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Cattail Treatment

17 Nov 2010
   Cattails are both a blessing and a curse for a pond owner.  Cattails control erosion and provide habitat and food to wildlife around a pond.  However, cattails can become overwhelming by filling in beach areas and blocking access to the water requiring cattail treatment.  Chemical control of cattails is a must for a healthy pond.
   Cattails are a beautiful addition to a pond.  They are a key ingredient to wildlife habitat, providing food and shelter to muskrats and waterfowl.  They are a great way to control shoreline erosion and provide a buffer for inlets entering the pond. 
   But what happens if cattails are allowed to grow without any management?  Soon, a nice beach area fills in with cattails and cattails become so numerous that you cannot see the water through the dense growth.  They grow out deeper and deeper into the pond, limiting use of boats and the ability of fishermen to access the water from shore.  The blessing becomes a curse and cattail treatment is a must.
   Cattail treatment is not as difficult as it may seem.  The use of glyphosate combined with a surfactant applied strategically will be an effective means of controlling the expansion of the cattail population.  Glyphosate products such as Catt Plex, along with a surfactant, such as Plex Mate, penetrate the thick, waxy layer on the cattail surface maximizing your cattail treatment.  The Catt Plex is carried from the leaf to the tuber, or root, and effectively kills the entire plant from the root up.  By applying the product on the plants that you desire to kill, you can effectively control the expansion of the cattail population.  One cautionary note:  be sure to allow a minimum of an hour before a rain to allow the product to penetrate the leaf and enter the stem of the cattail plant.  Treatment of cattails needs to be done after the average temperature reaches 50 degrees F or above.  Also, it is extremely effective to treat cattails in the fall when cattails are transporting products from the leaves to the roots in preparation for winter. 
   When chemical treatment is not an option (some states do not allow public use of chemicals that kill cattails), it is possible to thin cattail populations through the use of a sharp knife and water.  If you cut the cattail down 6 to 12 inches below the waterline, then the water may effectively drown the cattail plant. 
   Keep in mind that cattails can be very useful.  However, controlling the cattail population is essential to a well maintained and useful body of water.
   For more information on cattail treatment Contact Sanco.