No No, Nancy, don't you ever hesitate to ask a question. We were all newbies at one time and all asked the same questions and luckily people answered them. Hopefully, when you do ask, we will be good enough to answer you. Usually between several of us, you'll get a good consensus of opinion that will lead you in the right direction. UM, now I've forgotten your question. OH Yah, winter. Well I attached my net to a PVC frame that I made into 3 sections so it is easier to handle. I'm in Michigan and the leaves are dropping a lot right now. I've got to get my lilies cut back and the leaves out of the pond and the net on it. Some hold their net down with stakes that drive into the ground and some use rocks. As for what to take in and what to not, if in your zone, your tender plants die when it freezes, then ya better take in the tender plants from the pond if you want to save them. We have already had a killing frost and so have brought in what I didn't want to freeze. I don't have a greenhouse so avoid the stuff that has to be saved.
You might want to add your zone and/or general location to your profile so when you mention a comment/question having to do with temps, then people have an idea how to
answer.
Don't worry about it when we talk about bottom drains, Skippys, vortexes etc. Bit by bit you'll absorb what you need to know. Just keep reading and asking. I don't have a bottom drain and think my pond is doing just fine but a lot of people do have them and wouldn't be without them. There are basically three ways of ponding, #1 a natural pond without a liner that mother nature cares for, #2 a DIY simple pond (usually a smaller pond) with a liner and Skippy (biological filter), or a bog filter, and/or a skimmer (can contain a mechanical filter along with a pump), #3 is more complicated and usually a larger pond or with people very serious about their fish, with an above ground pump, often a bottom drain with a vortex leading to the filter and a biological filter.
