Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Getting Rid of Eurasian Milfoil

Bob VanOrman and bkundework. Eurasian Water Milfoil (EWM) reproduces by seeds or by fragments of the plant. Pulling or cutting will just make the problem worse.

You can use Fluridone at the rate of 7-10 PPB (parts per billion) to kill it and any Curly Leaf Pondweed (CLPW). It's best to treat the EWM and CLPW early in the year - when the water temp is 60°F and there is no exchange of water in the lake/pond. It takes 30-45 days for the Fluridone to work, and in a larger body of water, a FAST Test is recommended at 10-15 days to ensure that the level of concentration is still in the lethal zone for those 2 species. It's best to treat it before it can set seeds, which is usually in June in Northern Indiana, so you have to begin treatment about 2 months prior. Using Fluridone in the correct concentration will give you at least 2 years EWM kill and possibly longer.

If you don't treat it before it sets the seeds, you will have to treat it again the following year to kill it before it releases the seeds.

I like using Fluridone because you can tailor the dosage according to what plants you want to kill, and it kills them over time so you greatly reduce the risk of an O2 crash that typically happens when a large amount of vegetation starts to decay.