Seeding a pond dam

[Pat]

I now have a new pond dam and an exensively repaired dam. My plan unless someone suggests better is to seed all the bare soil with annual rye at twice the "standard" rate and to fertilize it with complete fertilizer of moderate nitrogen content to avoid burning it. Then in about 2 months I will seed again with hulled bermuda but not fertilize again untill the bermuda is getting pretty well established. If rains aren't cooperative I can run a pump and water the sprouts from the pond.

I was told that the shade from the rye will prevent sun damage of the sprouting bermuda. It is about $200 worth of seed and hopefully it will sprout instead of just feed the birds.

Thoughts?

Patrick

[egon]

Pat:
Why not seed both the cover crop and grass at the same time. This worked for me but my methods all date to 50 years in the past so validity is questionable.
Will the soil be analized to determine the required fertilizer, lime and the vegetation best suited to these conditions?

Off on the other side why not start a "small" plot of tall prairie grass and flowers? The seed is extremely expensive but perhaps there could be subsidized programs for natural rehabilitation in effect for your area.

This could also lead to a commercial venture for BORED age challenged people who wish to remain active but still have challanges to challenge.

Hope all is going well on the construction site.

Egon

[Pat]

Egon, Mixing the bermuda, rye, and fertilizer in any pairing or all three together was an option but I got the advice of a trusted neighbor and the feedstore owner and his experienced employee. Their thought was that although I could mix the seed, I would be better to get the annual rye down now and wait a couple months for the hulled bermuda. It is not warm enough for good germination on the bermuda. It won't need fertilizer till after it is well sproued and I will probably fertilize it sometime this week, in advance of sprouting. I was advized to be moderate in the use of nitrogen with 10-20-10 being recommended.

We had about a dozen snow flakes today after it cooled off. I was out before lunch sewing the rye in an on and off light mist to sprinkle. It was way too muddy for my 4x4 so I had to do a bit of walking. It was tiring with all the mud clinging to my boots so I only did about 75-80 lbs about 9 fillings of the hand crank broadcaster my friend loaned me.

I sewed it pretty thickly on the top and both sides of the new dam, down to near the current water level. Water continues to flow in from out of the side of the pond and from a spring/seep up on the flat above that new pond. Really soft where it seeps but not over the tops of my ruber boots. Hope I get a decent germination before the birds eat it. There is just no way to get to it to work it in a bit. Hopefully the birds won't want to wakl in the soft mud either.

My wife and I had several dollars worth of 10 for a buck packages of flower seeds. Some wildflower mix and some single species, even some giant sunflower. I mixed it in with a batch of rye that I sewed on the west side of a repaired dam so it would be easily visible from the home site. Hope they work out.

We have at least three varieties of bluestem. One of them is pretty tall, like midget pampas grass. It has a lot of red color to it when mature and large fuzzy seed heads. I mowed a lot of it but left some standing at different places around a couple ponds. It is quite attractive. After the house is finished and or when I have more time for little side projects, I will probably put in several types of grass and wildflowers for their decorative effect and habitat for critters.

Patrick

Patrick

[LazyJ_Arabians]

I'd suggest finding a hay farmer with a sprigging machine to propagate bermunda unless you have lots of rocks. Around here a sprig job goes for $120-$200 an acre depending on how far they have to transport and the size of the job. I'd also strongly recommend the "World Feeder" variety, especially on a pond levee.

[Pat]

Sprigging is a good suggestion and a good head start. I don't know what our current rates($) would be for sprigging or the impact of selecting "that" variety. I was exposed to the promo stuff on the "World Feeder" discovery and development into a product a couple years ago but thought it was a bit pricey. What are its qualities that recommend it for dam coverage? Is it particularly quick spreading, aggressive enough to choke out competing weeds, has better than normal soil holding root properties, or what?

Patrick

[LazyJ_Arabians]

Soil holding and drought tolerant, deep roots. NOT as rapid spreading as other Bermudas but it stays green when others burn up.