I wish I could get the lily up, but when I planted it, it weighed upwards of 80-90 pounds. Not to mention I planted it where there is a sluff in the intention of using the lily roots to hold things together. So far THAT plan worked as the lily really has one hell of a root system!
After reading it seems like manual control may be best as if I stay on top of it to where it cannot form pods or seeds, the plant will be done in the hot weather and there will be less of them to deal with next year.
As far as cat tails, you may be right, but there are areas of shoreline where I have constant water seepage/springs into the pond where I cannot access with equipment. Weed-eating is even risky there since the soil is not stable enough to risk it (full of gas!). The thought is better cattails than poplar or willow trees.
Ah, the pleasure of having wacky springs full of natural gas. Somewhere nearby is a badly-plugged natural gas well that is leaking gas into the aquafier and is getting into all of our groundwater.
