Lake weed control questions comprise nearly 40% of the questions presented by our readers. How do I control lake weeds? Is the most common, and often misunderstood aspect of lake management. The best way to control lake weeds is to never give them a chance to start. Prevention always works best, but the fact is, that in most cases, lake weeds get the jump on us, and we never realize they are present until they are taking over. They are more like a symptom than a disease, and they are sometimes the first symptom of a problem. They must often be treated before we can get to the real problem.
- Find out what you have. To treat any problem, you need to determine what it is. The treatment for one aquatic weed may differ from the treatment for another.
- Choose the best treatment option; Chemical, biological, or mechanical. Under some circumstances one option may be better than the others.
- Use the best option to get rid of the problem. Once you determine which method you will use, don't waste any time implementing it. Some species of lake weeds can double in 7 days, and one way or the other, the longer you wait, the more difficult your job will be.
- Follow up with preventive measures. Any weed control efforts will be for nothing if measures are not put into place to prevent future outbreaks. This will mean checking the lake water for chemical make up, modifying it to reach the proper pH, if needed. Checking the secchi depth to determine how deeply sunlight can penetrate, and starting a fertilizer program to increase phytoplankton production for suppressing weeds if needed.
There is plenty of information on this site and in our blog that will help you to get control of your lake weeds, and prevent them from coming back. Please feel free to browse around!
