If you don't kill the coontail before it forms bunchy winter buds in the bushy ends - "coontails" of the branched plants, then the winter buds break off, settle to the bottom and sprout new plants in spring. Coontail usually occurs as tangled masses of plants that are not rooted and float freely in the water. At times the plants can form 'roots'. but plants don't seem to need the roots. The underwater flowers form spiny seeds. I would try as much as feasible to remove as much plant biomass as possible before killing it. Removal takes out lots of nutrients that were used for growth. All of it dying in the pond will release all the absorbed nutrients to grow some other plant or more coontail next year. Be sure it is coontail as it can be confused with milfoils, Elodea, and Chara (aka Stonewort).
Last edited by Bill Cody; 07/30/23 08:04 AM. Reason: clarifying
