Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Renovating a Pond or Lake? Well the pond is finished.

Leaf inputs including corn fodder into a pond are a big problem. Some will put up low (1ft-2ft) fences in the fall to reduce leaves blowing into the pond. With trees close to the pond fences will not be effective. As Ted says best ways to deal with leaves in a pond is aeration and bacteria additions. I think if you minimize the use of algaecide chemicals (mostly copper based) that also kill decomposing bacteria this can help keep the numbers of organic processors (invertebrates and bacteria) abundant.

I went to our local farm coop to get bermuda seed. They basically said I would be wasting my time this time of year. They suggested winter wheat and said that when it turns brown next season I could mow down to the ground and then seed with bermuda. Before I do this I want to know if it sound ok to all you pond folks...my new best friends. Got up this morning and saw momma deer and her twins on the back of the pond looking perplexed.

Sometimes there are "higher costs" with many things of beauty, but I treasure all the trees surrounding my pond and in fact think it increases my property value.

Me too. I just posted a question about using winter wheat for erosion till next season. What do you think?

Rye Grass, Winter Wheat, Winter Oats, anything that will put a root system down and stop erosion will help imensely. Rye Grass, if moisture is present, will start growing in a couple of days.

We are putting in Fall food plots for deer now, with plants that will grow in cooler weather. As long as there is moisture for those seeds, they'll germinate and grow.

I put winter wheat around my new pond last fall and it did great until mid June this year.

Winter rye is easy to grow, and it has a lot of benefits. Its roots go very deep and are somewhat fibrous, which help to break up packed soil (if you have that). It provides a great base for your longer-term planting. The winter rye should stay pretty short from now until March, then it begins to grow like crazy (if you have anywhere close to enough nutrients in the soil). It will provide great shade for the young permanent grass (fescue and clover for me in Virginia) to get established.

I did just this last September to eight acres of newly cleared land. The rye performed as outlined above, and it started getting pretty ugly around June, which is when the wife wanted to cut it. I insisted on waiting until August (as suggested by the local Southern States), so we just finished cutting the field for the first time. I'd have to say it was a huge success.

I don't remember the exact planting density, but it was 50-60 lbs winter rye, 5-10 lbs clover (2.5red 2.5 ladino), and I believe 15-20 lbs fescue. I would recommend talking to your local Southern States about the best mix for your area. Here, they also sent off my soil samples for free testing, and provided the fertilizer and lime at great rates.

I have a tractor tire in one of mine. The problem is cutting holes in the sidewall so they can release air and not float.

I would go with a rye grass/ rye mix.
Wrangler is the only bermuda grass sead the NRCS will plant in southern Ok . I have used it one time with pretty good results.One thing about bermuda if you just get some started here and there it will spread pretty quick. You can also spread bermuda hay and it will come up through it and won't wash away or dry up as fast.
This is speaking as a rancher.
Any cover , rocks , brush for fish is a lot easier to put in before the pond fills up . I found this out the hard way.

Thanks Dale...great info

I have been trying to learn as much about aeration as possible.

miss nancy - Fish do not really need artificial structure. It tends to gather fish and it helps the anglers catch more fish. An abundance of dense cover imitating weed beds does benefit the overall fish community. If you want to read more than you ever wanted to know about placing cover and types of artificial cover see the link from our Archives Section:
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92463#Post92463

Thanks Bill...I have dead oaks and smaller life ones I am taking out. Can I throw those in the pond for cover...in the shallower areas. Have plenty of rock to make piles for cover. I am trying to stay calm. I have not started filling the pond and won't untill I have cover and figure out aeration. I will go with bottom diffuser but will have to buy one. Will it hurt to not fill the pond for a while...am working on erosion right now. Also I have a five in.. ten foot piece of pvc...any use for that?

I would hold off a year on adding oaks.

I have seeded winter wheat. Today I will seed annual rye. Both on and around dam. I am doing my first rock pile for those little ones I will one day have. I am hoping to get some grow back of bermuda. I am going to pick up sticks and stuff from where I had some trees cleared. That is all for today. I take care of my 88 yr old mom but today my brother is covering. I think m family believes I have lost my minnd. I just say..."Read the Little Red Hen".

I have grass!!!!! It is growing pretty fast...worried about the erosion. I have decided to buy an aerator off of ebay. I know it is simple for a DIY person do do but not for me right now. I am looking at Gast and Thomas any preferences? I have also just realizED I have no friggin idea how I am going to get in and out of the pond. What about ring diffussers? stick diffusers or What? Will come back later for help about fish so I can do the habitat. Really just want some good fat pan friers for us to eat do ove the taste of bass though. Do I have to have bottom feeders? Leaving to see Mom...as she says"IT WILL BE A BANNER DAY."