How To Keep Pond Weeds Under Control

Pond owners who are tired of removing weeds by hand will be pleased to learn that there are many ways to keep them under control without using manual labor. To do this effectively, you must first understand the characteristics of weeds and what causes them to grow in the first place.

Why Are Weeds So Tough To Get Rid Of?

Weeds are tough to eradicate due to their high growth rate. Regardless of how many times they are manually pulled out of ponds, not only will they grow back rapidly; they will often do so in a manner that often makes them thicker than they were previously. It doesn’t help that many pond owners are quick to turn to herbicides, which can be harmful to aquatic plants, humans and animals and in many states are banned outright.

How To Prevent Weeds

The best way to prevent weeds from growing in your pond is by using products such as pond dye or Muck Away. Unlike herbicides, which use chemicals harmful to the environment, Muck Away instead utilizes bacteria which is beneficial which eradicates muck that collects at the pond’s bottom, which is normally responsible for the fertilizing of pond weeds. Pond dye works by shading water in such a manner where UV rays are preventing from penetrating the water, where they can promote the growth of weeds.

How To Eradicate Weeds

Neither Muck Away nor pond dyes will do you much good once weeds have already established themselves in your pond. At this point you will need to use a weed cutter. There are brands on the market which operate mechanically, cutting through weeds near their base which then allows them to be raked away.

The best weed cutters are twenty eight inches and double sided. They should also be rust proof and coated with an aluminum handle. These are the best at eliminating unwanted aquatic vegetation, especially those that extend beyond the edge of the pond. Weed cutters which are V shaped are capable of clearing a path which is four feet wide, extending to the pond’s bottom where they will cut through weeds that are submerged, along with cattails and watermilfoil. Best of all, the highest quality weed cutters are light in weight, as they weigh no more than eight pounds. This makes them heavy enough to sink, but sufficiently light to be tossed up to thirty feet.

Skimmers along with pond rakes can also be used for weed removal. An added bonus of using these tools is that they will also eliminate dead debris from the ponds bottom. Debris is a major issue in ponds because they sink to the bottom where they dissolve and compromise the quality of the water, threatening the health of fish and other animals while promoting the growth of unwanted vegetation. Both sub surface or floating rakes will help you reach difficult areas to get rid of it.