Pond Boss Magazine
https://www.pondboss.com/images/userfiles/image/20130301193901_6_150by50orangewhyshouldsubscribejpeg.jpg
Advertisment
Newest Members
Shotgun01, Dan H, Stipker, LunkerHunt23, Jeanjules
18,451 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums36
Topics40,902
Posts557,120
Members18,452
Most Online3,612
Jan 10th, 2023
Top Posters
esshup 28,420
ewest 21,475
Cecil Baird1 20,043
Bill Cody 15,112
Who's Online Now
11 members (Sunil, jbird5986, Justin W, Bing, Boondoggle, bstone261, DenaTroyer, Theo Gallus, Shorthose, Freg, Fishingadventure), 874 guests, and 192 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
#279925 02/05/12 10:55 AM
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,285
Likes: 288
Moderator
OP Offline
Moderator
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,285
Likes: 288
At my lake, and as most everyone else's in East TX, the drought lowered my water substantially, and allowed me to get some needed dirt work done.

So, I am considering adding new vegetation to the lake. I need forage cover, and erosion control as well. I know Cork Screw eel grass is a preferred plant, but with half of my lake being less than 4 feet deep, could it become a problem?

I usually have primrose, and limited areas of pennywart, which I keep chemically under control. I don't eradicate them, I just control them in 50' sections.

I plan to plant the eel grass along the dam, and check the spread rate before allowing it to the shallower areas of the lake.

My lake stays fairly clear, and hopefully a Spring bloom will get some color to it. My lake has been tested several times, and chemical levels are within recommended levels.

So, if the eel grass spread is to thick, will grass carp control it and, would the eel grass help keep the primrose "pinned" to the shallowest water, and keep it from spreading also?


AL

Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 222
Offline
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 222
AL, how many grass carp do you have, to control the grass? 4ft deep will induced plenty of sunlight, which enhance the eel grass to be prolific. Very prolific. When the water is clear, you'll have a greater chance of it invading other part of the pond very quickly. Natural method is best.

Chemicals induction is not the way to go to keep plants in check if you can help it. Best to stick with plants that can be controlled by active feeders. It's a pain when birds bring in invasive species that you don't want, and immediate attacks are needed. But once again, best to stick with plants that are beneficial and controlled by natural predation.


Leo

* Knowledge and experience yield wisdom. Sharing wisdom expand the generations with crucial knowledge. Unshared wisdom is worth nothing more than rotting manure.
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458
Likes: 2
C
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame
Lunker
C
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458
Likes: 2
The nice thing about spiral eel grass as compared to other species is that it doesn't get very tall. Only about 3 feet height and that is huge for it while more common species can top out at over 6 feet. It is the reason it is so recommended. It is also not overly invasive.

Whether it will out compete primrose, I doubt it. The grass carp will eat it and help control it, perhaps too much. It will mostly stay in the 2 foot tall range in my experience with it so far. Doesn't get overly thick allow you to fish through it and predatory fish to hunt in it. Check with Bill Cody and see what he has to say.

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,112
Likes: 478
B
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
B
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,112
Likes: 478
Cork screw is not all that invasive compared to milfoil, Elodea, some small leaf potamogeton, etc. I've never seen corkscrew at 3 ft tall. There are a couple varieties of corkscrew / sprial eel grass. I suppose some are taller, some shorter at mature height. If you want a shorter plant than corkscrew try dwarf sagittaria (Sagittaria subulata).


aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine -
America's Journal of Pond Management
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,285
Likes: 288
Moderator
OP Offline
Moderator
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,285
Likes: 288
Then Cork screw sounds perfect. Average price I've found is about a dollar per sprig, and that will get what I need started, then evaluate after that.

As always thanks, guys.


AL

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,112
Likes: 478
B
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
B
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,112
Likes: 478
FirelsHot; Keep us posted as to how it is growing for you in terms of rate of spread and mature height. It would be good to know your source provider so the strain / variety can be documented. We don't have lots of data about its growth in ponds. Thanks from all.

Last edited by Bill Cody; 02/07/12 12:25 PM.

aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine -
America's Journal of Pond Management
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 222
Offline
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 222
Yes, do please update us on it. I will be suggesting it to the local 10 acres private pond development as a suggestion of underwater habitats for a variety of species.


Leo

* Knowledge and experience yield wisdom. Sharing wisdom expand the generations with crucial knowledge. Unshared wisdom is worth nothing more than rotting manure.
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,285
Likes: 288
Moderator
OP Offline
Moderator
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,285
Likes: 288
Will do. I have access to acres of standard eel grass, but am very reluctant to add it to my lake. We've fished it often, and it's great, but it does require deeper water and grass carp to control. (That's just personal experience here in East TX)

I found the corkscrew at various aquarium stores, and $1 a plant seems to be the average price. My plan is to plant it on the dam where, 1) the water drops off quickly, and 2) I can make an end run on it if it spreads to quickly.

I'll plant early this Spring and repost.


AL

Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
J
Member
Offline
Member
J
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
This is where I got my Vallisneria, Corkscrew (Vallisneria americana var. biwaensis) (10 plants per order)
http://www.aquariumplants.com/product_p/va069.htm
And they arrived looking very healthy.

Mine grew very well the first year. We had a summer drought and as the water receded and exposed new young plants I found an easy way to transplant them into deeper water. I took a long handled spade and slipped just underneath a bunch, then laid the spade in deeper water and shook it back and forth so the clump settled on bottom. There was no transplant shock and the plants kept on growing as if nothing happened. I will report this summer on how the plants are getting along.


Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,177
Likes: 28
L
Offline
L
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,177
Likes: 28
Hey, that is a great idea of planting a pond. Take a lot of bags to get it established, but Vallisneria is a great plant both in aquariums in in the wild. Not used to buying aquarium stuff for a large pond.

Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 563
Ambassador
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Lunker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 563
Bill,

Two years ago you told me about a red eelgrass. I tried some and it did not get established. I would like to try it again. where can I get some information about it. The corkscrew eelgrass looks great, but I worry about it being non-native. Maybe that is fine, but based on the fights I have with non-native plants in the field and woods around my pond, I get nervous planting things that didn't start here. The red might be non-native as well, I was unsure.


Brian
Retired Coach

Just another day in paradise!


Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
J
Member
Offline
Member
J
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
Liquidsquid I bought 10 packages, 100 plus plants that run just short of $100 with shipping. I planted about 8' apart around my 1 acre pond. It seems to take a month before the plants started to spread. If they were very invasive I don't think they would be too much of a problem since they are short and stay under water. I don't think they can grow in deeper water where the sun can't reach them but that's just a guess. We'll see what happens this summer.
.


Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,177
Likes: 28
L
Offline
L
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,177
Likes: 28
I'm not certain, but I think they are native, just a natural variant of something native. Look at the Greek name.

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458
Likes: 2
C
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame
Lunker
C
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458
Likes: 2
Spiral(corkscrew) eel grass, Vallisneria spiralis is native to Asia. There are a number of cultivars of American eel grass Vallisneria americana that have some twist or spiral to the leaf. However, unlike spiral eel grass, American eel grass can grow to lengths in excess of 6'.

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,112
Likes: 478
B
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
B
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,112
Likes: 478
The red tipped eel grass is very likely a strain, variety, or subspecies of V. americana. The small type of flowers are a very similar overall size to those on spiral (corkscrew) eelgrass and jungle eelgrass, if you are at all familiar with flowers of those types. I consider the sprial and red tipped Vallisneria more like dwarf versions of the V. americana and less invasive and create shorter height beds (total length) compared to native eel grass. As far as I know no technical information exists about the red tipped eel grass primarily because it does not have a scientific name that I know of. Red tipped is a name I have applied to it as I've seen it growing.

Last edited by Bill Cody; 02/16/12 11:01 AM.

aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine -
America's Journal of Pond Management
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458
Likes: 2
C
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame
Lunker
C
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458
Likes: 2
It is much like many species of plants that are cultivated by humans that can have a lot of variation. Usually by selective breeding, but sometimes by natural variation. Not enough to make it a subspecies or new species, just a "strain" or "cultivar".

Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,285
Likes: 288
Moderator
OP Offline
Moderator
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,285
Likes: 288
John, how's the corkscrew doing, and would you do this again?


AL

Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,177
Likes: 28
L
Offline
L
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,177
Likes: 28
My corkscrew is growing in the warm water finally, but the leaf length is about 2-3". Great for an aquarium, not so hot for a pond. However if I could get it to coat the bottom, it would be great, but the pond level has dropped enough to start exposing some of my plantings. If only I could find the time to move them deeper. Darned jobs.

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,112
Likes: 478
B
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
B
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,112
Likes: 478
Some forms of corkscrew - spiral eelgrass are short in 2"-3" range for the smaller forms and around 12"-16" for the larger forms. The variety will determine mature height in the pond enviornment. As long as the plant crown does not dry out and freeze it should stay viable for transplanting.


aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine -
America's Journal of Pond Management
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,285
Likes: 288
Moderator
OP Offline
Moderator
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,285
Likes: 288
I bought a hundred Vallisneria americana where John did, and I'm going to plant them and some lilies in my CNBG pond.

I got the same Lilies I had purchased before, and have had very good luck with them surviving last years drought, and having a very slow spread.

The great part for me, is I can keep the water level constant with a pump from the big lake, so I will be able to tell if they are a safe option for that too.


AL

Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
J
Member
Offline
Member
J
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
The drought has dropped my pond water level so low that the 6'x12' mat of ell grass in front of my deck has virtually disappeared. But my shovel transplants I put out in deeper water are looking good. I have 7 GC and I have never noticed them eating the spiral ell grass so I figure they eat other plants before they would feed on the spiral. I had worried they might eat it so I might never get the spiral ell grass established but that worry doesn't seem justified now.


Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,285
Likes: 288
Moderator
OP Offline
Moderator
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,285
Likes: 288
Sorry the drought got your plants, but the GC thing is interesting. I thought the eel grass was a preferred plant to them. That's the main reason I have been avoiding putting GC in my lake.

Hope to have all my plants in the water by 10 this morning. It's supposed to be 103 to 105 here today, and I'd rather be inside this afternoon.

Thanks for the update.


AL

Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Offline
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Guys,

Any updates on your efforts with the various eel grass varieties? I'm looking to plant some this spring in my pond.

Thanks,

Bill D.


[Linked Image]
Be Brave Enough to Suck at Something New!
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,285
Likes: 288
Moderator
OP Offline
Moderator
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,285
Likes: 288
Bill, our fluctuating water level from periodic droughts eventually got all of ours. I may try some more in the brood pond this year since we can control that water level much easier.


AL

Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,714
Likes: 281
R
RAH Offline
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
R
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,714
Likes: 281
I tried these in 2 ponds and a wetland with no luck getting them established.

Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Offline
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 1
Does not sound encouraging. I am wondering if we need to be looking at water quality requirements for vegetation before attempting to establish in a pond, specifically, clarity (sunlight available), PH and alkalinity and choosing species accordingly. My pond is PH 8.2 to 8.4 with alkalinity around 300 and visibility of 20 inches or so. I wonder if this doesn't limit which species will thrive there.

Last edited by Bill D.; 02/14/16 04:18 PM. Reason: Clarification

[Linked Image]
Be Brave Enough to Suck at Something New!
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 6,692
J
JKB Offline
Hall of Fame 2015
Lunker
Offline
Hall of Fame 2015
Lunker
J
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 6,692
Originally Posted By: Bill D.
Does not sound encouraging. I am wondering if we need to be looking at water quality requirements for vegetation before attempting to establish in a pond, specifically, clarity (sunlight available), PH and alkalinity and choosing species accordingly. My pond is PH 8.2 to 8.4 with alkalinity around 300 and visibility of 20 inches or so. I wonder if this doesn't limit which species will thrive there.


I did Cork Screw last spring.



What's up with the Eel Grass? Don't think they have a ride for that.

Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
J
Member
Offline
Member
J
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
To me spiral eel grass was a beautiful perfect plant. But I don't have any now. In a drought my pond dropped exposing the eel grass to dry conditions and they never came back. I planted red top eel grass and they were taking hold in deeper water but my grass carp complete eliminated them over a two year period. Too bad, I loved these two plants.


Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668
Likes: 57
T
Offline
T
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668
Likes: 57
After my first underwater planting of PW and celery, it looks like neither has produced vegetation. maybe snrub can get some plants growing, I suspect he has grown thousands of acres above the water. My green thumb is not so green when it comes to planting underwater. And after getting a handful of PW sprouting, the crawfish seamed to have mowed it down frown

Tracy

Last edited by TGW1; 02/15/16 07:18 AM. Reason: sp

Do not judge me by the politicians in my City, State or Federal Government.


Tracy
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
S
Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
Don't look to me for any pond growing plant advice. I'm one of those hated "factory" farmers. I only know how to grow a few different things on a large scale.


John

I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,714
Likes: 281
R
RAH Offline
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
R
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,714
Likes: 281
Thank you keeping America and the world fed!

Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668
Likes: 57
T
Offline
T
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668
Likes: 57
snrub, you probably have two green thumbs smile

Tracy


Do not judge me by the politicians in my City, State or Federal Government.


Tracy
Page 1 of 2 1 2

Link Copied to Clipboard
Today's Birthdays
cro, HC1968
Recent Posts
pond experience needed
by jbird5986 - 03/29/24 07:35 AM
Can anyone ID these minnows?
by Sunil - 03/29/24 07:31 AM
Relative weight charts in Excel ? Calculations?
by Boondoggle - 03/29/24 07:18 AM
Dewatering bags seeded to form berms?
by RogersTailgate - 03/29/24 05:45 AM
New pond middle TN: establishing food chain?
by Bill Cody - 03/28/24 07:57 PM
Happy Birthday Bob Lusk!!
by FireIsHot - 03/28/24 07:33 PM
Working on a .5acre disaster, I mean pond.
by PRCS - 03/28/24 06:39 PM
Fungus infection on fish
by nvcdl - 03/28/24 06:07 PM
1 year after stocking question
by esshup - 03/28/24 04:48 PM
Yellow Perch Spawn 2024
by H20fwler - 03/28/24 04:29 PM
New 2 acre pond stocking plan
by LANGSTER - 03/28/24 03:49 PM
Newly Uploaded Images
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
by Tbar, December 10
Deer at Theo's 2023
Deer at Theo's 2023
by Theo Gallus, November 13
Minnow identification
Minnow identification
by Mike Troyer, October 6
Sharing the Food
Sharing the Food
by FishinRod, September 9
Nice BGxRES
Nice BGxRES
by Theo Gallus, July 28
Snake Identification
Snake Identification
by Rangersedge, July 12

� 2014 POND BOSS INC. all rights reserved USA and Worldwide

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5