Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Spring/summer grass in east texas

Guys,

Looking dr your opinions on the best type of grass to plant around the pond this spring/summer. I do not have any tree cover so shade is a minimum. I would like a hardy grass that will germinate and spread quickly with minimal care. I also do not have a water source to keep it wet so it must be drought resistant. Additionally, would like sketching that is reasonably cost efficient. I was thinking common Bermuda.. Opinions?

Cav

That's what I planted in buffalo area and it is doing well now whether it will during hot summer is a dif story. So far so good tho


Pat

Sounds good pat,

I know I'll need to buy the seed in bulk where did you get yours?

Feed stores sell by the pound. Bermuda seeds are tiny so a lb goes a long way. Around me it's 8$ lb so it gets costly. You might mix it in with rye to start it cause the rye comes up faster than Bermuda. If we had two weeks of warm you could put out the rye to get a little erosion help till the Bermuda gets going. I'd put Bermuda out in March

Pat

Very good advice. If you have existing plants of any kind, and nature permits, I might burn the dam in late Spring. Bermuda is by far the best option for grass down here, but it doesn't like shade or competition. Existing weeds do both. Burning also adds pot ash to the soil, and Bermuda really likes that.

Not sure what part of the state you're in, but Bermuda germinates when the soil hits the low 70's, so rye is a good idea. It'll sure germinate both quicker, and earlier, than the Bermuda.

I also add course ground corn meal to the seed mix to get a better idea of where I've thrown seed.

Why rye instead of wheat? There's quite a bit of cost difference.

Good question. Why do we always recommend rye? It's what I've always sowed, but I never even gave anything else a second thought.

EDIT: Dave, I just remembered I tried the Japanese Millet last fall during the heat, and it popped up in a matter of days. I sowed Bermuda on a bare prepared clay surface, and using a 50/50 mix of the millet and the Bermuda, next to it.

The millet definitely slowed the Bermuda growth down, but it had a good solid ground cover in a couple of weeks, with only a light dawn and dusk watering. I'll probably do the millet this spring, just to get some areas ready for the Bermuda.

I suspect availability is an issue with getting winter wheat seed locally in areas where it is not farmed. It does germinate faster than rye.

Adding corn meal acts as a good fertilizer but also is somewhat a pre- emergents- might inhibit the sprouting of any seeds. Also a good fungicide.

Bill we can get wheat here but rye is cheaper and sprouts real quick and even when it dies the roots stay for a long time stopping erosion



Pat

I have rye all around the pond now.. Some areas are extremely thick and there is no bare dirt. However, some areas aren't and you can still see the ground pretty well. Should I just mow this down as low as possible before spreading the Bermuda of like fire, how ironic, suggested burn the rye then spread the seed..

Caviler03, We're pretty careful when we burn, and everything's got to be just right. We carry a hi-pressure spray rig, brooms, rakes, back pack blowers, etc. It's not something we take lightly. But, we've had great results if the timing and weather is right, and the Bermuda's ready to sow. I normally watch adjacent areas looking for existing Bermuda grass that's greening up in the spring, and that tells me the soil is warm enough for planting.

If you can mow the rye you've already got, then that might be the safest bet for sure. Just be sure the dew is off the rye before you broadcast Bermuda seed. As Pat said, it's very small, and it can stick to the rye grass blades.

Like Al said above about being really careful if choosing to burn, conditions should be right with bodies and equipment to control sudden gusts that can turn it into an inferno fast. Burning would give your water an added benefit of adding potash when it gets washed into the pond. It may leave some charged stuff floating for a bit that is a bit of an eyesore, but it sinks pretty fast.

FWIW I was looking for info on what you can do with the ashes from your firepalce recently. One of the things I found was there was benefit to adding it to a pond at a rate of 1 TBS per 1000 gallon for algae control. Have no idea if this works so am not saying it is a good thing, just reporting what I found.

Rye costs about 3 times as much in my area. It is touted as being perennial but I find that I get about a 50% return on it. Over a 5 year period it disappears. Wheat is just about bullet proof and I get about the same return as perennial rye.

I no longer do a burn for 2 reasons.

We generally have a burn ban in my arid area. Legally, when that happens, I'm not supposed to even BBQ outside. As a law abiding citizen, you guys know that I would never even wink at the law.

A neighbor was burning trash about 25 years ago. It got away from him and got just about my entire place. Luckily, there was a high wind and it swept through in a hurry. It was also during the winter when the sap was down in the trees. So, 90% of the trees weren't really harmed and everything came out beautifully in the Spring. Also, on my place, it was beneficial because it burnt off many years of ground crap accumulation, added potash to the soil and reduced low branches. But I did lose some probably 100 year old cedar fence posts and most of my fence wire. One neighbor lost a barn and it took quite awhile to sort out everyone's cattle. Even the remote chance of a fire still scares me.

Over the years, I've lost most of the bermuda on my dam to ragweed but they seem to work about as well for erosion control.

Dave, I went to bed last night thinking I probably shouldn't have even mentioned burning. We do it every spring in selected areas, but you're right, it sure can get away from you. It seems like the biggest fire issue around here is hay bailers. You mechanical guys may know why, I don't, but my hay guy says it's pretty common. And, hay balers do scramble when a $10,000 baler is on fire.

Ragweed? We gotta get that fixed.

I have tried Buffalo grass, and really wanted it to work, but I just couldn't get the rapid coverage that Bermuda provides. Buffalo grass is low growing, drought resistant, and it just looks like a great option, but we just couldn't get a good stand with it.

Ragweed? I think a lot of people have less allergies to Bermuda than Ragweed. There's Ragweed here that grows 10' tall, and others that only gets about 18" tall.

I agree with Dave on the wheat, and I also added clover's, nothing is better than clover to walk or lay around on. Just don't step on the bee's barefooted. And Cav, u have the water, you just need a sprinkler. I use one I purchased from Big Sprinkler.com out of Okla. You will have all the water distribution on your grass you will want

Thanks for the info,

My plan is to cut the rye down as low as possible, around march, and spread bermuda seed depending on the temperature. Us texans know it can be 40 degrees or 100 degrees march 1st. Provide as much water as possible and hope it takes off like wildfire!

We have no real issues with the ragweed in the country. My ex wife was very allergic to it but it never bothered her up there. However, ragweed season in the city can be murder.

Dave what do you suggest for NE Texas summer shade
areas that get hit by a little bit of sprinkler?

Mark, I'm not real sure that I've ever crossed the Trinity River to East Texas.

Heck, cedars grow just about anywhere. And, they provide some color in the Winter; or what you guys call Winter. On my place, I like to keep some so everything won't look so bare at this time of year.

Yesterday I planted 4 Persimmon trees and 1 Sawtooth oak within 30 yds of pond. If the sawtooth reaches 50' someday, it will provide some nice shade and will also provide acorns for the wildlife. Smaller shade with the persimmons but still providing for wildlife and me

TGW1 I may plant a few Loblolly Pine Trees around the cabin.

I think HighFlyer planted some around his cabin.

TGW

What kind of persimmons did you plant?Japanise or native?


Pat W

Mark,
I planted about 4000 Gen 2 and 3 loblollies over two years. The advanced genetics are proving themselves over the years. Ours are now five and six years old and look great!!

I have had a very high success rate even with the drought we have been experiencing.

So in short, they are Brian Approved!!