Dam overrun with water lilies

[snakecatcher]

Hi

i have a small dam at my place which it would love to stock but in the last few years it has been overrun with water lilies. Does anyone have any suggestions on how best to control the lilies without poisoning the water?

thanks

[outta line]

I drag a chain along the bottom in the area you want too thin out cutting the leaves (pads) at the base .. it wont kill them and they will grow again repeat when over grown again.... cheers mick

[gr hilly]

I use a rope with thee bessar blocks tie it to the hj60 and off with their heads no m8 it does fix the problem
cheers hilly

[Back In Black]

The only way you will control them is to dig the dam deeper.

Water lilies can only grow to a certain depth, increase the depth & they can't grow.

You will have them around the edges in the shallows, but you'll have a clear centre.

Tony

[snakecatcher]

Thanks guys - the dam us very deep in the centre probably 22 feet plus so it's round the edges that the lilies are worse. I'll give the chain a bash at the weekend

[GBC]

Glyphosate (roundup) is safe for use on water lilies and works well with a fair bit less impact than chain dragging I'd say? This is the method councils use. Check the manufacturers site (Monsanto) for confirmation.
install a fountain in the lake. Water lillies hate moving water.
We have been doing the old man's lake like this for 20 years. It is stocked with barra, Mary river cod, silver perch and recently friggin tilapia.

a word of warning though, be selective and kill them slowly. Kill the whole lot and the ensuing rotting is a bit much, then six weeks later the gas being given off will rip the roots off the lake floor and the whole stinking mess will float to the top and become an island and a headache - just saying.... This happened to one of his neighbours.

[Back In Black]

[QUOTE=GBC;1552778]Glyphosate (roundup) is safe for use on water lilies and works well with a fair bit less impact than chain dragging I'd say? This is the method councils use. Check the manufacturers site (Monsanto) for confirmation.
install a fountain in the lake. Water lillies hate moving water.
We have been doing the old man's lake like this for 20 years. It is stocked with barra, Mary river cod, silver perch and recently friggin tilapia.

a word of warning though, be selective and kill them slowly. Kill the whole lot and the ensuing rotting is a bit much, then six weeks later the gas being given off will rip the roots off the lake floor and the whole stinking mess will float to the top and become an island and a headache - just saying.... This happened to one of his neighbours.

Just be careful with the Roundup. There is one called Roundup Bioactive (by memory & it is safe near waterways

GBC is correct in just doing patches at a time. Do the whole lot, & you risk turning your aerobic dam into an anaerobic mess, with the potential of killing all fish life.

Tony

[scottar]

I'll lend you the mutt. He had sheer bloody delight in ripping the water lillies out of our pond to the point we had to drain it. He wouldn't stay out of it. While he's there you might even get lucky and he'll dig you another dam. LOL