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Sept. 4, 2024Des Moines, Iowa |  By: Jeremy Werner

Iowa DNR offers pond management tips

ponds

DES MOINES, Iowa - If cattails and other aquatic plants are taking over your pond, late summer or early fall is the best time to manage them.

Spraying herbicides like glyphosate now can eliminate the entire plant, preventing regrowth next spring. These plants are storing food in their roots for winter, making systemic herbicides particularly effective.

When using herbicides, be sure to follow the product label carefully. Many herbicides require a surfactant to help the spray stick to the plant’s leaves.

Spray the above-water part of the plant until just wet, and apply on calm days to avoid drift. Always obey state laws; in Iowa, a permit is required to use herbicides on public waters.

For more details on managing aquatic plants, visit the iowadnr.gov/pondplants.