# Wild rice



## Quackmasterofgeorgia (Feb 20, 2016)

Will cows eat wild rice, and what is your experience with planting it or regular rice?


----------



## copperheadmike (Mar 4, 2016)

Yes they will. Your best bet when you've got cattle grazing is to go with smartweed. There are some true aquatic plants you can plant to but they require a bit more work and attention that broadcasting smartweed.


----------



## kevbo3333 (Mar 4, 2016)

How deep will smart weed grow? And will smart weed take over a pond like other aquatic vegetation?


----------



## Woodsedgefarm (Mar 4, 2016)

Smart weed is more of a grass than an aquatic plant. It can grow to be like 4 feet tall but needs to be planted every year to maintain a constant stand. Some will come back each year volunteerly.


----------



## across the river (Mar 4, 2016)

kevbo3333 said:


> How deep will smart weed grow? And will smart weed take over a pond like other aquatic vegetation?



There are different types. Some types won't really grow in water at all.  Other types will grow in shallow water and take over around the edge of a pond.  There isn't any of it that will grow out in deep water like actually aquatic plants will, but you can get enough around the edge to make it a pain to fish from the bank.  Unless the pond dries out to a mudflat every year it is hard to get enough to grow it to make it really worth trying to plant it.


----------



## Quackmasterofgeorgia (Mar 4, 2016)

I have smartweed but misplaced it. Wild rice was a cheaper alternative. Thank you all for the input.


----------



## kevbo3333 (Mar 5, 2016)

I own part of a pond that drys up in the summer (on my end). I would like to plant several diffrent plants in case one doesn't grow. Smart weed seems to grow in mud flats and shallow water. I plan on planting jap millet smartweed and rice in the shallow water. I have about 3 acres that I can plant and I don't mind if vegetation takes over because this pond has no fish and is only used by me for duck hunting.


----------



## across the river (Mar 5, 2016)

kevbo3333 said:


> I own part of a pond that drys up in the summer (on my end). I would like to plant several diffrent plants in case one doesn't grow. Smart weed seems to grow in mud flats and shallow water. I plan on planting jap millet smartweed and rice in the shallow water. I have about 3 acres that I can plant and I don't mind if vegetation takes over because this pond has no fish and is only used by me for duck hunting.




Jap Millet, Smart weed, and rice cannot be sown in water.  They need to be sprouted on dry ground or a mud flat, and can then be flooded once established.   If you want to grow something in water you have to plant and actual aquatic plant like coontail, duck weed, bana water lily, etc...., but if you get them established they will eventually move over into you neighbor's portion of the pond.


----------



## kevbo3333 (Mar 5, 2016)

I was under them impression rice was grown in water up to 36 inches deep. My plan was to plant the millet and smart weed in mud flat and the rice would be spread in the shallow water. I might need to do some more research.


----------



## across the river (Mar 6, 2016)

kevbo3333 said:


> I was under them impression rice was grown in water up to 36 inches deep. My plan was to plant the millet and smart weed in mud flat and the rice would be spread in the shallow water. I might need to do some more research.



Rice will germinate and grow in shallow water (roughly 5" or less), but the water level needs to be consistent.  It is tough if you can't control the water, and more difficult to sow in water than on a mud flat or dry ground.   Wild rice, which isn't really a rice, will grow in deep water, and that is probably where you got 36".  However, the water has to be clear and get down below 30F for an extended period of time over the winter, which doesn't happen in Georgia.   There is a reason you only see it up North.


----------



## kevbo3333 (Mar 6, 2016)

Got ya, looks like duck weed will be the way to go if my neighbors don't mind. It is owned by a business and we have never seen or heard of anyone going down there. It seems like I can just get a 5 Gallon bucket and fill it up at a local swamp or beaver pond that has it then just Throw it in my pond and hope it grows like a weed!!!!


----------

