2024 ONTARIO AGRI-BUSINESS DIRECTORY Ag & Country 2024 78 Ontario’s Rural Business Directory POND SUPPLIES How do I get rid of the weeds in my pond? This is one of the most common questions we get from pond owners. Weeds can compromise how we use a pond and make them feel more like a swamp than the swimming hole we want them to be. They can also cause problems with swimming, pump intakes, shing and even basic aesthetics. So, how do you manage excessive aquatic plant growth in a pond? Aquatic plants, just like plants on land, need a few basic elements to thrive, and by limiting these elements we can limit the growth in our ponds. The two main elements that all plants need are light and nutrients (also called compost, fertilizer or organic matter). In ponds we address light penetration into the water by adding pond dye. Pond dye essentially creates a higher re ective surface on your pond so that less light reaches the bottom, where plants start to grow every spring. Pond dye works best at depths greater than six feet and will not be as e ective in the shallow areas around the edges of your pond. These work on the premise that plants grow poorly without light so blocking it will reduce your growth in the main body of the pond. Pond dyes are available in blue, which you commonly see at golf courses, and black, which give a more natural Muskoka water look. Pond dyes are most e ective if added early in the spring once the ice is o the pond and before growth starts. They are non-toxic and are safe for humans, pets and wildlife alike. The other main component that aquatic plants require are nutrients. Nutrients in a pond can come from many di erent sources but on a basic level they are food for plant growth. The nutrients most relevant to plant growth in a pond is the organic matter on the bottom that started out as last years plant die o , leaves blowing into the pond or even grass clippings. To manage this nutrient layer we need two main elements; aeration and probiotics. Aeration provides the oxygen needed to allow nutrients to breakdown aerobically, which is much faster. We will take a more detailed look at aeration options and how it works in our Free Pond Resource Guide. Probiotics target the nutrients that are used for plant growth and accelerates their breakdown while redirecting it into nutrition for the wildlife in the pond. The main type of probiotic we use for weed growth addresses the organic matter that accumulates at the bottom of the pond. Probiotics are a powerful tool as they target the source of the problem but to address the source generally takes some time, so make sure you follow though with these to see the results. The other management strategy that we can use on weed growth that will provide relief from the problem as we move towards a long term solution is manual removal. We will review this in more detail our Free Pond Resource Guide . If you enjoyed this article contact us today for a copy of your FREE Pond Resource Guide. It is lled with years of experience helping our customers and will help you understand the problems you are experiencing and why they happen. We would also be happy to have you drop by, phone or email to discuss your problems. Your Pond & Lake Professionals Since 1989
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