SWCD selling seedlings, fish fingerlings

Submitted information

The deadline to purchase seedlings from the Van Wert Soil and Water Conservation District is March 19. The seedlings are available in packets of 10 at a minimal cost.

The following seedling species are available: Norway Spruce, Colorado Blue Spruce, White Pine, American Arborvitae, Sugar Maple, Shagbark Hickory, Wild Black Cherry, Swamp White Oak, Bur Oak, and Red Maple.

Two seed packets are available. They include: NE Annual/Perennial Wildflower Seed and Butterfly/Hummingbird Seed. The one ounce wildflower seed contains a colorful mix and provides up to five years of color and attracts a variety of birds and butterflies. The one ounce butterfly/hummingbird seed is a mix of native and naturalized wildflowers and grasses. It is designed to attract nectar loving pollinators such as native bees, honeybees, other pollinating insects and hummingbirds.

This program is open to the public. Order forms are available in the SWCD office, 1185 Professional Drive, Van Wert, on the website at: www.vanwertswcd.org, by calling 419.238.9591 or by emailing Becky at becky@vanwertswcd.com. Orders will be accepted until March 19, but supplies are limited so get your orders in early. The delivery date will be the week of April 23. Payment (cash or check) is required when placing the order.

In addition, the Van Wert Soil & Water Conservation District is taking orders for fish fingerlings. The types of fish available are: large mouth bass, blue gill, channel catfish, shellcracker, black fat head minnow and white amur and tilapia. This will be available for pick up in June.

The fish sale is an opportunity for pond owners to stock or re-stock the ponds at a reasonable cost. Orders will be accepted until April 22. Payment is expected when placing the order. The fish will be delivered to the SWCD office at 3 p.m. Thursday, April 30. The tilapia will arrive in June and a notification will be sent out.

Stocking recommendations for a on acre pond are: 100 large mouth bass, 500 blue gill, 100 channel catfish, 500-1000 fat head minnow. White amur recommendations are based on the amount of weed cover in the pond. If the pond has 20-40 percent vegetation the recommendation is 10 amur, and above 40 percent weed cover the recommendation is 15 amur.

Orders will be boxed and ready at the time of delivery. Order forms are available in the office, on the website at www.vanwertswcd.org, or by emailing Becky at becky@vanwertswcd.com.