Pond Boss Forums Thread Like Summary - Too late to fertilize?

I've been away for work the last 6 months and I didn't get to work with my pond so now I have hydrilla growing to the surface even in the 12' deep water in my 1 acre pond. Water is as clear as a pool, hard to catch bass, only have rain run off does the water get a little dingy and I can catch them for a little while. I am in South Louisiana, still 80 degrees, and I will use chemicals to start killing off some of the hydrilla, too much habitat, fish are everywhere. Water is still 80 degrees, can I pour liquid fertilizer and expect an algae bloom this late in the year? Thank you in advance!

Agree with esshup. Nuke the plants but do it by area. The dying plants will cause O2 depletion. So, do about 20% of the pond at a time. The fish can go to the other areas.

You won't get a bloom as long as you have the plants growing in there, the fertilizer will feed the plants.

Attempting to treat sections of a 1-acre pond is akin to letting one rip on one side of the bed and expecting the odor to remain on that side. According to my spouse, it doesn't!! ha!
Seriously, confining the impact of any herbicide based on its placement within a dynamic (constantly transitioning) environment is highly unlikely - even with granular products. Once an active ingredient is applied (whether using a granular or liquid "carrier" to distribute the active), it become mobile within the water-column and is likely to move or diffuse into untreated adjacent areas; although dilution-factors may reduce or impede its activity in said adjacent areas. Regardless, the degree of impact outside of the treated/targeted area will likely be out of one's control - and completely dependent upon several environmental factors that are present.
If you're attempting to selectively take out hydrilla while leaving other plant species intact, you'll need a much more refined tactic - and select an appropriate product. If that's not the case, you can initiate your whole-pond treatment earlier in the season (early spring), before the hydrilla's biomass has grown too large - and while water-temps are still relatively low - and still conduct an aggressive treatment that poses relatively little risk of causing a DO-crash.

Listen to what Kelly has to say. He's been in the weed treatment biz for over 30 years.

Kelly, good to see you again!!!