jymbee
Platinum Member
Indeed. We have a pretty large pond and every few years family members get together and pull 'em out. Some wade in, others work from a large raft. Kids have a ball and as you pointed out, they pull our very easily.
Getting rid of cattails
- Thread starter CajunRider
- Start date
- Views: 8619
Indeed. We have a pretty large pond and every few years family members get together and pull 'em out. Some wade in, others work from a large raft. Kids have a ball and as you pointed out, they pull our very easily.
OP
CajunRider
Platinum Member
It's only about 1 acre but I'm not about to get into the pond. There are often gators from near by swamp and show up in my pond overnight. And then there are also the water moccasins, which I don't like much, particularly when I'm stuck in the mud and can't move fast.
keegs
Veteran Member
I cut mine too... using a sickle bar mower. One other thing to consider is that they help to keep the water clean.
Industrial Toys
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2008
- Messages
- 16,742
- Location
- Ontario Canada
- Tractor
- Kubota R510 Wheel Loader + Cab and backhoe, JD 6200 Open Station, Cushman 6150, 4x4, ten foot 56 hp Kubota diesel hydraulic wing mower, Steiner 430 Diesel Max, Kawasaki Diesel Mule, JD 4x2 Electric Gator
I actually used my amphibious ARGO Diesel 8X8 for this task some years back. It still wasn't easy reaching over the side, but it got you right where you wanted to be. Kind of regret that I got rid of it.
OP
CajunRider
Platinum Member
Getting over-run by cattails is what happens when their natural predators are gone.
View attachment 507182
Bruce
The gators in my pond are arguably dinosaurs. They won't eat cattails however.
hawkeye08
Elite Member
My younger brother thought that a slow burn at one end of a 1/3 mile long patch of cattails would be fun. Problem is, the wind shifted and fanned the flames.. 911 operator had dozens of calls since it was close to freeway and they all thought the world was burning. It was going away from freeway and it burned itself out before fire dept got there. I didn't see that one in person but was there for some of the earlier ones and it makes a giant ball of flame and looks like it is going to explode or something..
Fire dept wanted to write my brother up for burning without permit, but declined when he said it would likely cost more than the ticket to get the big fire truck out of the mud (it ventured into the field to get close enough, but fire was done by then). They agreed to call it even and avoid paperwork.
Please note, burning is only temporary satisfaction, they come back stronger than ever...
Fire dept wanted to write my brother up for burning without permit, but declined when he said it would likely cost more than the ticket to get the big fire truck out of the mud (it ventured into the field to get close enough, but fire was done by then). They agreed to call it even and avoid paperwork.
Please note, burning is only temporary satisfaction, they come back stronger than ever...
jimmyj
Elite Member
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2007
- Messages
- 3,719
- Location
- Ontario Canada
- Tractor
- Allis Chalmers 616 (Two) and a Kioti CK30 HST with loader and backhoe
We had lots of cattails and one year there was a drought. They all died when the water was too low to cover them. Haven't been any back for 3 years now, weird but effective. Same thing in both the pond and the swamp, they are all gone. You could drain it for a year maybe?
Around here the most common way is to bring in an excavator and clean out the pond. I'd hate to do that as we have so many little critters in there. For general reduction, we got something called a VEEDER, which basically is a big knife that you throw in and pull out, cutting the weeds as you go. That used to keep them back, but the dry spell has been the best so far.
Around here the most common way is to bring in an excavator and clean out the pond. I'd hate to do that as we have so many little critters in there. For general reduction, we got something called a VEEDER, which basically is a big knife that you throw in and pull out, cutting the weeds as you go. That used to keep them back, but the dry spell has been the best so far.
jimmyj
Elite Member
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2007
- Messages
- 3,719
- Location
- Ontario Canada
- Tractor
- Allis Chalmers 616 (Two) and a Kioti CK30 HST with loader and backhoe
We had lots of cattails and one year there was a drought. They all died when the water was too low to cover them. Haven't been any back for 3 years now, weird but effective. Same thing in both the pond and the swamp, they are all gone. You could drain it for a year maybe?
Around here the most common way is to bring in an excavator and clean out the pond. I'd hate to do that as we have so many little critters in there. For general reduction, we got something called a VEEDER, which basically is a big knife that you throw in and pull out, cutting the weeds as you go. That used to keep them back, but the dry spell has been the best so far.
Around here the most common way is to bring in an excavator and clean out the pond. I'd hate to do that as we have so many little critters in there. For general reduction, we got something called a VEEDER, which basically is a big knife that you throw in and pull out, cutting the weeds as you go. That used to keep them back, but the dry spell has been the best so far.
OP
CajunRider
Platinum Member
I know about the veeder but I'm trying to find something that's a little less taxing for my back. I suppose I can pull it out with my tractor but then it's a lot of climbing on and off the tractor.