Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants Long distance weed puller?

Has anyone come up with a long wand type weed puller, that can be used to reach into deeper water and remove weeds?

This year there seems to be a marked increase in the weeds along the shoreline of my pond. I'll discribe them as long slinder, round, knitting needle like clumps. I'd like to remove them before they over run the slope into the pond. I don't mind a few but, I'd like to control them. Some are deeper than I am comfortable wading on a steep sloped pond edge.

BTW what are they called?

They're called weeds until we can get some pics!

You are talking about weeds that grow in the water, and are submerged; or are you talking about emergent weeds that grow in the water?

Here are the photos;


So can anyone indentify them? What is the best way to get at the deep ones other than wading in and pulling up the clumps?

Yey, I know I'm over the top with the pond manacure.

I can't tell in the 2nd pic, but in the first pic can you pull the stem apart in sections? If not, then I'd say it's a type of rush. Are the stems round, or more like a grass?

Rushes are usually not a bad plant to have and don't get terribly out of control. Lepomids (fish in the sunfish family) like to spawn around them. However, my choice of control would be a herbicide selectively spraying the ones I don't want. Any herbicide with glyphosate in it along with a surfactant will do.

I bought one last year that already had the surfactant in it. I believe it's called Shoreclear.

esshup,

The stems are round like a knitting needle. There's no sections and can't be pulled apart. The second photo shows how they have lined the bank, which is quite steep and slippery. I may get to them once the pond water goes down in July like it has in past years. I'll leave a few for the pumpkin seeds.

Most likey are rush, as you suggested. Does it have another name other than rush?

I assume those are pics from last year. You might (repeat might) have two different species of spike rush (Eleochris) or maybe Juncus. When it flowers this year, get close pictures of the flowers or seed heads and I can give more advice. Cecil's reference to the glysophate product is more specifically ShoreKlear-Plus mfg by Applied Biochemists - the Aquashade company. Just ShoreKlear does not have the surfactant - adjuvant. Some Eleochris species grow very shallow others can grow to around 24" deep but seldom deeper. Excellent shallow water fish habitat and shoreline stabilization.

After all, he's one of the experts! I ain't!!!!!

Make sure that the formulation of glyphosate is labelled for aquatic use. Surfactants in the most common formulations of glyphosate are not safe for aquatic critters. Rodeo and ShoreKlear (obviously) are a couple of approved formulations. RoundUp is not approved for aquatic use due to the toxicity of formulation ingredients on aquatic organisms.