Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Fertilization applying fertilizer

I have a question I just bought some fertilizer (liquid)
10-34-0 how do I apply it to the pond I have seen alot of i deas but whats the best way? Here is my idea dilute it 3 to 1 with water and put it in a hand held sprayer and walk around the pond and apply it?




happy subsciber

please help

Happytimes that will work just fine.

At least you can buy it. I was told by a local supplier (Helena Chemical Company) he couldn't sell it to me for fertilizing ponds or "he would get in trouble." What a dufus.

I've never bothered diluting it prior to spraying. Why would you do that?

If due to the small size of the pond you don't have a lot to apply, you dilute it to spread it over the entire pond. Otherwise you might run out before you cover the entire pond.

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http://msucares.com/pubs/publications/p1428.pdf



How To Apply Fertilizer

Never broadcast granular fertilizer,

and never apply undiluted

liquid fertilizer. The fertilizer will

rapidly sink to the bottom and be

tied up in soils instead of becoming

available in the water. Broadcast

powdered fertilizer into

areas at least 2 feet deep so it

can dissolve before reaching the

bottom.

If you use granular forms,

apply them in a way that minimizes

fertilizer-soil contact. You

can do this by making fertilizer

platforms – one for each 5 to 6

acres of water. Build the platforms

so you can raise or lower

them. Lay the right amount of fertilizer

on the platforms so 4

inches of water will cover them.

Tear off the top layer of each

sack. Waves will distribute the

fertilizer throughout each pond.

Building a platform construction

can be difficult in existing

ponds. An alternative method is

simply to place bags containing

the needed amount of fertilizer in

shallow water with the tops cut

out. The bags separate soil and

fertilizer, and waves will dissolve

and distribute the fertilizer.

Dilute liquid fertilizer with at

least two parts water to one part

fertilizer before application. In

small ponds, you can spray liquids

effectively from the bank

with hand-held sprayers. Boats

make application easy in larger

ponds. You can spray the diluted

fertilizer over the water surface or

let it flow into the prop-wash of

an outboard motor. You can pour

powdered formulations directly

on the water surface.

Good information Eric!

Not sure it's the best way, but with the dry mix I use that originally comes from Greg Grimes, I only need about a plastic drinking cup amount of the dry mix for each of my 1/10th acre production ponds. I mix that into a five gallon bucket of pond water until it dissolves. Then I walk around the pond, and dip out the solution from the five gallon bucket with a glass kitchen measuring cup and pitch it all over the water surface. I dislike messing with sprayers for small jobs.

Thanks Eric. I always figured that the pond water was going to dilute it enough when using a fine spray. Although I don't understand why fertilizing some of the soil wouldn't also be effective, I have been using the lazy mans way to do it.

I think the biggest problem is over fertilization.

Once again Im too late for advice Eric gave some great info. I say Cecil with our "powder" you can simply broadcast. It dissolves so quickly and half the coverage of the pond will suffice. This is why it is so easy. Dave if you like lazy man way we need to get you some water soluble.

I agree overfertilizing is an isseu thus we we rec. using a disc so often.

I always tell folks liquid works great if dilute. Also many times the "goodies" are coenecntrated at the bottom of the bucket. Stir this up well first. In another bucket pour in 3.5 gallon of water and a gallon of fert then pourly pour over sdie of boat or in propr wash. It is more labor intensive than water soluble but does work great if diluting if not you can watch it settle to the bottom. GL

Greg, I'm going to pick up some cottonseed meal Monday. I ordered it 6 weeks ago and it has finally come in. However, the water is so turbid(make that muddy) from the 5+ inch rain that I'll probably wait a couple of weeks or more before I start chunking it.

Nothing lazy about messing with that stuff.

Dave keep in mind it might get pricey but fertilizer is one way to help clear the pond. I have had it work on two clients this year. Clay suspended 6" vis- fertilize at high and then two weeks later clearer then fertilize again two weeks later little clearer-12" and slight green tint. Hit again and they got a bloom and 24".

Greg,
I haven't heard about fertilizer clearing a muddy pond. I've already spent plenty of $$ trying to clear mine but no luck. maybe you could send me a PM. I'd like to know what kind of $$ I'd be looking at for a 1 1/2 acre mud hole.
thanks,

Cisco I wil answer here. Apply 8 lbs/acre so lets see that would be 12 lbs. or half a bg- $50/bag so $25. You might do this 2-3 times to see if it clears at all. It surely does not always work but has worked pretty well this season on a few ponds.

Thanks Greg! I may have to try it. I've tried about a half tom of alum but it didn't affect the pond much. I was told that I might have a pond that's just going to be muddy.

Greg, I've never heard of that. I'm wondering how it works from a technical standpoint.

BTW, got the cottonseed meal today but the wind was about 30 mph. I'll try this weekend. I was surprised. The cost was only $29.85 for 3 fifty pound bags.

Yep Dave cottonseed meal is not too pricey just not very controlled in my opinion I know you warn about overfertilizing and it seems that is easy to do with cottonseed meal.

Eric your thoughts on fertilizer clearing ponds? I think if the phytoplankton can begin to form it binds up some of the energy being used and thru this??? parcipatates out some of the suspended material, how not sure but I have done this for years sometimes it does nto work some times it does when other things do not.

Greg, it seems to be pretty mild and I don't over do it. Also, the small fish seem to get their share of it.