Pond Edge Cattails w Landscape Rake

[HenRut]

I'm trying to rid a pond (1 acre) of cattails and shoreline weeds. I've tried the spray route but that takes too long and is only partially effective in killing the plant (mostly cattails). Plus you have to pull out the dead/dying plant by hand. Not fun. Luckily, the cattails only grow in the shallows, no more than 10, 12' from the shoreline, most of which is gently sloping to the water's edge and accessible by tractor or skid steer.

My idea is to use a landscape rake and attach it to the front loader with a a 3pt adapter. I could use the rear 3pt and just back in but would not have the control in digging and placement that the front rig would give me. I'm going out this weekend to measure to see if the reach is even far enough. If not, maybe I can find an old, used rake and weld an extension. Any better ideas?

 

[EddieWalker]

Cattails have tubers for roots. If you leave any part of the root in the ground, they will just come back again. You cannot get rid of them perminately by cutting them down. You might have a chance if you used an excavator and dug them out, but you still risk the chance of missing some of the roots. The only sure fire way to get rid of them is to use chemicals. It's ususally a slow process that requires multiple applications, but it is effective when done properly.

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[HenRut]

You're right about the multiple applications. I started the spray/pull by hand process last year (two applications of Avocet). Pulled up about 2/3 of the roots. Half grew back this season. Applied again but didn't pull roots. Might pull this month before water gets too cold to wade in. I considered renting a compact excavator but I live in a sensitive watershed area where permits would probably be required to bring in something the size of even a small excavator.

 

[20 20]

I'd try digging them out before chemicals, IMO chemicals = bad. I have been fighting cattails for yrs digging them. I have them somewhat under control but know that I will allways have to dig them up. You will want to get rid of them before they spread. If you can keep them dug out as much as possible it isn't all that big a deal. Don't foget they're also good for the diet, you can eat parts of the plant and make baskets and such with the leaves.

 

[EddieWalker]

I'd try digging them out before chemicals, IMO chemicals = bad. I have been fighting cattails for yrs digging them. I have them somewhat under control but know that I will allways have to dig them up. You will want to get rid of them before they spread. If you can keep them dug out as much as possible it isn't all that big a deal. Don't foget they're also good for the diet, you can eat parts of the plant and make baskets and such with the leaves.

I like chemicals for the very reason sited here. Use the correct chemicals at the right time and the problem is taken care of. Do it manually and you will never fix the problem, or spend years and years working on it with the probability of it getting worse, or back to normal in just a years time.

Eddie

 

[blueriver]

I like chemicals for the very reason sited here. Use the correct chemicals at the right time and the problem is taken care of. Do it manually and you will never fix the problem, or spend years and years working on it with the probability of it getting worse, or back to normal in just a years time.

Eddie

I too am for the chemicals ... thats why they make them and thats why I have an applicators license.

 

[20 20]

I like chemicals for the very reason sited here. Use the correct chemicals at the right time and the problem is taken care of. Do it manually and you will never fix the problem, or spend years and years working on it with the probability of it getting worse, or back to normal in just a years time.

Eddie

I understand where you're comming from, and agree chemicals might be the only choice left.
The only problem with chemicals that are "safe" is just that they're chemicals. At one time or another many chemicals said to be safe have proven to be just the oposite down the road. I think we'd all agree that we have seen what so called "safe" chemicals have done to the environment, not to mention animals{including us}. There are studies out now that say a lot of{again safe} chemicals that were thought to be safe may be the cause for autism and other defects.
So my question to anyone is; would it be better to dig and use a lot of elbow grease or take even a % of a tiny % chance of ruining a childs{or anyone for that matter} life? The day is comming that I am getting to broke to do labor, but I'm still not ready to take ANY chance on the so called "safe chemicals" that have been proven time after time not to be so safe.

Eddie I have see your water holes and think there awsome{thanks for sharing especially pictures} and honestly believe you know what your doing. So please don't take ill at my post, it's just something to think about.

 

[20 20]

Along with my other post; I know that scientist and great minds have done countless research on chemicals. I also am not a scientist, but I have to ask wasn't it scientist and great minds that have brought so much harm with their proven "safe" stuff in the past?

 

[Ken45101]

I don't know your pond shoreline, but I've known people who have had equipment slide into ponds (even big excavators). I would be leary of getting my tractor into that position.

Since you said the cattails only grow in shallow water, if you made the water deeper (excavator), maybe you'd eliminate a lot of them.

Ken

 

[20 20]

I don't know your pond shoreline, but I've known people who have had equipment slide into ponds (even big excavators). I would be leary of getting my tractor into that position.

Ken

Yep it happens, but experience and as you pointed out knowledge of the pond can prevent this. I was using my dozer cleaning around the edge of my pond, back blading. I made 2or3 passes {same spot} on the next pass 1 side just sunk. Once I was able to get the dozer out{2days of hard labor} I found my problem an old buried tree root. Most stuck situations where equipment got stuck, that I've seen, were caused by inexperience or lack of judgement.

 

[bcp]

Eat 'em!

Sell to an organic food store.

Cattail Recipes

Cattail

Bruce

 

[EddieWalker]

... So please don't take ill at my post, it's just something to think about.

No worries from here. I'm all for a cleaner environment and planet. I agree that some things are bad and should not be used. I also think that in most cases, the alternative to chemicals has a tendancy to do more harm and damage to the planet then the chemicals ever will.

Imagine what happens to the quality of the water when you dig into the shoreline to take out those plants. What about the damage to the soil and plants on the shoreline? What about getting that equipment to the shoreline and then returning it to where it came from. It wouldn't be too hard to imagine that the entire process requires 50 gallons of diesel fuel. What is worse to the planet? The total death of a specified plant species in a year or two by applying chemicals to that plant and nothign else? or the repeated, year after year, attack on removing a plant that just grows back again every year?

While this is pretty silly, there is something to the fact that the alternatives are worse then what they replace. The new lightbulbs are toxic when broken and full of mercury. Fuel efficient cars weigh less and are responsible for more deaths of people driving them. Windmills cannot replace a single power plant because they can only operat at ideal conditions and you always have to have power available 24/7, so they are bird killing eye sores that cost tax payers millions of dollars withot actually accomplishing anything.

The list goes on and on. I've gone from being a liberal, democrat, union member to the extreme opoisite who has found that everything we're told has a hidden agenda and it's all about who's making a buck off of it. Nothing that comes out of Washington is designed to help the planet or improve our standard of living. It's all just a scam.

I'm all in support of "YOUR" decission to take out and remove anything on your land that you want, and to do so any way that you want. I'm going to do the same, and in the end, even though we take opposite approaches, I'm betting that we'll both end up with what we want and the planet will still be doing just fine.

Eddie

 

[HiTech Redneck]

Hi! I also had catails around the edge of my pond.I used an aluminum,extendable tree trimmer with the saw blade on the tip.I dropped the blade in the pond so it rested on the bottom next to the base of the catail & gave it a couple of strokes.The catail popped up to the surface & I slid the saw to the next victim.I had quite a few but was surprised how fast they came out.The closer the the pond's edge I only used the one section of pruner which made it a little lighter.The next year some grew back & I again attacked them. I only did it twice & none have returned.This was about 8-10 years ago.Might seem odd but I'd do it again if I had to.(When the catails accumulated on the water surface I used the extendable pruner to pull the edge,took them out with rake & burned them)

 

[jinman]

I have several sandbars with cattails where I don't want them and some other places I wish I had them so that erosion would be controlled. I've had good luck where I don't want them by just backing the rotary cutter over them and keeping them cut down. Of course, if it's a wet year and I cannot get in to cut the plants before they go to seed, all I do is just propogate them. For years where I can repeatedly cut them, it seems that the tubers use up all their stored energy and the plants permanently die. I never have 100% control, but I sure seem to be successful at managing them in my limited environment. I can think of many situations where I couldn't use my technique.

I also use some chemicals to control pond weeds. I think chemicals are fine as long as you strictly follow the manufacturer's directions. I believe a lot of damage has been done by the "if a little is good, a lot is better" mentality. I constantly fight those urges that could cause me to overuse any chemical, whether it be a herbicide or pesticide. My pet peeve is to see highway crews heavily spraying ROWs with herbicides, especially along creek bridges where those chemicals wash into the streams and end up in many farm ponds that catch runoff from highways. I would not feel so strongly opposed if I saw them doing followup testing to see if herbicides were becoming over-concentrated in our ponds. I might be wrong, but I feel like a few spot checks are warranted.

 

[radioman]

I agree with the repeated mowings or timmings. For years while growing up, there was cattails in the ditch until I started mowing it. I would mow it in the spring when it is closest to ground from all the snow mashing it down and leaves a brown. Took me a few years of mowing, and then all the sudden they never came back up.

 

[20 20]

EddieWalker, I like your way of thinking. I also have changed many points of view and am now what I like to call a realist. I don't believe in any party because as you pointed out in the end it's all about the new god{$$$$$$$$$$$$$$}.

As far as the chemical thing goes I quess I just have a fear. I look at what is/has happened to one of our most simplist forms of life sources, food. They tell us the chemicals they add are perfectly safe, but we have girls maturing before their time and other health factors directly related. If they're going to use unhealthy food additives{chemicals} then what is stopping them on anything else? I quess it just boils down to use common sense. For you folks that do use chemicals I believe you are doing it correct, and believe in it to the best of your knowledge. I just have a fear of any of these chemicals and feel there is probably a natural way of taking care of business. After all how have any of our water ways survived for millions of years without the help of man?


One more note about cattails they are good for the water they have a natural filtration about them.

 

[ultrarunner]

I was thinking of adding cattails to my little pond for water quality and to give the fish a place to hide...

Bad idea... I guess?

 

[parisq]

I was thinking of adding cattails to my little pond for water quality and to give the fish a place to hide...

I've got a few you can have. <g>

 

[LarryD]

I believe a lot of damage has been done by the "if a little is good, a lot is better" mentality.

I completely get that statement. I use Remuda (cheaper than Roundup) to control the vegetation in my gravel areas and mix at 2%. My neighbor likes to mix at the 5% ratio because the weeds die in 7 to 10 days. My rate however takes a little longer but at the end of a month...we both have the same results.

And my gallon of concentrate lasts longer.

 

[dweitzel]

I was thinking of adding cattails to my little pond for water quality and to give the fish a place to hide...

I've got a few you can have. <g>

Cattails usually grow in 3' or less water. The only way to keep them from coming back in the majority of your pond is to excavate the sides and slope them up as sharp as possible leaving the only suitable area to grow about 1-3' from the bank. Then they are easily sprayed with an aquatic herbicide. I had a 25' reach track hoe come in and do the work . Took 1.5 days to completely renovate a cow pond and clean the entire bank around a 3/4 acre pond.

You will have some debris to let dry and remove at a later date. If you can with until mid summer when the pond is at its lowest point that helps.

An experienced operator should have no problem working the tracks around the edge of the water.

Just listing what worked for me.

DW