Pond Boss
Posted By: tac5 Floating Heart Eradication Continued Pt.2 - 07/07/05 08:56 PM
I continue to do battle with this evil plant. The shoreline of my 1 acre pond was completely taken over out to about 10 feet when I first sprayed the beds with Rodeo this spring. The initial kill was dramatic, and after a few extra applications I began to rake out the long stems that remained. Many were dead, but new growth was sprouting from the bottom as the upper levels were dying. The process by which this plant grows presents my dilemma. I spray the surface area with Glyphosate, but by the time the herbicide is absorbed into the plant there are already runners (stolons) growing out in new directions. These runners root and send up new growth which has an independent vascular system from the parent plant (the one that received the herbicide). It seems to be one step ahead of me, but each new growth is thinner and less aggressive than the last. I have cleared one side of the pond by cutting and bottom raking with the result being that it is now fishable, but I still must continue to spot spray and rake to keep it this way. I am faced with the realization that glyphosate or ANY systemic herbicide alone will not completely eradicate this plant. I will be spot spraying to infinity just to keep it in check. My conclusion is that I need a safe and effective contact herbicide to attack the root system and prevent the runners from establishing new growth. This plant is a perennial and will lie dormant all winter while the surface appears clear. So I am asking the experts here (if you've read this far) to recommend a product that will accomplish the task. I still believe 2,4-D pellets (Aquacide) would do the job, but I cannot have it legally delivered to me in Texas. I welcome your advice. I don't mind hard work, but I've worn myself out and it's getting hotter every day.
do a search for submergant plant herbicides. Lots of info. May need a combo of spray and granular, which will sink and attack new plants.
Posted By: tac5 Re: Floating Heart Eradication Continued Pt.2 - 08/12/05 02:38 PM
Success at last. My last canoe trip around my 1 acre pond revealed only a few small spots of Floating Heart which I quickly sprayed with Rodeo. My pond is 99% clear, 2.5 feet low, but the water quality is still good. Algae is at a minimum and almost all of the dead vegetation has been removed. The fish seem to be just fine; they feed voraciously in the evening (I am feeding only three days a week until my water level increases). A month ago I thought my work would never end and now my pond looks better than it ever has (with the exception of the low water). I can't wait until it fills back up with the future rains. At that time I will add one more dose of microbes. Glyphosate did the trick, with repeated applications and a lot of manual labor in removing the dying vegetation. Thanks to everyone for your advice.
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