Greg :

I am with you on this one. Meadowlark is also correct. Each pond is different and requires its own plan. What is the goal for that pond and how does it react to management. If all you want in the SE is water with a few skinny fish then don't fertilize {or feed}.

For the Southeast in general {not all areas but most} lime and fertilizer are required to have a bass/BG pond that an average pond owner {who wants good fishing} would want. Without a lime and fert. program most ponds in the SE would have little production . My estimate is a carrying capicity of 75 lbs of fish per acre or less. The visability would be 3-10 feet, alkalinity would be 8-12ppm and ph in the high stress range. Couple that with FA because of deep light penetration and you have a place where you can't grow fish in acceptable amounts or quality. That is why the applicable state agencies and pond management companies in the SE stress lime and fert. as basic tools. It is a tool for propper management. Just as a carpenter would not throw away his saw and hammer a pond mgr. in the SE should not refuse a lime/fert. program where appropriate.

The use of a lime/fert. program must be done correctly and on a pond by pond basis . You do not want to over fert. especially mid july- sept.. Lack of rain is usually not a problem but must be watched. Unwanted weeds can be a problem but can be managed. On weeds , an ounce of prevention is worth 10 lbs. of cure . Work on the weed problems with winter draw downs and early in the spring with removal manually or as a last resort chemically.

An unanswered question in the SE is to what extent can you replace the fert. part {not the lime part} of the equation with a massive feeding program. You will not have the base of the food chain {plankton} to support the fish population , but can you replace it by feeding the fish? What is the proper balance between the two and how do you achieve it? I hope someone has an easy answer. Thanks --ewest