Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Balance of plants in the environment bermuda grass at ponds edge

My 2 acre pond is not full. I plan to spread Bermuda grass seed all over the dam and around the pond. All I have is clay and some winter rye grass growing. Should I spread Bermuda seed all the way down to the waters edge. It will eventually be covered by water and probably die wont it? Will the grass continue to "adjust" to the ponds shoreline? Will probably drop seed around Easter time or a little sooner.This is a new pond with no vegetation in the water either.

You've probably done whatever seemed best. I'm curious about what you have now. If I had the problem to solve that you faced, I'd sow the seed if you want Bermuda grass. I'd sow it from the water's edge back as far as you want the Bermuda to grow. If some of it dies because of submersion, I doubt there would be any down side and there may be an up side. The grass will provide shelter for forage animals until it decays, and grass decaying in the pond will have no negative effect that I'm ware of.

Unless Bermuda grass seed is a lot cheaper in Texas than it is in Kansas my thinking is you are going to waste a lot of money for something that is only temporary. My experience with Bermuda that is not sprigged is that the seed is very tiny and only produces very spindly new plants till it gets established. So assuming your pond will fill within a year or so, if I am correct on its growth habits, it is not going to provide much cover till the water covers it anyway.

Temporary cover, such as wheat (or probably ryegrass but I am not familiar with it), will do a lot of good though if you can get it established. In pure clay that might be a problem, but if there is some topsoil or nutrients in the clay it might get going.

I spread wheat down into the bowl of my pond when it was new and it had a few inches of growth before water inundated it. It helped control erosion (although did not eliminate it) rills in the bottom of the pond, then when it was covered in water and died algae almost immediately covered the dead grass and started the pond nutrient chain. So I am all for getting something temporary established in the pond bowl, I just think Bermuda might not be the best choice.

Bermuda in texas starts out slow as you say, but after it is up hit it with triple 13 and it speeds like crazy. Prolly about a month of spindly ness then it's off to the races

Rye and other temporary grass is good, plus it is cheap. BUT, if the rain isn't sufficient to fill the pond the whole way, what will be planted when it dies back?

I think that the Bermuda, along with annual Rye or another temporary annual would be the best plan, that way you have "insurance" in either case.

You want to get something growing asap to help prevent erosion.

In my experience, Bermuda does not propagate well from seed. It should be sodded or plugged. The seed is tiny, and new plants tend to dry out quickly and die unless kept constantly damp.