Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants Watermeal?

Hello all, I'm new here and new to bossing my pond. But my pond is not new, and I'm not sure how old it is. I have two small children and am looking forward to getting it in order so I can take the girls fishing from time to time, and then from other times, to get away from all three girls (wife) .

This summer I started to have a real problem with Duckweed, and I sparyed for this with Weedtrine-D and that really did a great job. But then about a week later, to present, I am infested with Watermeal. I've talked to a local biologist/applicaotr for aquatic control and he suggest waiting till next spring and using Sonar. That it's to late in the season to apply it this year, for the money that I will spend and that it will be droping soon because of the cold.

Here is my question, when will I start to see this disapper? My pond looks tereible. Any other suggestions or advice would be greatly apreated. I'm also looking into airating the pond as well.

Can't wait to get my next issue of Pond Boos. Already read through the two I have about a dozen times.

Welcome to the forum.

I have a little experience with watermeal and the advise you got sounds reasonable.

Wait until mid June to put out Sonar. I tried it and I'd like to think I'm done with watermeal because not long afterward, the stuff disappeared but we will find out this summer.

Aeration is a good idea for any man made water body but in my experience is not incredibally effective in treating watermil. Aeration will however help prevent algae blooms, odors, increase DO, eliminate thermal stratification, and improve your pond ecosystem in general.

I just took a look in my library for milfoil information and found a couple of things.

1. Nitrogen seems to be the limiting nutrient for watermilfoil so try to eliminate/reduce the amounts that get into your pond. This can be achieved through sound watershed management and Best Management Practices.

2. There is a biological control called a Milfoil Weevil (Euhrychiopsis lecontei). Although I have never used this product and therefore cannot actually recommend it, it is available. You can buy them as part of a management plan call MiddFoil by EnviroScience.

It seems as though the best option is to physicaly pull the plants out and dispose of them. This sounds like a lot of work.

Eurasian watermilfoil is a much different plant from the one this dude is talking about. Watermeal (Wolffia spp.) is a floating non rooted plant and is the world smallesst flowering plant I believe. Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) is a rooted plant that forms a canopy after it tops out. If you are in northern Indiana, I would wait until you first see it appear or wait until May before your first application of fluoridone (sonar).

Don't know anything about Eurasian watermilfoil or Watermeal but I did notice that this is your first post Jellofun.

Welcome to PondBoss!!!

They are indeed very different plants .

http://aquaplant.tamu.edu/

Only one little link???

Ewest I think you are losing your touch.

Thanks for the warm welcome jeff I look forward to having some fun on this site in the future.

Jeff in this case 1 outside link is enough ( over abundant linkishness can lead to lost links when the forum changes servers - )

Watermeal is the smallest aquatic plant. Very little surface area, very little uptake. Sonar or Avast are the only chemicals I have had any real success with. At the rate required to kill the watermeal, you will have very little, if any aquatic vegetation left. You need to know the amount of water you have, down to the ft3.