Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants watermeal every year

Last year I treated for watermeal and killed my vegatation.This year some lillies managed to come back.My floating island is starting to get new plants also.
Now I am starting to see watermeal again.Does this stuff come back every year?I hate having to treat the pond every year.I would like to have a few plants in the water and around the edge.My main objective is fish health.Is it healthy for the fish when I kill every plant around or in the pond every year?This is only a 1/4 acre pond and shouldn,t be this hard to keep up with........Thanks,Joe

What treatment did you use to kill the watermeal?

As Travis is alluding to you simply need to use a herbicide that is more selective for watermeal. It appears you have not.

It could be that what you used did it's job, but what you are seeing this year are the seeds that sprouted that were put into the pond in the previous years.

I believe it was Sonar.It was the stuff that turns the plants white by blocking clorophyl.
Do you think it will quit coming back one of these years?...thanks Joe

You might have to re-treat to kill the seeds that germinated - no herbicide kills the seeds.

This is only a 1/4 acre pond and shouldn,t be this hard to keep up with........Thanks,Joe

OMG. Is there an echo in here?

I will probably treat it again.What herbicide kills watermeal and not lillies?

None that I know of, but I haven't researched it. I wonder if you cut off the lilies below the water surface, spray a contact herbicide on the watermeal, I wonder if the lilies would skate by unscathed?

What is the watermeal selective herbicide?....Joe

Joe,

I missed your affinity for the water lilies so not sure there is one. Otherwise I would have suggested a flurodone based herbicide.

It was whitecap that I used last year.I will probably do it again this year.I hate watermeal more than I like the other plantlife.....Joe

Joe,

Yeah sounds like that's really the only choice you have.

No chance of completely eliminating the watermeal so you won't have to apply it next year?

I'm probably going to have to break the bank for some or similar product. I just wish it wasn't so damn expensive!

Our watermeal seems to be abating after scaring the living ---- out of me. The primrose, however, seems to be on steroids. I am going to call in an airstrike.