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#350528 09/11/13 05:44 AM
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I tried to find this in the archives, but no luck. Does anyone know if Corkscrew eelgrass will survive a NE Ohio winter? If not, what would you recommend instead?

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Yes, it will, at least mine has in WNY and I think we are a tad colder than you. Just plant it a little deeper, in 2 foot plus of water.

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Thanks, I was hoping that would be the case. smile How fast does it spread for you? And how much did you originally plant?

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I planted about 20 plants two years ago, and I probably have a few thousand. However it is overrun with chara which is thriving. Where there isn't chara, the plants are doing well, but stunted due to my high alkalinity. I planted about 50 full-sized non-corkscrew plants, and these can poke out above the chara, and seemingly doing a lot better. The first being aquarium store purchased, and the second being harvested from local lakes.

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I cannot seem to get corkscrew or even regular eelgrass to establish.

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A lot of the submerged plants, especially the slower spreading types such as corkscrew eel grass, have a hard time colonizing when Chara is presently in high abundance. Chara grows faster than the other plants. Often Chara will grow on top of the other plants early in late fall or early spring before the other plants get started growing for the summer.

Last edited by Bill Cody; 09/11/13 08:00 PM.

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That makes sense Bill, and is it also true that eel grass is susceptible to being eaten by some fish, i.e. grass carp, and some turtles before they are able to flourish? I plan on getting Tilapia next spring to control filamentous algae. Will they bother eel grass? I have some areas of my pond that has no plants or algae that I would like to plant the eel grass. It's a clear area that is around 2-3 feet deep.
Why do you have high Alkalinity liquidsquid? Is there limestone nearby?

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My first year of planting corkscrew eel grass (about 3 years ago) mine spread nicely but then the drought dropped my water so much that I lost most of my beds but I did manage to replant some in deeper water. I can't see the corkscrew in the deeper water but I have a some of it floating to the top from my grass carp activity. So I am hoping it is established enough to survive reguardless of drought and grass carp. The winter cold here in east central Indiana never hurt my corkscrew.


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I checked around the edge of my pond last night, and didn't notice anything that looked like it. Thought if I did, I would share. I will continue to keep my eyes open for it.

How would eel grass do in fluctuating water levels? Could it grow in 3' of water and then still live if the water dropped to a foot? Or some kind of combination like that?

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I had eel grass in my pond that was doing great. I had it started in plastic tubs, and pushed it out to deeper water so it'd survive the winter. Spring came, Spring snowmelt/rains didn't. Pond level dropped. Tubs were doing well in 12"-18" of water. They're fine I said to myself.

Then I came home and saw 40 Geese on the pond. Chased them off and noticed that the tubs were empty. Guess what the geese ate??

Yep, roots and all............. mad


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So keep waterfoul away.... Gotcha. That's kind of concerning, as that is something we really can't control frown and I hate putting man made things, like chicken wire, into the pond to protect plant life.

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I know it's sort of a PITA, but putting two strands of monofilament around the pond on short stakes, one about 3" above the ground, and another at 12" up will prevent geese from walking out of the pond onto the grass to graze. They won't like that and tend to stay off the pond.

Same effect can be done by keeping taller plants around the shoreline dense enough so they can't walk thru them.

Just about everything about a pond is a knife edge balancing act.


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Originally Posted By: esshup
Just about everything about a pond is a knife edge balancing act.
and expensive... laugh cry



N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds
Original george #173 (22 June 2002)




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Originally Posted By: george1
Originally Posted By: esshup
Just about everything about a pond is a knife edge balancing act.
and expensive... laugh cry


Not nearly as expensive as a salt water reef aquarium, believe me. Well, maybe a big pond vs. a small aquarium, now that may be comparable wink

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I have never seen geese yet on the pond, but we do get ducks in the spring. I wonder if they will eat the eel grass. Anyway, if I get geese, I will definitely try the fishing line thing. Thanks esshup.

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Yes, my high alkalinity comes from the crushed limestone clay that lines my pond. Huge deposits of limestone to my north which the glaciers ground up and dropped here.

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Plant eel grass deep enough that long neck geese cannot reach it - like 4-5ft deep. It will tolerate fairly low light conditions of the deeper water. Grass carp are a concern but the carp usually eat other more palatable plants first while the eel grass establishes - hopefully. This is the main reason why I now dislike grass carp because when you want to plant something beneficial, the g.carp make it very difficult if not almost impossible. My grass carp, when I had them, mostly left the eel grass alone until early mid spring when they trimmed off old growth until new species started growing. At those times they also trimmed new water lily shots. When he other plants got growing, g.carp ate those plants, and shunned eel grass. Although not all grass carp 'think' alike!

Tilapia trimmed off eel grass as it grew up through the bottom of the fish cage. It was probably better than eating nothing.

I prefer to get the e.grass growing well in shallow tubs as 'esshup' mentions and then transplant the dense clumps wherever desired. It grows much better from established clumps compared to single transplants.

Last edited by Bill Cody; 09/12/13 08:31 PM.

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Thanks everyone, I think I will be planting some in the spring.


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