Do Cattails actually die in the winter or can I do something to prevent them from coming back?

Brian – Holland, MI

As grandfather used to say, “never trust a sleeping cattail.” Actually, grandfather never said that. But he should have – because it’s true.

During the winter months, cattail foliage dies off. Leaves and stems turn brown and dry up when the weather gets cold, and optimistic pond keepers dare to imagine their backyard water features without the scourge of unwanted cattails. But deep beneath the pond, cattail roots are alive and well in their dormant state, saving up their energy to come back strong in the spring.

Fortunately, cattails aren’t invincible. Depending on the season, enterprising pond owners can take steps to eliminate cattails, leaving their backyard water features in great shape to host more desirable aquatic plants and fish.

When winter rolls around, and cattails have dried up, it’s worthwhile to cut the dead foliage and remove it. Our Pond Rake/Weed Cutter Combo is specifically designed to make this process quick and easy. While this won’t kill the cattails, it will lay the groundwork for a successful spring offensive.

In spring, summer and fall, when cattail foliage is thriving, it’s time to apply our Avocet PLX Aquatic Herbicide. This safe, powerful herbicide is applied directly to all above-water cattail foliage. Once applied, the herbicide attacks and kills the entire plant – including its root system. Once the plant is dead, you’ll want to resume the use of your Pond Rake/Weed Cutter Combo to remove the dead plants and prevent their potential to spread.

While Avocet PLX is effective on spring growth, it’s most effective during late summer and fall, when foliage is at its peak.

Pond Talk: Do you clear out dead cattails in the fall to get a jump start on spring maintenance?

The leaves are just starting to fall..I see netting for water gardens to keep the leaves out, do they make anything like this for large ponds?

Bryan – Traverse City, MI

When fall comes around, leaves and ponds seem to have a magnetic attraction to one another. And while netting is available in essentially any size you might need, it’s a cumbersome solution for larger ponds. Simply spreading the netting over a large pond is a major undertaking – and the impracticality of installing posts throughout your pond to keep leaf-covered netting from sinking makes other solutions look much more attractive.

At The Pond Guy, we strongly recommend aeration and chemical treatments to address inevitable leaf buildup for customers with large ponds. When you browse our web site, you’ll notice a wide range of Airmax® Aeration products. These aeration systems enable the pond to break down leaves quickly and naturally by keeping pond water moving – and the entire pond well oxygenated. When coupled with the beneficial bacteria in Pond Logic® PondClear™ Pond Logic® EcoBoost™ and Pond Logic® MuckAway™, fallen leaves break down in no time to keep water clear, and both fish and plants healthy.

As an added measure in the fight against falling leaves and debris, you should also consider the use of a pond rake. With the regular use of our Airmax® Pond & Beach Rake, you can easily remove excessive leaves and debris in no time flat.

Pond Talk: How do you keep fall leaves from accumulating in your pond?

What is the difference between regular Bluegill and Hybrid Bluegill?

Dan – Toldeo, OH

Ask any thoroughbred Bluegill, and they’ll tell you there’s a huge difference. But the truth is, a Hybrid Bluegill is simply a cross between a Male Bluegill and a Female Sunfish. As it turns out, that combination produces a population that’s between 80% and 90% male.

There are effects of a predominantly male population. First – and most important – it slows down reproduction, which in turn prevents overpopulation. If left to their own devices, regular, non-hybrid Bluegills reproduce very quickly. Left unchecked, this means overcrowding – and all the negative ramifications that come with it. Also, with a predominantly male population, there’s also a natural tendency for fish not to ask directions. Fortunately, in a small, backyard pond, there’s really nowhere to get lost.

There are, however, some drawbacks to stocking your pond with hybrid Bluegills alone. Because reproduction is slower, natural cycles and predator fish may result in dwindling fish populations over time. In those situations, restocking with additional Bluegills and/or other feeder fish like minnows may be required every few years.

But for many ponds, hybrid Bluegills are an exceptional choice. Once they arrive, however, it’s important to make them feel welcome. We strongly recommend the use of Game Fish Food to satisfy hearty appetites. And for both predator protection and shade from the summer sun, our Fish Attractor Spheres are the perfect complement to your pond’s natural habitat.

Pond Talk: What type of bluegill do you stock in your pond?

Should I cut cattails before I treat them?

Kevin – Boise, ID

At first blush, it seems pretty logical to cut cattails before treating them. But when you understand how the treatment works, it’s immediately clear: cutting first is the wrong way to go.

Here at the Pond Guy, we’re big fans of Avocet PLX Aquatic Herbicide. When it comes to eradicating cattails and other grassy plants, nothing does a better job. Avocet PLX includes a powerful surfactant that breaks down the waxy cuticle of the plant, allowing the herbicide to penetrate the stalks of cattails. The cattails then do the rest of the work, carrying the chemical treatment throughout the root system to kill the plant at its source.

Because cattails only use a small portion of their root system at one time, a single application of Avocet PLX should be allowed to work for a week or two before cutting the plants down with our Jenlis WeedRazer® or Jenlis WeedRazer® Pro Aquatic Weed Cutter. Occasionally, some roots will survive and send up new growth. When that happens, simply reapply Avocet PLX, wait an additional week or two, and repeat the process.

So, while it might be tempting to take out your frustrations and cut down offending cattails to remove the blight before treatment, take your time. The results will be worth the wait.

Pond Talk: Have you used Avocet PLX to treat your cat tails?

There are rakes, razors, cutters…skimmers…is there a difference and which works best to clean the pond?

Bryan – Pasadena, TX

Yes. You could sweep your garage with a toothbrush. It’s possible. Some people – who have a much lower tolerance for dirt than most – might even do it. But when the time comes to do the job, you’re much more likely to choose a push broom, or better still, a shop vac. Why? Because they’re the right tools for the job. The same principles apply when you’re cleaning your pond. If you pick the proper tool, the job will be a lot easier – and much more effective.

So what, then, is the right tool for the job? It all depends on the conditions of your pond – and on what you hope to accomplish. The following list gives a brief breakdown of the tools we recommend, and describes their respective strengths:

Airmax Weed Cutter. The perfect weapon in the fight against submerged, marginal and terrestrial weeds. Tackle everything from lily pads and pond weeds to cattails and phragmites with this double-sized, 28” wide weed cutter, featuring a two-piece, 11’ long aluminum handle for extended reach.
Weed Razor and Weed Razor Pro. This unique, v-shaped aquatic weed cutter features razor-sharp blades designed to shear almost any type of rooted aquatic vegetation, including milfoil, lily pads, pond weeds and cattails. It’s designed for maximum impact, and clears a 48” swath with each throw and retrieval. The Weed Razor Pro offers the added benefit of an adjustable cut from 12” to 62”, and makes it easy to cut nearly any aquatic vegetation in its path in no time flat.
Airmax Pond & Beach Rake. Whether you’re skimming floating aquatic vegetation from the water or looking for an effective way to remove weeds, algae, muck and debris from the pond bottom or beach, this versatile 36”-wide rake is indispensable. It comes with an 11’, two-piece aluminum handle for reach and a detachable float with 20’ of polypropylene rope, making it perfect for throwing and easy retrieval. As an added benefit, simply shorten the handle, and you have a professional-grade landscaping rake for dressing beach sand.

Weed Raker. One of the longest and deepest-digging lake rakes in the industry, this rake easily removes submerged lake and pond weeds right down to the root. It’s also superb for removing dead, decaying matter at the pond bottom to make short work of muck.

In smaller ponds and water features, pond skimmers can also help to remove debris – but they’re ineffective at large-scale debris removal in larger ponds, where water levels fluctuate and surface area is too large to allow all debris to reach the skimmer.

When you’re through cutting and raking aquatic growth from your pond, it’s also important to remove the results. If left in the water, cuttings will sink to the bottom, where they accumulate, form muck, and provide a natural growing environment for — you guessed it – more weeds.

Pond Talk: Which tools work best to keep your pond clean?

We just purchased a house that had a pond, it hasn’t been taken care of, where do we start?
Tony – Romeo, MI

If you’ve ever adopted a stray pet, you already have a general sense of what it’s like to become the keeper of a long-neglected pond. Like the stray, the pond probably looks like it’s been reclaimed by nature: rough around the edges, none too attractive, and probably a bit more of a commitment than you’d ordinarily take on without a lot of advance planning.

But like a scrawny stray, a neglected pond is often a diamond in the rough – waiting for the loving attention of a caring keeper to really show its true colors. And with the right products from The Pond Guy, the transformation from primeval bog to backyard showplace is much easier than you’ve imagined.

The first step in reclaiming your pond is to evaluate the status quo. With a quick inventory, you’ll determine if it’s full of weeds, if there’s any aeration, and if there are any fish who call it home.

For maximum initial impact, proper aeration is critical. If it’s missing, weeds thrive, algae blooms, and both fish and healthy plants struggle for survival. At The Pond Guy, you’ll find exactly what your pond needs with one of our Airmax Aeration Systems. Designed to suit the size and depth characteristics of your pond, the right system will begin the process of making your pond a safe, healthy habitat for the fish and plants that make ponds a pleasure.

Once the aeration is up and running, you’ll need to tackle the weeds and algae with our safe, powerful herbicides and algaecides. Our most powerful weapon in the fight to restore a pond’s health is our ClearPAC and ClearPAC Plus products, which combine the benefits of beautiful, Nature’s Blue dye and Algae Defense algaecide, the muck reducing power of our PondClear natural bacteria and our beneficial EcoBoost phosphate binder, which reduces phosphate levels to make water clear and healthy for fish, wildlife and anyone else wanting to use the pond.

ClearPac Plus also includes MuckAway to eliminate the muck that accumulates at the bottom after long periods without proper pond care. By following the simple steps included with ClearPac, you’ll see marked improvement in no time, with steady improvement over the course of several weeks of treatment.

For ponds that haven’t suffered long-term neglect, our Algae Defense and PondWeed Defense tackle specific problem areas quickly and effectively.

Pond Talk: Have you taken on the task of reviving an old pond?

What is EcoBoost and how should it be used?
Andy- Cottrellville, MI

For too long, bacteria has been painted with a broad brush, taking the heat for everything from illness to itchy feet. We’re here to set the record straight – and to stand up for the good bacteria of the world. And some of that good bacteria needs – yes, needs – to be present in backyard ponds and water gardens to ensure the health of both plant and fish life.

So, in the interest of promoting good bacteria, while staving off the bad, we strongly recommend the use of EcoBoost. EcoBoost is an innovative, all-natural product that binds phosphates in ponds to stimulate the growth of good bacteria that’s absolutely necessary for the health of your fish. Phosphates, it seems, cause all sorts of problems in ponds – from increased algae growth to toxicity in fish – that are best resolved naturally by hungry bacteria.

Phosphates accumulate in ponds that receive lots of runoff from lawns and fields – particularly when those lawns and fields are fertilized. When healthy bacteria are allowed to thrive, those phosphates are eliminated naturally, providing a safe, clean habitat in which fish and plants can thrive.

In addition to Eco-Boost, both PondClear and MuckAway provide a safe, ecologically-sound means to promote the growth of good bacteria. Used on a regular basis, the combination of all three products pack a powerful punch – and make your pond a perfect home – for perfectly healthy fish.

Pond Talk: Do you use EcoBoost in your pond?

I have phragmites in my pond, and they are so aggressive they even outgrow the cattails. What should I do?
Kandy – Portland, OR

Phragmites are the worst kind of uninvited guest: once it makes its appearance, it’s too late to give it the slip. For those who have experienced phragmites, they’ll attest to its tenacity. They’ll also attest to its heartiness. Unlike the plants you’re actually trying to grow in your pond, phragmites requires no care and feeding at all – and it’s remarkably adept at withstanding any effort to slow it down. .

Characterized by a green stalk with purple/tan plumes in late July, the majority of each phragmites plant is underground. As a result, by the time you actually see a phragmites plant in your pond, its root system is well established – laying the groundwork to take over the entire body of water. In fact, phragmites plants continue to spread throughout their life, sending stalks skyward at a blistering pace. And once the stalks reach maturity – typically from early to late summer – the plants double their efforts at pond domination by distributing seeds throughout the watershed. Phragmites, it seems, is quite capable at taking care of itself.

When taken alone, phragmites might actually be considered attractive. Unfortunately, it has no interest in sharing its turf. Through its aggressive growth, phragmites chokes out native plant species in short order, and can transform an entire pond’s flora over the course of a single season. And while it’s nearly impossible to eliminate phragmites once it’s established, our Kraken Aquatic Herbicide and Cide-Kick Combo – carefully and regularly applied with our Airmax Specialty Pressurized Pond Chemical Tank-Sprayer or our 4-Gallon Backpack Pond Sprayer – can significantly impair root system growth, while leaving room for the plants you’d like to keep around.

After herbicides are applied, many pond owners are eager to eliminate both existing growth and dead stalks left over from the previous season. Our Aquatic Weed Cutter makes short work of offending plants. Once the cutting is done, our Aquatic Weed Rake helps to remove mess. In some instances, pond users also use controlled burns – after herbicide application – to remove standing plants. While this can be effective, it should never be practiced apart from herbicide use. Some evidence suggests that burning alone – without the use of herbicides – can actually increase the density of phragmites plants.

Good luck with your battle against phragmites. Stay vigilant, stay focused, and act quickly to curb new growth. The fight may last a long time – but the results will be worth the effort.

Pond Talk: Have you battled phragmites in your pond?

I have a small floating weed in my pond. I think it is duckweed, how do I know and how do I treat it?
Jason – Raleigh, NC

Duckweed can be a real nuisance if not identified and treated correctly. As it is a prolific grower it can quickly make your pond or lake look more like a golf course in a relatively short period of time. Duckweed is a small floating weed with a single root hair extending from the bottom of each individual leaf. Each green leaflet is about 1/8” of an inch in size and you should be able to fit about 5 to 10 on the tip of your finger. Duckweed can sometimes be confused with watermeal which is also a small green floating weed. Watermeal differs from duckweed in that it is much smaller and has a grainy or almost sandy feel to it if you hold it in your hands.

You can treat duckweed with two different methods. The first method is by spraying contact herbicides like Pond Logic® Pondweed Defense™ or Redwing™ directly onto the floating masses with a pressurized tank sprayer. This method typically yields fast results but tends to be a quick fix that ends up resulting in new growth reforming over just a few weeks. If you need to whip your pond into shape for a planned day or two event, then spraying your pond with a contact herbicide may be an appropriate treatment for you.

For longer lasting control of duckweed you can treat the pond with WhiteCap™ aquatic herbicide. This product works by inhibiting the plants ability to produce carotene and as a result chlorophyll is degraded by the sunlight and the weed dies. There are however a few things you will need to check before adding it to your pond to ensure a successful treatment. Most importantly, WhiteCap™ has a 30 day irrigation restriction meaning that if you water your plants or grass with your pond water you will not be able to do so for at least 30 days. Secondly, Whitecap needs to maintain a high concentration in the pond for up to 90 days. If your pond is prone to overflow or has an inlet/outlet chances are that the WhiteCap™ will rinse out of your pond to quickly making the treatment less effective. A good way to visually check your water loss is to color the water body with pond dye. Dye will typically remain in your pond for 2-4 weeks in normal conditions. If your pond looses color sooner then it is a great indicator that too much water is exiting the pond.
As WhiteCap™ is degraded by sunlight it is important that you dye your pond while you are chemically treating the water body. When applying WhiteCap™ use a pressurized tank sprayer and submerge the spray nozzle to apply the herbicide beneath the surface of the pond where it is safe from evaporation and sun exposure.

The best time to use WhiteCap™ is early in the spring a couple of weeks before you normally see duckweed forming in your pond. This will give the herbicide a chance to establish itself in the pond and discourage plant growth before it gets out of control.

Pond Talk: Have you experienced Duckweed in your pond?

Why do frogs/toads make so much noise?
Stephanie – Pasadena, TX

With the official start of spring come and gone we are not the only ones excited about the rising temperatures. You will soon be serenaded by the assembly of frogs and toads that set up camp at your pond and lake. These frogs and toads can get quite boisterous as they let out calls that can be heard from miles away.

It is not the warm weather or a particularly good day that makes frogs and toads sing however. When toads and frogs call out they are actually trying to attract a mate. Both frogs and toads are capable of croaking but calls vary between each species allowing their mates to distinguish who’s who amongst the gathering of suitors. It is the male who calls out to potential female mates in an attempt to present itself as the best possible option as it is competing against a long line of bachelors. The size and health of each particular frog or toad, along with temperature can dictate the strength, pitch and carry of its call.

While most people enjoy the ambience provided by these calls, the impressive noise a chorus of frogs can produce can become problematic. If you find the noise troublesome you can try to encourage frogs and toads to move elsewhere by discouraging their habitat. Using tools like a Pond Rake and Weed Cutter you can cut and pull away plant debris and growth from around the shoreline of the pond. Without the protection from predators these frogs and toads will not be as inclined to call your pond home.

Pond Talk: Do frogs and toads tend to use your pond as a serenading staging ground? Have you taken steps to eliminate the noise or do you enjoy it?