Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants Nuisance Willows

I have a pond on my property....it is roughly 1/3 acre. 3 areas around the pond are being over-run by a form of willow that grows as a single "whip". It started on the end of the pond in one area but they are spreading all over. In the picture, the largest area has some "whips" that are 2" in diameter at the base closest to the pond edge and get smaller as they go outward.

The 2nd largest area has the smallest ones at 1/2" - 1" diameter.

The smallest area has in-between sizes and some other nuisance plants.

They are also growing in all areas at the edge of the pond in the 1/2" - 1" diameter range.

I'm trying to figure out how to get rid of them.

I would tie a good rope on them and try to pull them out by the roots with a truck or tractor. If you can get an excavator easily, it might be worth it to scoop them out. Once you have those willows, it is hard to get rid of them. A single piece of tree or root in the water can start them over again.

I don't know what part of the country Titletown is in but, muskrat love young willow. If muskrat are endemic to your area, you are inviting them to move in and have dinner at your place unless you get rid of the willows....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vivmfR-5fe0

Off the top of my head I don't know of any willow specific herbicide that is approved for pond use, but Reward (when mixed according to the label recommendations) has whacked a LOT of different things for me, including horsetail rush.....

Titletown = Green Bay

Muskrats ......unfortunately yes

Great idea on pulling w truck/tractor/utv

Local biologist recommended Pathfider herbacide on the bark to girdle it

Healthy lookin lil b@$t@rd!

Willow can grow from sucker roots and fragmentation...

Glove of death works for me on cattails, cottonwood and willows. Stay on top of them and it's no chore to keep the pond managed.

They must also start from seed or fragments brought in by birds or something because I see several willow sprouts starting around my big pond that is three years old and there are no willows within an eighth mile and it is up hill from those.

So something carried in the source of the sprouts. I'll take care of them some time this summer before they grow much.

Control of willows is very simple and cheap for me. Just a light spray of 24d bought at any farm store and they wilt. Never ever had a fish kill from this.

I have my grandson cut them using a weed eater with a brush blade and then we go back and paint the top of the cut plant with a brush and round up. it just takes a dab of it. We do this a couple times of year or we would have hundreds of these small willows

Tracy

The willow was sprayed three days ago in cold rainy weather making the kill effect even slower I think. The next year the same plants don't seem to come back after spraying. *snip*

All,
Strolling through the forum today and saw this thread, thought I'd add my two cents.

Be very careful using herbicides around water. Make sure they are labeled for use in or around water and that you stay within the bounds of the label.

Of course, I'm in the fisheries management and pond management business and if a commercial applicator doesn't follow labels, there are serious fines, not to mention it's just not healthy for water.

I haven't had a ton of long term luck with the 'rip them out with a truck/tractor/atv' solution. One little piece of root gets left and they just spring right back the next year. I tried this for years and it was a never ending job.

Judicious application of a herbicide is the route I've taken. I used to hate the idea, but it just doesn't seem to work with anything else.

small ones I just spray....larger ones I use the cut and paint the stump method.

X2 on the 'make sure you use an approved aquatic herbicide'.

Reward will only burn the plant and not kill the root which means you will be retreating. The 2,4-D product that was posted is not for use in aquatic environments and I am 99% positive that Willows are dicots(Broadleafs) which means it should work but look at DMA-4 which is approved for your pond. I prefer Habitat or would even spend my money on an aquatic roundup like Rodeo or ShoreKleer. Add a surfactant and you are in business. Just remember by killing the willows you will still have dead biomass to remove.

Aquaplant


Salix nigra

Description | Management Options | Other Photos

Management Options
Mechanical/Physical Control Options
Willows can be cut and the roots can be jug up but physical control is difficult because it can reestablish from seeds or remaining roots.

Biological Control Options
There is no known biological control for willows.

Chemical Control Options
The active ingredients that have been successful in treating willows include 2, 4-D(E), triclopyr(E), glyphosate(E), and imazapyr (E). E = excellent, G = good

Navigate and Weedar 64 are 2,4-D compounds that have been effective on willows. 2,4-D compounds are systemic herbicides. Systemic herbicides are absorbed and move within the plant to the site of actions. Systemic herbicides tend to act more slowly than contact herbicides.

Renovate is a liquid triclopyr formulation that is effective on willow. It is a selective broadleaf, systemic herbicide. Systemic herbicides are absorbed and move within the plant to the site of action. Systemic herbicides tend to act more slowly than contact herbicides. An aquatically registered surfactant (see the label) will improve the effectiveness of triclopyr.

Rodeo, Aquamaster, Eraser AQ, Touchdown Pro, and AquaNeat are liquid glyphosate formulations and have been effective on willow. These are broad spectrum systemic herbicides. Systemic herbicides are absorbed and move within the plant to the site of action. Systemic herbicides tend to a ct more slowly than contact herbicides. An aquatically registered surfactant (see the label) will have to be added to the glyphosate solution for good results.

Habitat contains the active ingredient, imazapyr, which inhibits the plant enzyme AHAS (acetohydroxyaced synthase). Habitat is a systemic herbicide that is effective on post-emergent floating and emergent aquatic vegetation. Imazapyr is effective at low-volume rates and does not contain heavy metals, organochlorides or phosphates, making it safe to humans and livestock. Habitat requires the use of a spray adjuvant when applying on post-emergent vegetation.

One danger with any chemical control method is the chance of an oxygen depletion after the treatment caused by the decomposition of the dead plant material. Oxygen depletions can kill fish in the pond. If the pond is heavily infested with weeds it may be possible (depending on the herbicide chosen) to treat the pond in sections and let each section decompose for about two weeks before treating another section. Aeration, particularly at night, for several days after treatment may help control the oxygen depletion.

I have also pulled willows out with my tractor. They can come back. What I do leaves dead trees sticking up out of the water that disintegrate eventually. The way I discovered how effective *snip* was when I was spraying my bank around the pond for broadleaf weeds that just a wiff of the spray hitting the a willow started the leaves to wilt. Just my experience. DON'T DO THIS.

My highlights.

Enuf said. Basically, if it's not rated for use in or around ponds, DON'T USE IT. I don't care what you use in your own pond, just don't recommend it to be used or insinuate that it can be used. Just because you use it and don't have any problems doesn't mean that others won't.

John Monroe, unless I get told by Bob otherwise, any other posts I see by you or anybody else recommending or saying "Hey, this is what "I" used, and it worked and I had no problems using it, but don't you do it." or anything else like that I will delete them. Simple as that. I am a moderator here. I have an applicators license. There can be repercussions for me and my business if the State Chemist here in Indiana wants to because I know of an application that goes against the labeled application.

Esshup I wholeheartedly agree with you that people should be very careful of saying things or making recommendations that are illegal. Be it with pesticides or catching public fish for stocking private impoundments (that may or may not be legal depending where you live or the possibly of requiring permits) or even telling people it is ok to run a stop sign or go 5 mph over the speed limit.

A person never knows who is monitoring this site and it might just be the over zealous neighbor that works for the EPA or Fish and Game or police department. So it is in everyone's self interest not to be posting things on that the internet that they may be doing illegally, no matter how innocent the intention.

John Monroe, I sure would not want to be posting a label and saying I used something that is illegal to use in the way you did. I know you of all people are as attuned and concerned about the environment and properly taking care of it. It would be a shame if you got in trouble for something you were just trying to help others and inadvertently cooked your own goose.

But Esshup are you telling me that simply knowing someone did something illegal with a chemical makes you legally liable? Even someone across the country that posts for all we know anomalously (maybe John Monroe is a fictitious character for all you know)?

That seems like taking the law to levels that can not be supported in a court. Or perhaps I misunderstand what you mean. Because some guy in the US did something illegal with chemicals you are required by law to be a squealer or they will revoke your license and fine you?

snrub, it is my understanding that if it can be proven that I saw the public recommendation and I did not voice the correct recommendation or at least say it's illegal, then yes, I was told that I could have my toes held to the fire so to speak. Especially if it is within the same state that I hold my license. If I was just a member of the forum, I probably could get away with saying "What post?". As a moderator, I don't think that would hold water.

Here's another one for you.

You are a pond owner in Michigan. You have a permanent inflow and/or outflow built into your pond. (i.e. an overflow drain will fit the criteria) You must have a stocking permit from the state to stock fish into your pond. If you call me to stock fish in your pond, and you do NOT have the stocking permit, I can be held accountable for stocking the pond without a permit, the same as the owner. That is the reason why you will find very few out of state companies that will stock fish in Michigan, if any. The state of Michigan expects me to be part of their police force, making sure that the pond owner has the stocking permit.

I snort Diquat(aquatically approved) on a regular basis. No rush but no nose hair either !!

Is that where your tan comes from Bob?

Personally, I would not live in such a nanny state that required such permits. Just a principle of personal freedom.

BTW, where did the original stock for all fish farms come from? PUBLIC waters.

Scott, that's possible but I think it's my competing with the Manatee for the submerged vegetation.