Dealing with Aquatic Weeds

Properties that include pond, lake or sea edge land sometimes have more than a fantastic view and benefits of water close at hand. These properties can also come with problematic aquatic weeds. Here are four options to deal with weeds.

Chemical solutions are the most often used but far from my favorite because of the possible environmental effects. However, chemical options also tend to be the most economical and longest lasting solutions available. Chemicals can be purchased and applied to very specific areas rather than large areas, as you would need to do with other options. Unfortunately, there is a variety of weeds and algae that might be plaguing you and no single chemical can deal with everything. I highly recommend consulting a professional to help select the best product if you chose to go with a chemical solution.

Mechanical weed cutting is a solution that offers immediate results and satisfaction. It is a very effective short-term solution, but to achieve long-term control, you would need to cut on a continual basis. Cut weeds also need to be removed as quickly as possible after cutting so that the fragments do not spread or re establish themselves. You can do this all yourself using small hand operated equipment that you can rent or purchase. Just remember that this option can be both time consuming and expensive, either from continually renting the equipment or in the initial cost of the machinery.

Water draw down can be an effective option, particularly in the winter months. This will expose submersed weeds, which will die when they dry out or freeze in open air. However, this method can have some negative effects on the local environmental, so it needs to be done with extreme caution to avoid destruction of fish and wildlife habitats. This method can also cause the loss of some recreational use and can cause other types of weeds to make use of the space and resources freed up by the loss of the submerged weeds.

Biological methods control the weeds through organisms that eat the problem plants. The method also makes use of plant diseases that help keep the weeds in check. However, the results for this method can be slow to appear and unpredictable. However, it is also my preferred method because it is both financially and environmentally limited in risk.