If your pond has been taken over by lily pads, you have a problem on your hand. It can be incredibly hard to get rid of these.
Have you ever wondered why the removal of these beautifully looking lily pads can be so difficult? World over, these are appreciated for their aesthetic beauty, but it can explode in a lake or pond due to its overpopulation. And when this happens, they use up oxygen needed for other pond life.
Technically, it may sound simple to remove lily pads but actual removal of lilies can be very taxing and time-consuming. There are two ways of removing lily pads, it can either be removed physically or chemically. In a pond setting it is good to get rid of them in sections or ensure aeration if treating the entire pond to ensure oxygen levels for fish.
Now let's understand both the procedures.
Physical Removal
1. Grass Eating Carp - Grass eating carp are one way to keep aquatic vegetation down. It is recommended to maintain two small grass carp per surface acre to ensure the proper maintenance.
2. Raking - The Raking method can be difficult especially if the roots are well established but can be done early in the growth cycle.
3. Cut the lilies - The Weed Razer works great for cutting the lily pads directly at the base. This method is similar to mowing the lawn in that you will need to do it several times per season but you can often save some money over chemical treatment however it will usually take up more of your time.
Chemical Treatment
Proper treatment can surely give you best of results and ensure relatively less growth of lily pads.
1. Early Season Growth - As Aquacide Pellets are a great option early in the growth cycle because the lilies are growing very quickly and will absorb the Aquacide Pellets material relatively quickly and the roots will be dead in three weeks. Reapply in three weeks if you still notice some growth.
2. Mid to Late Season Growth - Apply the Shore Klear and Cygnet liquid concentrates and they too will kill the root system and again, may take a second dose three weeks after the first. Apply these together with water and spray the pads on a calm sunny morning without rain for six hours.
These procedures will help you in a great way while dealing with overgrown lily pads.