my father in-law has a small pond. Every year he has more and more Cat tails growing in it.?

Question

What should he do to get rid of them and then keep them from coming back?

Answer 1

you can use an aquatic herbicide called "Reward"
it is labeled for cattails....the amount needed will
depend on the size of your pond....
A word of advise...DO NOT cover the whole pond
at one time....spray only a 1/3 of pond at a time.
The directions for use will be on the label.
You should be able to find it at your local co-op..
or have them order it for you.

Answer 2

'reddaisy' has a great right idea to get rid of them after they're out, but your probably still wondering how to go about it. If you're talking about a natural pond with no liner it can be next to impossible without using restricted chemicals by someone licensed to use them. This usually ends up destroying the ponds ecostructure and everything in it. If it has a liner you and a couple friends should be able to wade in, lift it up and cutout manageable sections with a serrated kitchen knife. Or you can cut it off at the waterline and roll the root mass out like rolling up a large soggy carpet. Either of the last two methods should be filmed for posterity. RScott

Answer 3

they are very aggressive growers, once established almost imposable to get rid of. Only control I know of that is safe to use without killing other plants and fish is dig them out and dispose of the root system. This will control them. Sorry but they are bad news in a pond, in a few years they will be bank to bank. The will grow in water as deep as 1 1/2 meters. Good Luck

Answer 4

Agree with Red and RScott. Digging them out will be a pain in the sacroilliac. They are almost impossible to dig due to the fiberous root system. Do film it! what a hoot.

Answer 5

give them to fellow water gardeners or have a plant sale and sell them cheap. I love sharing and receiving plants from other fellow gardeners