Try Using Barley Straw To Control Algae In Backyard Ponds
UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre
Co.) The mother of all prob
lems in ponds is excessive algae
growth, according to a water re
sources specialist in Penn State’s
College of Agricultural Sciences,
who recommends owners try a
nontoxic method to control the
choking green growth.
Backyard and ornamental
ponds have become common in
the last decade or so as more and
more property owners add bodies
of water to their landscaping.
Pond sizes range from bathtub
sized containers to impound
ments covering acres, but they all
can suffer from the same malady
algae growth that can cover ev
erything submerged with a thick
green mat of goo.
“Traditional mechanical and
chemical control methods are not
always efficient or economical,”
says extension associate Bryan
Swistock. “In recent years, the
use of barley straw has become
PENNSYLVANIA was completed
in 1965 after a thirty-year effort
by Howard Higbee, a former
Penn State Professor.
The map is known as the
LOST STREAM MAP to some
anglers.
Professor Higbee succeed
ed in creating a map of the high
est detail possible...a map that
shows every stream and lake. He
painstakingly plotted by hand the
location of 45,000 miles of
streams onto a 3 by 5 foot map.
The map sold extremely
well-untit it was lost several
years later. Incredibly, the printer
entrusted with the original draw
ing and printing plates declared
bankruptcy, then carelessly
hauled Higbee’s 30 years of work
to a landfill.
The few remaining dog
eared copies became a prized
fisherman’s possession.
Professor Higbee was offered
$4OO for one of his last maps.
And state agencies were forced
to keep their copies under lock
and key.
Experts told Professor
Higbee that reprints were impos
sible, because the maps were
printed in non-photographic blue.
Then, in 1991, at the age of
91, Howard Higbee's dream
came true. Computers made it
possible to reprint the map.
Howard said, “I never thought I'd
live to see this day."
more common as an alternative
method for controlling excessive
algae growth.
This method has been exten
sively studied by scientists in
Great Britain and has recently
become widely known in the
United States. When applied at
the proper time and rate, barley
straw is a very successful algae
control technique in Pennsylva
nia ponds, according to Swistock.
“Barley straw does not kill
existing algae but it inhibits new
growth,” he explains. “The exact
mechanism is poorly understood,
but it seems that barley straw,
when exposed to sunlight and
oxygen, produces a chemical that
inhibits algae growth. Barley
straw does not reduce the growth
of other aquatic plants.”
Barley straw is most effective
when applied early in the year
prior to the appearance of algae
(fall through early spring). When
Why every angler and boater needs these maps
It is estimated that 10% of all the anglers catch 90% of the fish. Regardless of which group you fall
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Professor Higbee’s* Stream Mag
maps of their kind
RAVE
REVIEWS
"It is amazingly detailed and
names some creeks in the
Mohawk Valley that can't
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graphic maps.”
—John Pitarres,
OBSERVER-DISPATCH,
Utica
“If you’re looking for the
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‘Professor Higbee’s Stream
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THE NEWARK STAR
LEDGER
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such a treasure to the fish-
erman.”
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TRIBUNE-DEMOCRAT,
Johnstown
applied to cold water (less than
SOF), it may take six to eight
weeks for the straw to begin pro
ducing the active chemicals that
inhibit algae growth. If the straw
is applied to warmer water
(above 70F), it may become effec
tive in as little as one to two
weeks. In any case, barley straw
remains effective for approxi
mately six months after applica
tion.
“The most common applica
tion is two to three bales per sur
face acre of pond. The depth of
water in the pond is not impor
tant,” Swistock says. “In ponds
that are frequently muddy or
those that have a history of heavy
algae growth, two or three times
this recommended dose may be
required for the initial treatment.
However, overdosing the pond
with barley straw may cause fish
kills because straw deoxygenates
the water as it decays. This is es
pecially a problem if the pond is
Stream MAPS
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Pinpoint the best fishing in PA, NY, NE, NJ, OH &
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! Name
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[MAIL TO
LANCASTER FARMING
Dept. Map
| 1 East Main St., P.O. Box 609, Ephrata, PA 17522
J Payable: 0 Check Enclosed O Visa 0 Mastercard □ Discover
i Card#—
| Exp Date.
.Signature
I I
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 9, 2002-B9
overdosed with straw during a
prolonged warm spell.”
The straw is most effective
when applied loosely in cages or
netting. It is best to anchor the
straw packages to the bottom and
provide a float to keep the straw
near the surface of the pond
where sunlight and oxygen are
more prevalent. Apply the straw
at several locations around the
pond, especially near the water
source if a spring or stream feeds
the pond. In small garden ponds,
small nets or nylon stockings can
Nominations Sought For Mid-Atlantic
Innovation And Leadership Award
PHILADELPHIA The Mid-Atlantic Food and Farm Coali
tion seeks nominations for its Innovation and Leadership Award.
This annual award recognizes the contributions of an exemplary
individual, organization or business that has significantly im
proved the food and fanning system in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Acknowledging pioneering work, innovation, and leadership,
the award will be presented at the fourth annual Future of Our
Food and Farms Summit on Dec. 5 and 6, at the Wyndham Wil-
Great Gift!
be used to hold the small
amounts of straw needed.
“Finding a local supplier of
barley straw sometimes can be
difficult,” says Swistock. “You
might consult with private and
government agencies that work
with local farmers, like farm sup
ply companies, Cooperative Ex
tension offices and Conservation
District offices, to determine if
barley straw is available locally.
In addition, there are several sup
pliers available on-line (just type
“barley straw” in your favorite
search engine).”
mington Hotel, Wilmington, Del.
Nominees should be from Delaware, Mary
land, New Jersey, Pennsylvania or the District
of Columbia, and have made a significant con
tribution to the region’s food system.
To nominate someone, contact Meredith
Stone at The Food Trust at (215) 568-0830,
Ext. 10 or contact@thefoodtrust.org. The Mid-
Atlantic Innovation and Leadership Award
nomination form is also available on the Sum
mit Website at www.foodfarm.org.
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