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Getting rid of duckweed

jagnut66f2labqBpjagnut66f2labqBp Posts: 14
edited May 2023 in Problem solving
Hi, 
I have two large-ish ponds linked by a stream, which I have dug into my garden, both excellent for attracting wildlife. I had all sorts in them, waterboatmen, pond skaters, frogs (and lots of spawn), dragonflies (and their larvae) plus all kinds of other "wee beasties" swimming around in them.
Then came the duckweed and shut the light out.
Both ponds are thick with it.
The frogs still come and spawn but I don't even have the pleasure of watching the tadpoles swim around anymore and I haven't seen a dragonfly in years......
I've had enough.
The duckweed has to go, or at least be severely "restricted".
But preferably be gone!
I've tried barley straw to no effect.
I am now looking at what else to use and have seen this:
https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwjJzZDWqfL-AhXB2-0KHViEBhUYABAJGgJkZw&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAESbOD2Diw9nkEtsQywmm5_cPxvzxZWjaqz6uXD2Gz18ImwVrt9bTKcoAIQOigseW8GM4TrQ7CyL4cDn5P5TFu4RcH88uUtIsKH9C58k0AxA56jEVyQ6G8tUK-199b2zIT-JX3SkxVZW_KHpfQ7VA&sig=AOD64_0ZMBM7u-R4fGyCJ3T7eegu-ksfcQ&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwjQg4nWqfL-AhWVbcAKHRAHCQIQ9aACKAB6BAgDEBE&adurl=
I just wondered what others on here think? It looks like it will kill the duckweed without harming everything else in the ponds.....
Best wishes,
Mike.
 
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Posts

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    seen what?
    If you're serious about wildlife don't put 'stuff' in a pond, they won't mind the duckweed, net some out if it covers too much.
    Barley Straw is for algae not duckweed but the wildlife doesn't mind that either,


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    The best way to stop the build up of duckweed is to do as @nutcutlet describes and use a net or even a fine tooth rake to remove it.  It is virtually impossible to eliminate once it has arrived but with a bit of effort, it can be controlled without additives.
    It can actually prove helpful in the height of summer as it provides a bit of shade/cool for your pond inhabitants.
    You don't say what planting you have in or around the ponds nor how long the ponds have been in existence and their aspect.  You also didn't mention what "product" you are thinking of using and without that info, it's impossible for others to advise one way or another  :)
  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
    The way I used to partially control it, you'll never get rid of it without draining the ponds and relining!, was to use a hose to push it all to one end of the pond and then remove it with a net.  You will need to do that every couple of days initially and then be able to reduce to every couple of weeks or so.
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    We are continously netting as others have said. We have also in one winter covered the pond to eliminate light in the hope that as the duckweed can't photosynthesise then they would die off. It worked for a while but once the cover was removered we were back to square one. It all started when a kind nursery man gave us some water soldier plants. We never thought to check the plants before we added them to the pnd. Big big mistake.
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    I don't think checking the new plants would necessarily have helped @bertrand-mabel. 
    If birds visit your pond they can bring it with them from other sites - or at least that is what I always understood.  Perhaps someone can confirm or otherwise ?
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited May 2023
    Many newbie gardeners use a word without knowing the correct meaning.  D o yoy mean a floating plant?

    One poster has identified that plants need light, but that blocking it won't help.  
    They need food too.  I eliminated floating pond weed, by reduced fish feeding.   And constant netting .  Both Lemna and Azolla.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    @philippasmith2 I totally agree with you that birds can bring all sorts to a pond but it was very strange that we didn't have duckweed until after the water soldiers were added.
    @bede we don't have fish and I don't know what you mean by floating plant. Water soldiers sink to the bottom in the winter months and they rise up late spring early summer. The duckweed floats all the time on the surface.
  • madpenguinmadpenguin Posts: 2,543
    I used to have a wildlife pond as well as a fish pond.
    The wildlife pond always had too much duckweed so I would net out what I could and put it in the fish pond where said fish ate it!
    “Every day is ordinary, until it isn't.” - Bernard Cornwell-Death of Kings
  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
    Common duckweed is Lemna Minor.  The most likely cause of the invasion is it being brought in on other plants although any animal can carry bits if they travel from one pond to another to drink.
  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
    madpenguin said:
    I used to have a wildlife pond as well as a fish pond.
    The wildlife pond always had too much duckweed so I would net out what I could and put it in the fish pond where said fish ate it!

    A garden centre near us has a very large pond/small lake stocked with Koi.  Even they can't eat all the duckweed.  By mid summer you can normally see tracks through the stuff where the fish seem to follow a set pattern of movement.
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