Waterweed provides oxygen, serves as a shelter for fish and prevents algal blooms. A thoroughly useful plant, one would think. But it's not without reason that the word plague is in its name. It can spread extremely quickly and must then be combated. But how?

Fighting waterweed is no easy task

No panacea in sight

Fighting aquatic pest in the aquarium is a task that takes time but can be mastered. The plant is cut back accordingly. In the case of waterweed in the pond, on the other hand, it looks more difficult, because here we are dealing with other dimensions and conditions.

Most of the waterweed plants could be removed from the water, but the small pieces that break off and remain in the water soon multiply into new, independent plants. Therein lies the main challenge of combating it.

Remove waterweed manually

The spread of waterweed can be suppressed by extensive cutting measures. The complete removal, on the other hand, is more difficult to achieve. Remove the waterweed with a weed rake as completely as possible.

You should shade the pond and thus lower the water temperature so that no new water pest forest can form from small remnants. Warm water fuels the growth a lot. The nutrient content must also remain low. Fertilize sparingly and do not use nutrient-rich soil for planting.

let the pond dry out

If the pond is without water, the removal of the waterweed can be more comprehensive. A period of frost at this time also helps to get rid of the plague. With smaller ponds, the effort is also limited.

chemical control agents

In the case of chemical agents, it must be checked each time whether they are approved for domestic use. But they should only be considered in exceptional cases.

  • Chemicals also reach other plants and creatures in the pond
  • these can become impaired or even die off
  • the ecological balance is also upset

Grass carp as waterweed exterminators

It is always recommended to use grass carp in larger ponds against waterweed. They eat the plants and thus contribute to their depletion. But the success is never so resounding, so that the water plague regenerates again and again. Other aquatic plants that are also part of the diet of this fish species can also suffer.

tips

Be cautious when planting waterweed. The plant overgrows so much that you can unintentionally create a problem for yourself.

Category:

Vegetable garden