Cattails in Pond

TomWAiken · Jan 19, 2001

Anyone know how to get rid of cattails in a pond. They are overtaking my pond and there are too many to pull out.

mdbarb · Jan 19, 2001

I would like to know this also. They have completely filled my neighbors pond, I figure I have about 2 more years before I don't see any water

gerard · Jan 19, 2001

Short answer is if you can't pull them out your option is to use a long reach excavator and dig them out. Cattails only grow in shallow water (less than 4 feet deep approx). After you get rid of what you have and want to prevent future regrowth the best way is to reduce the shallow areas (ie dig pond deeper with steeper sides/drop off) and if you REALLY want to do it right line the sides with poly liner and cover with stone/ballast/ or even dirt just to hide the liner. If the dirts shallow and you get any regrowth it's pretty easy to pull out. Large rolls of poly are pretty cheap and will last along time if you cover them so the UV rays can't get at them.

mdbarb · Jan 19, 2001

hmmm... At the rate they grow and the rate I could wade thru the muck and pull them and my back out, the cattails win. At the rate an excavator would charge, the cattails win, for now....

Bill_in_MI · Jan 19, 2001

Chemicals can be effective, though there are many variables to consider, including your own feelings about using the same. I have used a product called Sonar and it works quite well. (Affects the pigment producing function of the plants. They turn "white" and dye from interruption of photosynthesis)
It is generally "safe" for people and wildlife, but really expensive. Amount needed depends upon the size of the pond and flow in and out, if any. One thing to remember if you have a fish population you want to maintain is that even if the chemical is harmless to them, large quantities of dying plants will sap the oxygen level substantially. That alone could result in die off. You should be able to do a search on aquatic herbicides and find other alternatives to Sonar along with safety information. Good luck.

RJohnson · Jan 21, 2001

You might try this site for information on controlling cattails.
http://wildthings.tamu.edu/aquaplant/Emergent Plants/Cattail/cattail_mgmt_options.htm
If your pond is not too deep you will probably continue to have trouble with cattails. If you have alot of runoff with sediment the cattails will filter the sediment out and make your pond shallower. Good luck.
Randy

gordon · Jan 21, 2001

What about using a chain type harrow to rip them out by the roots. Would this work?
Gordon

TomWAiken · Jan 22, 2001

Randy, Thanks for the great website! That was my answer and I'll be on it first thing in the Spring!

fishman · Jan 22, 2001

Rodeo (or Pond Master) is a chemical that provides excellent control of cattails. It is essentially the aquatic version of Roundup. Although Bill has had success with Sonar in his pond, it is not the best choice for cattails. It is more expensive and is not as effective as Rodeo. I don't think that any mechanical removal method would be 100% effective.

gerard · Jan 22, 2001

Gordon - No.
I tried that with a 100ft cable tied to a heavy harrow drag. Bends them over but doesn't rip them out. Good thought though (I had it too!)

TomWAiken · Jan 22, 2001

Fishman, thanks. Rodeo looks like the best bet. Expensive but I only have a one acre pond.

VinNB · Jan 22, 2001

A guy down the road from me has a pond and he had a bad cattail problem. A couple of years ago he decided to get rid of them. what he did was let them grow up untill the head started to form and he cut them off under water so they would drown, even if the water level dropped. It has worked good for him. His pond has been cattail free ever since.

TomWAiken · Jan 22, 2001

That sounds too easy. I've cut them before but not under the water. I'll experiment this year with an area of Rodeo and an area cut under the water as you say and let you know. If it works for me it sure will be less expensive.

rekees · Jan 23, 2001

Tom

I bought a farm last year that has a 2 acre pond. The previous owner actually liked cattails so she just let them grow for 13 years. The result was a pond completely surrounded by cattails from the shore extending 10-20 feet out. I hired a guy with a trackhoe to dig them out. He dug deep enough into the muck so they will not grow back. That's the secret....they wont grow in water over 3-4 feet deep. It cost me around $500 which I think was worth it to permanently fix a big problem like that. In previous posts chemicals were mentioned but I didn't think that would be prudent since the pond is our drinking water source.

By the way, if you do get it dug out remember that the muck has to be dumped somewhere. I just had it dumped over the dam. The guy said it takes 1-2 years for muck to dry out. He's coming back with a dozer to level it out when it's dry enough.

Chuck in IN

TomWAiken · Jan 23, 2001

I was concerned about mudding up the water and killing the fish. Did you have any problems getting the water to clear up?

gerard · Jan 23, 2001

I wouldn't worry about the mud, it'll settle out.

rekees · Jan 23, 2001

I was also concerned about muddy water but it cleared up in a week and there was no fish kill. The pond is 2 acres and 30 feet deep so that probably helped to delute the muddy water quickly. However, a smaller or shallower pond could be a different story?

Chuck in IN

Harv · Jan 23, 2001

<font color=blue>The pond is 2 acres and 30 feet deep</font color=blue>

Dang, Chuck! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif What's the story on that hole? Left over from your nuclear-testing days? /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif