Cattail Killer, or how to clean up around the pond?

[o2batsea]

Here's the deal...I have a small 1/2 acre pond that's part of the septic system. It's got a gentle slope into the water of maybe 10 degrees. The berm is somewhat soft when the water is high and in the summer it's rock hard when the water is low. The best time to cut is obviously when the water is low and the berm hard. Well the thing is that the cattails have really gotten out of hand and they are pretty thick in summer. I'd like to be able to nip them before they get monster sized which means risking a stuck and worse, tearing up the berm.
My thought is something like a giant sickle mower that fits the loader, or one that goes on a TPH but sticks out backwards so I can back into the edge of the pond. Maybe a giant chain saw. Of course it has to operate under water. I don't want to make something that is too highly engineered because I want to lick this problem and hopefully kill off the Cattails with chems.

Arsenal includes a Kioti DK45 Cab with a backhoe and loader, a Gravely 8123 rider with front attachment adapter and belly mower, a Gravely walk behind that's pretty much never moving again, and random weed whackers, pioneer tools and a Model 90 Brush Bandit (which has nothing to do with cattails other than maybe eating them) that I just refurbished.

Any brilliant thoughts? Many thanks.

 

[moonlite]

I have done quite well with Roundup. It will not kill the fish

 

[ToadHill]

Import a muskrat, they love cattail roots.

 

[trialsguy]

I hope its ok to mention another fantastic site like this one,

Check out Pond Boss Magazine go to the "ask the boss" and click on any of the forums. The guys over there are some of the best bunch of guys you will ever meet. Just like here, in fact I have posted this site over there when there was tractor questions. The roundup is fine for around the pond but the surfactant that is in round up is what is suppose to cause problems with frogs.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Depending on how big the pond is try a chain drag across the pond. If you have a long cable or chain you can drag it across the bottom and may drag them up to the edge.

 

[forgeblast]

how do cattails spread, rhyzomes or seed? dragging the heads where the seed might be may spread them even more.

 

[20 20]

The best way to get rid of them is to redig. If you can't do that then try to dig as much up as possible from the bank with your BH. I also took a push mower, made a handle to fit my mini excavator and use that to reach out and mow them down.
I'm against chemicals no matter how safe they are labeled. Just check how safe yesteryears chemicals were before they found them to cause some type of under lying problem.

I have a stupid question, you say the pond is part of your septic? What do you mean?

 

[20 20]

Import a muskrat, they love cattail roots.

this cracked me up . Muskrat love cattails that is for sure, they also love to destroy the side banks of a pond. I did have a beaver for a while he tore a crap load of cattails out, still wasn't enough though.

 

[bhostasa]

I have done quite well with Roundup. It will not kill the fish

Are you talking about regular Round up or is there some type of aquatic version?

I have some cat tails that I'd like to get rid of but have always been hesitant to use chemicals.

 

[tommcintire]

We had a pond as a kid, and the muskrats did do a good job on the cattails. Yeah, they burrow into the banks, but it is a tradeoff...

Unfortunately, cattails do spread both by seed and by rhysome. Mechanical removal before they reach the "puffy stage" is ideal.

If you are in a location that freezes during the winter, you also can cut them off at ice level and dispose of the tops. It doesn't eliminate them, but it helps. I used to use a shovel which I sharpened the edge on. (I loved ice skating).

Yes, Roundup will work, but be warned, it is not advised for women who are pregnant, nursing, or may become pregnant... My brother looked into it and found that while the "active ingredient" wasn't of concern, some of the other ingredients could be damaging to the unborn, and newly born... Better safe than sorry here...

-Tom