3.5 yr. old pond, 1 acre, NE Tx, LMP/Bluegill, feeder, 50 acre watershed. I have had awful FA problems the past 2 yrs, currently very little which I have sprayed recently and will continue and added tilapia last year and will again. I have fertilized for a plankton bloom successfully in the past with 11-37 liquid fertilizer and will not have a bloom if I don't. I have some shoreline weeds growing pretty heavily I haven't seen before. If anything, it seems my bluegill population may be too crowded if anything from observing feeding and catch rates. Questions are, should I fertilize at all or is the risk of FA and overfeeding the weeds to great? If I do, should I try alfalfa pellets as was recently recommended to me? Alkalinity and hardness both 30. Thanks for your help
Most likely, you have an excess nutrient issue. Have your water tested and with the results you will know how to proceed.
Other TX bloom makers should respond to help. If you are now seeing some shoreline weeds you need to find out what their names are and know how they will spread as far as depth. They will likely be stimulated by fertilizer. You have to get your FA "knocked" way back before adding any type of fertilizer. The alfalfa will take longer to stimulate a bloom and usually less of a bloom compared to fertilizer. In TX it may be almost too late Mar 01? to fertilize for getting an early bloom.
Other TX bloom makers should respond to help. If you are now seeing some shoreline weeds you need to find out what their names are and know how they will spread as far as depth. They will likely be stimulated by fertilizer. You have to get your FA "knocked" way back before adding any type of fertilizer. The alfalfa will take longer to stimulate a bloom and usually less of a bloom compared to fertilizer. In TX it may be almost too late Mar 01? to fertilize for getting an early bloom.
It’s still pretty cold here(for Texas) the water is still in low 50S and going lower this next week......
When you say get the water tested, you mean send it off to Texas A&M?
Yes that is what he meant by getting it tested. You need to know the alkalinity, and nitrate and dissolved or soluable phosphate (aka ortho P) to see what the nutrient base is and then that should give you some idea of the amount of needed N & P. Usually once you add fertilizer you should be prepared to add more as a "bump" when the bloom clarity increases to 20"-22"+.
....Alkalinity and hardness both 30. ...
Is this borderline? Would Ag lime help?
I agree with Pat about adding Fertilizer now because of low water Temps at this time, but Bill Cody is right about it could be late on a normal year but not sure what normal is here in Texas. As far as adding Alfalfa pellets, its been my experience they will sink to bottom and will not see a lot of benefit. But, you can use a qtr bale of dehydrated alfalfa. Just bust it up into 3" to 4" thick sections and add it around the pond. About 4 sticks pushed into the pond bottom will hold it in place like standing up and not just laying on the ponds bottom. It worked for me one time and got a nice bloom from it.
If you have been annually fertilizing with good results, then fertilize again this year. Make sure this spring the alkalinity is truly 30 and FA is controlled so conditions are good for producing a bloom. With ponds that need liming, the alkalinity concentration, as with farm fields, usually gradually decreases so liming is needed every few years to keep high enough for good blooms. Liming is not a one time deal. I agree alfalfa pellets are not as good as the hay or alfalfa meal. Add fertilizer when water gets near 60F and FA on the bottom areas is mostly dead. FA always first starts growth on the pond bottom.