Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants Clippings from Mowing Around Pond

I recently mowed around my pond (about 2.5 acres) and a lot of the clippings got blown into the water. I didn't think much of it at the time but now two weeks later I have a lot of algea and clippings still floating on the top of the water. I have 13 white amurs but I would say about 1/3 of the pond is now covered in debris. Is this a problem? What will eventually happen if I don't remove it? We are getting colder now in NE OH and so I don't think it will continue to spread but i'm not sure...

On a separate note, how does everyone mow around their ponds without dumping their mowers in? I use a brush hog behind a ford jubilee but I can't get close enough without risking falling in the pond... I am thinking of picking up a sickle bar mower that would allow me to keep distance and keep the banks clean... any other tricks that work?

I have a nice border of brush and blackberries around my pond for that reason

I always blow the grass away from the water for several laps until I am far enough away to avoid throwing the clippings in the pond. I can only mow my dam (the remainder is wicked dangerous for mowing) and the dam is not too steep for my zero-turn. I did line the dam shore with 6 to 10 inch rock that would help me not get too deep into the pond should I slide close to the water and I mounted tow lugs to the mower frame in case my 8N had to be employed to pull the mower out.

I wouldn't worry too much about the clippings currently in your pond, but would avoid it in the future. Manual remove is an option at this time, but aside from being unsightly, it's not going to be noticed in a month or two. Like Dale said, if you leave a stand of taller "stuff" at the shore, it can act like a filter and block a lot of clippings from getting into the water, but now you have, what most consider, weeds at the pond shore. I end up with that row of vegetation at the shore and a weed-eater is used to knock it down. So long as you attack the weeds from the proper direction, the clippings, for the most part, get thrown back to the bank.

Brush hogs do tend to throw to one side as well and you could start your first lap around the pond about 3 or 4 laps out and work your way in to the bank. I do like your idea of getting a sickle bar and that would probably be best, BUT at my place it would only mean more work so I have not got one.

I now use an old lightweight push mower and push type weed eater near the water, but I leave a little row of taller grass just above the water line to filter some of the debris that might get washed in. I had to pull my old ZTR out of the mud just above the water line a couple of times. I'm not taking a chance with the ZTR any more.

We use our 42" riding mower to cut next to the pond. We have a good edge of rip rap all around the pond that we spray roundup on anything that grows in it.

Same too blow clippings away from the water for six rounds and pick it up with a lawn sweep.

Cheers Don.

My pond mowing is improving each year. I now use a pole hedge trimmer instead of a weed eater around dock, I use a sickle mower on tractor around as much as I can, and like said above mow 3-4 rounds with grass clippings pointed away from pond with zero turn mower.

You might try something like this: http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=390272