Seasonal care calendar
Pond care calendar for Pennsylvania
Pond work in Pennsylvania runs on two clocks: the season and the permit office. This calendar lines them up, with care tasks from Penn State Extension and the Fish and Boat Commission and permit reminders that link to the official source. It repeats every year.
January
January at the pond: ice, oxygen and permit planning
February
February: test the water, plan stocking, think barley straw
March
March: spring turnover, muskrat checks and early plant ID
April
April: stocking paperwork, curly-leaf pondweed and docks
May
May: early, permitted and partial: how to treat pond weeds
June
June: bloom season starts. Know the signs, keep pets out
July
July: hot water, low oxygen. Watch for gulping fish
August
August: file now for fall drawdowns and dredging
September
September: dredging, dam repairs and muskrat checks
October
October: keep the leaves out, plan next year's algae control
November
November: aerators, ice warnings and the year's records
December
December: ice safety first, permits next
This calendar repeats every year. Permit reminders show the date we last checked the rule.