Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants Controlling American Pondweed

I am a new member to the website and it appears there is much expertise here. We have a pond approx. 3/4 to 1 acre. About 2 years ago the American pondweed appeared and is taking over. The Missouri Conservation Dept told us to spray with a product with glysophate last year but to no avail. We are looking into Aquathol or Super Aquathol K granuals. Does anyone have any information on what we should use. Thank you

I would think you need to add a surfactant to the glysophate for it to work to its full potential in a pond setting.. There are alot better products out there sorry I just don't know there names many here will though just give them a day or so..

Hey Tubbs welcome to the PBF! BK is right someone will be along shortly to help you out! There are a lot of guys out here that know there stuff when it come to the right chemical to use on whatever weed your having problems with. Like BK that guy is not me though! Sorry. Someone will chime in soon that can help you I am sure! Hang in there.

RC

Someone help this guy out..

Are Triploid Grass Carp a legal option?

Aquathol, Aquathol Super K, Clearcast with an approved surfacant, Tradewind (with an approved surfacant) and Fluridone products (Sonar A.S., Whitecap, etc.) all work. See the label on each of them for recommended application rates. Remember that if the label says "X" amount per acre foot, that an acre foot isn't a surface acre, it's a measurement of volume.

Hi and welcome to the forum!

Fluridone worked for me on a stubborn case of American Pondweed - cleaned things up in about 5 weeks. Bear in mind it's designed to treat ALL vegetation - so everything gets nuked - there's no measure of control. As a result, all of my excess nutrients were utilized readily by Filamentous Algae and Chara which quickly replaced the AP - so I went from beneficial vegetation to problem algae - although Chara is certainly better than FA.

Other treatment options include aforementioned grass carp, aqua shade before plants get going and towards the surface in the Spring, and aeration helps reduce nutrients on the pond bottom which accumulate and provide the food necessary for excessive vegetation.

Bottom line - something is going to utilize your nutrients in the pond. American pondweed is what most of us consider a very beneficial plant - in moderation, so I'd strongly advise against complete eradication [fluridone]. Think about treating sections of the pond with some of the products Esshup mentions - maybe 25%-40% - and see if you can live with it. Again, AP is a great cultivar for your pond compared to others which can become serious issues in a hurry.

Thanks for the info, it really helps. I think doing just a portion of the pond is a good solution.

After preparing to order the chemicals I need for the American Pondweed I see that Aquathol or Reward are both recommended by different sources. Any recommendations as to which would be a better product?

Also if your pond is small, consider mechanical removal. Although labor intensive, raking out the APW and dumping the debris below the dam will reduce the overall nutrient load.

We tried raking it last year but it just broke off at the root and came back with a vengeance. Also, it is now too far out from the shoreline to rake. We do not plan to eradicate all of it though because I have read where it is beneficial; it's just too much at this point.

It cuts easily with a weed razor, then rake out the cuttings.