs. Enlarge image.

International Pond Builders Dream Team
Pondomonium 2005 ... 2006 ...
What a pondless waterfall can offer - build a paradise in your own backyard. More...

Pondemonium 2006