Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants Flumigard aka flumioxazin

I'm battling some submersed plants in my pond and I'm curious how this has worked for those who tried it. I'm battling lily pads/ fragrant water lilies as well as coontail. The lily pads I've had solid success with 2-4d though I'm likely to switch to Imox this year but I wanted to do some damage to the coontail as well. I've got a large private lake with some shallower coves that are loaded with coontail and lily pads. The wind doesn't cause a lot of water churn so I feel this should do well.

I'm curious if I should do a foliare application or weighted hose to put it in the water better for the coontail.

I wouldn't switch. I would continue to use 2,4-D for the lily pads and Coontail. I would mix in a surfactant and some Cutrine Plus (especially for the coontail). If you only want to use one thing to combat both plants I would stay with 2,4-D, mix in some Cutrine Plus and make sure to use a surfactant in the tank mix, especially for the lilies. Lilies are best treated in the Fall when they are taking nutrients down to the roots to prepare for next Spring.

You are trying to use one thing for both and you will not get the results you want with Flumiozazin. Flumioxazin will not work on the lilies like you want it to work, and it's only rated as "good" for working on coontail. To me you are loosing ground on both of the plants if you go that route.

I would use a two pronged approach. I would continue to use 2,4-D with a surfactant for the lilies (it's rated as "excellent" for that application), and while 2,4-D is rated as "good" for the Coontail, Diquat mixed with Copper Compound (Cutrine Plus Liquid) works extremely well on Coontail. Use a weighted hose for the Diquat/CutPlus mix application.

Now what is rated as "Excellent" to work on both plants is Flurdone, but I don't recommend using that just because it cannot be used as a spot treatment and at the rate that you have to use it, it will nuke EVERY plant in the pond. Not to mention the price of it.

As with any herbicide, follow the label rates. Thinking "more is better" will only shock the plants and they won't translocate the herbicide to the areas of the plant that it is supposed to go. You will just give them a haircut and they will start re-growing again shortly.

The Flumigard is more for the coontail as at present that's my bigger issue. The 2-4d has done well with the lilypads, though I was advised Imox might give me better results with fewer retreats. I've not had good success with treating the submerged plants thus far, though I've not attempted to control them as early on the lily pads were the worst.

I've got a lot of mud and dirt around the edges and was told that impacts the diquat heavily. Would you recommend the diquat still with a copper compound?

Will you be stirring up the mud and dirt? If so, then yes it will impact using diquat. Then use http://www.cdms.net/ldat/ld195006.pdf

If you want a good treatment for the lilies, look into Habitat. It was a one and done for a pond covered with Water Shield for me..

I looked at aquathol k but was concerned about the risk of a fish kill if I overspray. I don't do this for a living so I was trying to be careful. Is it more forgiving than I'm thinking?

Aquathol K is more forgiving than Hydrothol 191 but you still have to do your due diligence and apply it correctly. I apply those from the shallowest water to the deepest, not the other way around.

Just like anything, you have to measure the area, water depth, etc. and do the calculations to know how much to apply. Not enough and you just condition the plants to ignore the herbicide, too much and you shock the plants and it doesn't work like it is supposed to.

As for killing fish, anything can be incorrectly applied and fish can be killed. That's why you have to read the label and follow the label directions. I've had customers kill fish in a 1/2 acre pond and also in part of a 4 acre pond by applying too much copper sulfate or Cutrine Plus to areas of their pond (or the whole pond in one instance) by not following the directions on the label.

Do you use sate photos to calculate acreage? This is a large private lake that's not going to be easy to calculate. I can guestimate it decent but was curious how others do it.

Yes, then "boots on the water" to measure water depth to calculate ac/ft in the treatment area.

Thanks again for the help.