Pond weeds or lake weeds can quickly grow above the water body. You should be afraid of their growth, like some that look like duckweed, and can be dangerous for native species. Such notorious weed species can destroy a normal ecosystem and degrade the aesthetic value of a region. If you have a lake or pond that needs duckweed control, find useful tips below to kill them.
1. Prevention is better than cure! Take preventive measures to prevent the growth of lake weeds: if the banks of the pond are steeply tilted, the weeds will face obstacles in their growth. However, if banks have shallow margins, they can grow, and indeed, they can spread into deep waters. Thus, the ideal shore height should be 4 feet, where the water depth is only 2-3 feet. This can prevent the growth of weeds.
2. Mechanically pull out the weeds — manually: if you need to get rid of the lake weed from your pond and restore its aesthetic value, initiate your hand by pulling out the weeds. If the infection is such that it needs more attention, and where the hands are not enough, you can use an underwater cutter. They are good for creating unpleasant plants, such as water yarrow and water lilies. The only drawback to using an underwater cutter is that they will lie at the bottom of the lake and there are some types of weeds that can reproduce from small pieces.
3. Use the drawdown method for weed control: this method works best in the winter season. During the winter, prolonged freezing results in sediment exposure. In such a situation, low water levels will expose the plants so that they dry and leak, to further emphasize the plants and make them incapable of transporting nutrients.
4. Treat the pond with a herbicide: the chemicals used to grow (or destroy) water weeds are known as herbicides. If used in the right proportions, they can remove weeds and algae without harming fish and other native species in the pond. You can successfully treat 25% -33% of the pond area with herbicides at any time. Too many chemicals can damage the species in the water.
5. Use the BENTHIC Barrier: The BENTHIC Barrier is also commonly known as the bottom screen. It covers the sediment like a blanket and compresses water plants, preventing sunlight from entering. Because in the sunshine they thrive, and when you shut off their main source, they will always die. Colonies that are too expandable for manual rolling can be covered with lower screens.
