Cattails

[dogghr]

I have a small cattle pond maybe 20-30 yds in diameter. It is being overtaken with cattails. What is the best spray or ingredient to rid these? And when should the spray be applied in the summer? No fish in pond but multitude of invertebrates that I'd rather not harm. Seldom used by deer.
I was thinking Clearcast. And Imox is approved for water management. Gly would work but not sure of animal population of pond. And was going to spray mid summer before seed matures. My sprayer will reach the entire pond.
What say ye experts? Thanks.

 

[Native Hunter]

Don't kill your free survival food. If the direction of this country doesn't turn around, you may soon be dining on scalloped cattails. Link below:

http://www.eattheweeds.com/cattails-a-survival-dinner/

 

[dogghr]

Don't kill your free survival food. If the direction of this country doesn't turn around, you may soon be dining on scalloped cattails. Link below:

http://www.eattheweeds.com/cattails-a-survival-dinner/

Funny as I've always known them as survival food. I've eaten the root tubors and they are good. Much like a cucumber. Supposedly you can cook the seed cones like corn and are edible, not so sure of that. I have those, dandelion, which is good for coffee from its roots, and salad of its leaves and blooms, chicory for salad and coffee, various wild flowers that supply by root and leaves, acres of nuts, fish in my stream.... you get my drift.

 

[Native Hunter]

Funny as I've always known them as survival food. I've eaten the root tubors and they are good. Much like a cucumber. Supposedly you can cook the seed cones like corn and are edible, not so sure of that. I have those, dandelion, which is good for coffee from its roots, and salad of its leaves and blooms, chicory for salad and coffee, various wild flowers that supply by root and leaves, acres of nuts, fish in my stream.... you get my drift.

Yes, your drift is that a country boy can survive.

 

[BenAllgood]

First, get some muskrats or nutria. Both of those have wiped out my cattails and irises.


Then, get you a good trapper to get rid of the muskrats and/or nutria.

 

[TreeDaddy]

Yes, your drift is that a country boy can survive.

......shotgun,a rifle,and a 4 wheel drive......

bill

 

[Drycreek]

When survival time comes, I’m gonna be Robin Hood !

 

[Tap]

Shoreline Defense from the Pond Guy website.
Its gly, but its marketed to safely kill cattails. My buddy has used it in his pond with good results.

 

[deer patch]

Roundup Custom is for aquatic use. Works on Lilly pads really well but I’ve never had any cattails before.

 

[massey]

Rodeo is roundup for ponds. I’ve used it for 20 years. Don’t kill them all at once because decaying matter in a pond will deoxegenate the water and kill invertebrates.


Sent from my iPhone using Deer Hunter Forum

 

[Mitch123]

CattPlex. Have to spray them 2-3 times but really whacks them.

 

[Tap]

Rodeo is roundup for ponds. I’ve used it for 20 years. Don’t kill them all at once because decaying matter in a pond will deoxegenate the water and kill invertebrates.


Sent from my iPhone using Deer Hunter Forum

Seems like a few replies have been recommending a pond specific glyphosate (Roundup type) product, which is what my buddy got from The Pond Guy website.
I have a question...
I've always been told that its the SURFACTANT that is harmful to fish, not really the herbicide itself that is harmful. Yet the product label (Shoreline Defense) that my buddy got, and has used safely and successfully in his pod, says it contains a non ionic surfactant. Does anyone care to educate us on how, or if surfactants are harmful to fish?

 

[dogghr]

Seems like a few replies have been recommending a pond specific glyphosate (Roundup type) product, which is what my buddy got from The Pond Guy website.
I have a question...
I've always been told that its the SURFACTANT that is harmful to fish, not really the herbicide itself that is harmful. Yet the product label (Shoreline Defense) that my buddy got, and has used safely and successfully in his pod, says it contains a non ionic surfactant. Does anyone care to educate us on how, or if surfactants are harmful to fish?

My guess is all surfactants and crop oil are oil based and that could be detrimental to aquatic life. They may contain seed oil, but it still a sticky oxygen robbing coating I would think.

 

[MarkDarvin]

It's likely sluffing in if cattle are using it. I'd dig it back out. More depth, less OM and shallow water, no more cattails. If you want to maintain some habitat, just do one side.

 

[dogghr]

It's likely sluffing in if cattle are using it. I'd dig it back out. More depth, less OM and shallow water, no more cattails. If you want to maintain some habitat, just do one side.

I no longer have Bovine grazing my pastures, but you are correct , it has filled in with time. A unique pond. Spring fed with the adjacent creek running outside its boundaries, not supplying any of its water. I'm sure the old farmer used it for his garden size tobacco crop that more than likely earned him a good chunk of money from the govt to not plant more tobacco.
Digging it out is an option I've thot, but I'm too cheap to rent an escavator capable of the job.