planting smartweed, sago, and wild rice

S

sean kane

Active member
I just ordered some smartweed, sago pond weed and wild rice for a few of our honey holes down here. I am worried that i may have planted the sago too deep in one of the areas that was just over the knee. Any idea if it will still take? When we got the sago it looked like the nutlet had already started to germinate.. i thought that was a good thing? any reason to think otherwise? I was thinking of planting the smart weed around some wooded areas that flood in the fall but does this need ample sunshine? Does the rice need ample sunlight as well? and how much water should one plant it? I have googled it to death and was looking for some personal experience! thanks guys
 
It looks like you're in Delaware. I would check with their department of natural resources website for some guidance.

Here in Florida the smart weed needs a good amount of sunlight and usually grows best on marshy meadows and emergent wetlands.

The sago to my knowledge is a true s.a.v. and if it's sprouted then my guess is that is half the battle.

Good luck, it sounds like a great project.
 
Some years ago I had some property with a 10 acre beaver pond that I planted with wild rice purchased from an outfit in Oskosh WI. As I understand wild rice the germination is triggered by temperature. During high water when the bottom doesn't get sufficient sunlight to warm the seed it just stays dormant. When it does sprout it isn't like a domesticated crop where 99% will germinate apparently part of the plants survival strategy is staggered germination so don't be surprised if only 50 to 75% of what you sow sprouts. I planted on firm bottom no deeper than 1 foot - casting some seed the moist bank soils. However if your pond has a lot of waterfowl activity you rice may just get eaten if you plant shallow. If that's the case I would plant 20" and deeper. Rember to keep the rice moist and cool prior to planting. Every spring around memorial day I would break a big hole in the beavers dam to lower the water level for few days. Beavers always fixed the hole that night but depending on rainfall it took some time to fill. This exposed the shoreline and submerged seed to additional sunlight and raised the temps. I always thought 70 was the magic number. With two years The rice just filled the pond out to about 3 foot deep. Seed was then carried down stream seeded the ponds and stream edges below. Here on pool 4 the river stayed at normal pool all summer for the first time in two years and the wild rice just went crazy some of the back water lakes went from open water to rice fields due to clear water - warmer temps - sunlight to stimulate growth. Good luck - let us know how it turns out.
 
thanks for the reply guys.. paul so you think the warm water helps the crop? i have a spring feed pond that we put the sago in but still have not received the wild rice. Hopefully it will come soon. do you think it could be too late to plant?
 
Just a guess - but if you haven't got the rice yet they probably are not going to ship you last years rice. The rice has to be kept moist to keep it viable. That being said I don't know if rice harvested last Sept can be stored for 10 months. I think most suppliers sell out any how. They may be holding your order until they harvest this years rice which IMO is OK. You would be sowing seed the same time mother nature does. Possible down side is more seed will get eaten before it can germinate. Being your pond is spring fed I would guess the deeper water is nice and cold but in the shallower margins the bottom should warm nicely due to the clear water and encourage germination.
 
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