Aquatic weeds can quickly overtake your pond, making recreation like fishing and boating difficult and unpleasant. Additionally, certain invasive weeds in ponds can negatively impact the surrounding environment and harm wildlife.
While numerous pond herbicides exist that eliminate actively growing plants, they don’t prevent growth before it becomes an issue. The following weed prevention tactics will make it easier to maintain your pond throughout the year.
Chemical Weed Prevention
What chemical remedies are available if herbicides don’t effectively prevent weed growth? Non-toxic pond dye is the go-to solution to slow vegetation growth before it starts.
Pond dye tints the water blue or black, shading the bottom and blocking sunlight from reaching sprouting seedlings. This inhibits photosynthesis and growth, leaving fewer full-grown plants to battle when summertime comes.
Mechanical Weed Prevention
When new growth starts bristling, you can pull submerged weeds from your pond bottom, much like a garden. Don’t worry: no scuba gear is needed for this prevention method! Instead, you can use the Jenlis aquatic weed control toolsto cull weed sprouts from the shore.
Start by rolling the Jenlis Muck Razer along the bottom to loosen embedded roots with the durable hooked teeth. Next, remove this vegetation with the Jenlis Razer Rake so it cannot fertilize new growth or decay into muck. Repeat as often as needed to keep the pond bottom firm and weed-free.
Biological Weed Prevention
Biological weed and algae control measures are passive measures that effectively reduce new weed growth year-round. This natural method includes adding plants and animals to your pond to outcompete and eat nuisance weeds.
Sow native, pond-cleaning aquatic plants that consume nutrients weeds need to grow while shading the water like pond dye. Additionally, grazing fish like grass carp will munch on floating weeds and emerging plants along the bottom to keep their growth in check.
More Advice for Controlling Aquatic Weeds
Combining pond dye with mechanical and biological weed prevention will make eliminating common pond and lake weeds easier. Each pond is unique, so contact us at 866-POND-HELP for weed management advice customized to your pond.
Learn more about pond weed control in the following related guides:
Aquatic Weed Treatment Options
Use Only EPA Registered Algaecides and Herbicides
How to Control Pond Weeds That Return After Herbicidal Treatment
Do Aquatic Weeds Die in Winter?
Last Updated: January 2nd, 2025