Cattails can be a beneficial plant to have in a pond's ecosystem until they become overgrown. You may feel inclined to spray the moment you see signs of growth from the plants. Just because there is growth does not mean it is a good time to treat. There are specific guidelines for being able to successfully kill off cattails:
- The plant must have 1-2 feet of growth above the water. The taller the cattail, the more receptive the plant will be to the CattPlex Pro.
- Air temperature must be consistently around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Having one warm day in a week will not cut it.
- Products like CattPlex Pro must be applied when there is no rain in the forecast to avoid the risk of chemical runoff. Check the weather forecast and be sure that there will be no rain for at least 24 hours after application. This will give the product enough time to stick to the plant and work its magic.
- To help the CattPlex Pro stick to the plants, it is best used with a surfactant, like Plex Mate. Plex Mate will break down the waxy coating on the plant for better product penetration.
Within two weeks, you will notice results if you have applied CattPlex Pro correctly. Once the CattPlex Pro has done its job, you can either pull out what remains of the dead plants or let them decompose in on their own. Don't forget that if you let them decompose, you could start to build up muck on your pond floor, and will need something like beneficial pond bacteria to eat up this material.
Understanding these aspects of cattail treatment can guarantee great results if you choose to treat them on your own. Reach out to our office if you have further questions regarding your cattails or using CattPlex Pro with other pond weeds.