How much do you like accessing your pond from the shore?
If you only think you want them in a certain area, fergettaboutit.
A fellow PB'er 2 years ago said "I want them to help control soil erosion. They can't be that bad, any that start growing out of place I'll just pull out."
This year he hit them all multiple times with a glyphosate product to eradicate all of them. He couldn't keep up with their spread, and they were hiding and attracting muskrats, which started to tunnel into his dam.
Esshup is spot on about the muskrats.Muskrats LOVE cattails, at least in the fall in my experience. When the air started cooling, they headed for the cattails for fall forage. The majority of my muskrat activity originates in the cattails. The only good thing about the cattails, they provide you with camoflage when hunting muskrats! They have their place in nature, but I'd leave them in the natural wetlands.
I have 2 small patches, and though lucky, I dont know why they have not spread. If I knew mine would stay like they are now, I'd leave them alone. But I hit them with glyphosate, after the catkins erupted. Will monitor next year closely.
Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat and drink beer.
I agree with Esshup. Danger, Will Robinson! I have been battling cattails since they showed up on my pond three years ago. They took over half of my pond.
