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Removing cattails from ponds---what do you use
I have two ponds with cattail infestation. One is about 40,000 gallon the other is probabaly 100,000. The msall one is connected to an overflow drain that can fill a 1000' ditch. I also have customers with the same problem. Cannot use chemicals. There are Perch in them. The kids sometimes swim in them too.
A few years ago I backhoed the cattails out of there. But they have taken over and the backhoe won't reach now, nor will any other digging machine (tried it).
At one time I could back up to the edge of the pond and drop the brush hog and mulch them. But they're out 15' or more now.
Been thinking about a hay cutter/sickle mower that would be boom mounted to the trator that I could back down into the pond. Anybody done something like this? Or have a better/cheaper/easier way?
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Removing cattails from ponds---what do you use
This might be a dumb idea, but if you had something like a floating blade that you could drag across the pond it might either cut the tails or grab the stalks and tear them out. Maybe it could be tried on a small scale and scaled up in size if it works.
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Removing cattails from ponds---what do you use
I tried a 6' york rake attched to the end of a 20 foot boom on the skid steer. My skid steer is rated at 5,500 lb. before it tips. It not only tipped, but got stuck trying to pull just a few cattails along with a bunch of mud.
Thinking of playing with a device that has two garden tractor wheels/tires--one powered--opposing and touching each other at an angle (to form a slight vee)--sort of like a football launcher. I'm thinking that it might even be hand-held and hydraulically driven off the rear CUT remotes, have a floating base. It would be a slow process to pull one or two at a time but I think it's worth looking into. Might end up having three or four sets of wheels in a row on a common axle. (I saw my 11-y.o. niece pulling the cattails with relative ease---she pulled about 10 of them and gave up.)
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Removing cattails from ponds---what do you use
Not sure how deep it is around all of the cat tails, or exactly what your scenario looks like but...
I'm thinking of a floating lawn mower design, if just cutting the tops off is acceptable. It'd be attached to a small boat, or manuvered by a couple of ropes.
- Jason
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Removing cattails from ponds---what do you use
Like I mentioned I tried using the brush hog, which worked until the distance from shore doubled. However, it' amazing how much power it takes when the blades are under water. And the floating mess of debris isn't good either.
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Removing cattails from ponds---what do you use
The only way I know how to do this is by using a dragline and digging them out. If you mow them off, they just keep coming back and multiplying each time. Running mowers and such under water just ruins the equipment.
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Removing cattails from ponds---what do you use
We use a specially designed tool (
harvester) for doing that job, it is basically a rake but the teeth, which are horizontal when you are using the rake, come together in a point and the inside edge are sharpened. The harvester has no handle as such, just a tow bar of sorts and is attached to float by mean of a quick release mechanism.
In use, you string a rop from one side of the pond to the other, this becomes the guidline by which the harvester is positioned. There is a second line which connects to the harvester but which is a big loop, connected to the harvester head, and then running to both ends of the guidline and passing through a pulley at the back end of the guideline, and around a small capstan winch at the front of the guidline. The harvester is connected to the float line, and the guideline is pulled in reverse by the capstan until the harvester is out in the pond past the weeds, then the float is released, causing the harvestor to sink and lie flat on the bottom, the line is then pulled the other direction by the capstan winch, causing it to drag forward along the bottom, cutting all growth near the bottom. When it reaches shore it is cleaned of any debris, re-attached to the float, the guidlines are moved over the width of the harvester and the process is repeated until the whole pond is cut clean.
Then the clean up of cut material begins.
Best of luck.
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Removing cattails from ponds---what do you use
EW,
I found a chemical which if works per the way it reads may work for you. Link is below.
Have no idea it's name, but there is at least one chemical which will kill a lot of pond vegation and not harm the fish but is pricey and may require a special applicator license. Have a neighbor who is rep for the company and every few years we hire him to treat the pond. Yes there are fish in it. kt
Link:
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Removing cattails from ponds---what do you use
Kenny, that Rep---how's 'bout sending a "sample" gallon my way ol' buddy, my hero (not a zero  )?
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Removing cattails from ponds---what do you use
EW, My old or is that ole buddy...
The product the rep uses is rather high (not sure the exact price right off) and it does require an applicators license to us again if memory is correct. I know he puts it in the pond himself and does not just sell it to us.
I just realized who you remind me of and think he was based in Michigan also...TIM THE TOOL MAN! So why don't you put a long intake and exhaust on your BLUE tractor (since it is already blue it will not miss the oxygen) and just bush hog the cattails? I would suggest you get an oxygen tank as the curtails will let the water in the tractor cab. ROF kt
EW, please, do not attempt that. It is only a joke. I want you to be sure you realize that was hunmor, do not attempt it. Ok, since you will think on it, post pictures. still
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