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Ponds & Aquatic Plants

How do you get rid of Catatils and other water edge weeds?

Flex Design LLC

6 years ago

We have a small lake and the cattails and another spreading shoreline weeds seems to be taking over the whole shore. The lake does get lowered and I will try manually pulling some out during the cooler months but I think it would be easier if I could kill them first. FYI I think once the lake is lowered whatever I use would not harm wildlife. Anything stroing would be good I once used a eco friendly substance years ago that barely worked.

thanks

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Comments (4)

Jon Biddenback
6 years ago
How long has it been overgrown? Is it possible the creatures that eat cattails (there are quite a few, actually) haven't had a chance to settle in and establish a breeding population yet?
Jon Biddenback
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Oh, derp, you're looking for an answer and I gave questions.

I deal with weeds and other pests biologically when possible. I set up competition for limited resources, and I encourage things that eat what I have too much of.

For bermuda grass, I killed its head start by cutting it to the ground, heavy mulching, and planting a cover crop mix in the area.

For algae overgrowth in the pool-turned-pond, I introduced several other plant species, and both vertebrate and invertebrate algae eaters.

For mosquito larvae in the pond, I leave the aggressive predatory bugs alone, and introduced fish small enough to see them as food, which I never feed.

For slugs, snails, and herbivorous pest bugs in the garden, I never kill spiders nor centipedes, and I'll be putting in some toad houses when I can, now that I know we've got useful amphibians in the area.

I think for nearly every maintenance and balance problem in a living system, there's some organism holding up a tiny "will work for food" sign, aching to solve your problem for you. But for it to work, you do have to let go of tight control.
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PRO
Flex Design LLC
Original Author
5 years ago
Any other comments?
PRO
Flex Design LLC
Original Author
4 years ago
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