Lily pads can be an extremely beneficial part of the ecosystem they exist in. The leaves of lily pads provide valuable shade and cover for fish and frogs, their flowers attract bees and other pollinators, and their seeds are a source of food for beavers, muskrats, ducks, and other waterfowl. Unfortunately, some species of lily pads can be incredibly invasive.

Lily pads can swallow a pond by choking out all sunlight and congesting the water with their net-like root system. When this starts to happen, it’s time to consider eradicating the lily pads for the sake of the pond. Here are 10 simple ways to clear a lily pad infestation:

1. Manual pulling

Like any weed, you can get rid of your lily pad infestation by simply wading out into the water (or going in a boat) and pulling the lily pads up. However, this is not always the most effective method because it can leave rhizomes behind that can propagate more lily pads. It can also be exhausting if you have a large pond, so this method is best for small, shallow ponds.

2. Raking

Using a specialized aquatic rake, you can drag the bottom of the pond to remove the lily pads and the rhizomes to get rid of your overgrowth. Keep in mind, this will stir up sediment which can be unhealthy for fish or other occupants, so you may need to remove them for safekeeping.

3. Cut the lilies

This is another method you’ll only want to use in smaller ponds because of its arduous nature. Cutting the lilies just below the waterline will have to be done on a yearly basis, but it can provide an easier way to remove the lilies without disturbing the bed of the pond. You will need to remove the dead vegetation, so it doesn’t rob the water of oxygen.

4. Block them out

Lily pads, like any plant, require sunlight to survive. If you have a patch of lily pads in a large lake, you can cover them with a sheet of plastic to block them from receiving sunlight, which will lead to them dying off.

5. Weed-blocking the bottom of the pond

Like in your garden, you can block weed growth by adding a layer of gravel to the bottom of the pond to act as a weed screen. Keep in mind, this may mean that types of fish or birds may not be able to use the water for nesting purposes, so this is best for decorative ponds only.

6. Add fish

Some breeds of fish love nothing more than snacking on water lilies. Stocking your pond with this kind of biological control won’t eradicate your problem entirely, but it will keep it in check in an environmentally friendly way.

7. Mechanical control

If your pond or lake has a heavy lily pad infestation, you’ll need to bring in the big guns. Mechanical mowing with a boat can eradicate the issue without causing you backbreaking labor. You’ll need to hire a residential & commercial boat bottom cleaning service to come in and get rid of your problem.

8. Chemical control

If you’re going to use chemicals, keep in mind that, if it kills plants, it will kill everything. For this reason, don’t use this method on any body of water other than man-made, decorative ponds that do not host any fish or birds. Glysophate herbicides approved for water use are the go-to for most looking to clean their ponds of lily pad infestations.

Published: 2019-09-18 17:45:58