That is interesting.

We sure had a terrible FA bloom this year in the main pond. Not in the old pond though.

I've seen the stuff around in ponds for years and years. This old pond we refurbished had lots of it before cleaning it out. But not being that interested in ponds previously really never paid much attention to it.

I can see where it would be great fish habitat, based on what the small amount looked like that my wife placed in the little pool beside our house. And the yellow blooms did look pretty.

If I can control the stuff as needed with a hand sprayer and a reasonably priced glyphosate product, then letting it go for the time being is the best course. Like stated, the pond could use some more cover for fish fry and fingerlings. If I let it go for a while next spring, then kill it back either with mechanical or chemical control in the areas we want to fish from, that should work out well.

I mainly wanted to be sure it was not going to be "the weed from hell" and setting myself up for a nightmare.

This pond had fairly steep sides, but then using a backhoe I went around 2/3 of the perimeter (all but the dam) and made it larger. This caused a steep bank with water 5-6' deep out about 6-8', then shallow water again of a couple feed deep till it drops off again steep to the bottom. So I have some concern if it reaches out over this first area of water it can establish roots down again and extend even further out. But if it is reasonably easy to control even that should not pose much of a problem as long as I'm willing to do some maintenance each year with it. If I ever get tired of messing with the pond and just let it go, then it could get to be a mess as I see it.

Last edited by snrub; 10/20/14 09:35 AM.
John

I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine