Archive for the ‘Property Management’ Category

Mid August Plan Your Fall Lake Management Now

Sunday, August 10th, 2008

It is mid August, and in our part of Texas that means hundred plus temperatures, and straw colored hay meadows and pastures.

  • Unfortunately, it also means that a lot of the aquatic weeds are beginning to harden off and become tougher to kill. It would be a good idea to get started on it now, before it gets much later. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to get rid of them, and the more it will cost!
  • If you have a dock, a boathouse, or a or a boat ramp in need of repair, you might want to look at the water level now, and the long range weather forecast, and start planning that before the rain returns.
  • If you have not already done so, it is the time of year to start thinking ahead about fall maintenance. If you are planning any major renovation work, you should be planning it now. If you want to lower your pond or lakes water level to dredge the edges, or get rid of aquatic weeds by redoing the bottom, it will take some planning, and coordination to get it done.
  • If you haven’t had your pH level checked in a while, it would be good to get some idea of what it is, and start planning toward liming in the fall. If your impound is at the right pH in the spring, and you start your fertilizer program on time and follow up consistently, you will have a much better chance of preventing weed problems.
  • You might also think about removing brush in the area, allowing for better access to the water and better water quality.
  • If you plan to lower the fertility of an over fertilized body of water, you should be thinking of planting a good vegetative barrier at the end of the lake or pond where water enters, and around any area that provides watershed. bare areas should be made into grassy waterways.

Managing Fertility In Ponds And Lakes

Wednesday, August 6th, 2008

Managing fertility in ponds and lakes.


The idea of fertilizing a pond seems strange to many people, but is something that may need to be done.

The reasons for adding fertilizer are pretty simple. Fish eat many types of aquatic invertebrates. These are bugs that exist in pond settings. The bugs need something to eat to get fat for the fish, and that something is algae.

Algae Bloom

The algae that serves this purpose best, is phytoplankton. This is a simple, single cell organism that grows in suspension in the water of ponds and lakes. The nice blue green tint in the water is what you are after. In fact, you want it to be dark enough that you can not see an 8 inch black and white disk at a depth 18 to 24 inches. Algae bloom has the added benefit of reducing weed populations because of the reduction in light penetration.

Fertilizer

The fertilizer you need to use, should be high in phosphorous, and low in the other two main ingredients.
When you look at the analysis of a bag of common fertilizer, you will see 3 numbers, divided by a dash. The middle number is the one you are after. There are several good products on the market for pond and lake fertilizing. and several methods of application. If a powder is used, it can be spread as evenly as possible on the surface of the water, or with an aquatic applicator which will allow it to dissolve gradually. If a liquid is used, it should be mixed with water before application, or it will sink to the bottom and be neutralized. After you have fertilized once, you should check the pond periodically for visual depth. You will need to fertilize regularly at 2 week intervals through the summer, checking the light penetration as you do. Light should not penetrate deeper than 24 inches, and should not penetrate less than 12 to 18 inches. If visibility is less than a foot, suspend fertilizing until it clears to 18 to 24 inches. Fertilizing should begin as soon as the water temperature reaches 60 degrees. I will include more information on how to construct a sechi disk, the type and amount of fertilizer, and the intervals between applications, as time permits.
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