Your pond doesn't look to be that big. Most water/bog plants are, by nature, thuggy. Flag iris is one of the thuggiest! I would get it out of the pond altogether. If you like it grow a clump somewhere drier, where it will be a liitle more restrained and easier to get out if need be. For the pond try Iris ensata or I. versicolor instead, very pretty and a bit smaller.
just be aware that when you clean a pond out you need to keep as many beaties that live in it as possible, so you can put them back in when you're done. it'll hopefully help it establish without going green
last time i did my pond i bought a small kids paddling pool and stored the plants i wanted to keep in that till i was done, i also kept as much of the original water as i could and a large bucket of the mud from the bottom (with all the associated beasties).
i would get rid of all the iris and get some smaller domesticated versions, also try and avoid rushes (particularly bulrushes - Typha sp.)
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Your pond doesn't look to be that big. Most water/bog plants are, by nature, thuggy. Flag iris is one of the thuggiest! I would get it out of the pond altogether. If you like it grow a clump somewhere drier, where it will be a liitle more restrained and easier to get out if need be. For the pond try Iris ensata or I. versicolor instead, very pretty and a bit smaller.
just be aware that when you clean a pond out you need to keep as many beaties that live in it as possible, so you can put them back in when you're done. it'll hopefully help it establish without going green
last time i did my pond i bought a small kids paddling pool and stored the plants i wanted to keep in that till i was done, i also kept as much of the original water as i could and a large bucket of the mud from the bottom (with all the associated beasties).
i would get rid of all the iris and get some smaller domesticated versions, also try and avoid rushes (particularly bulrushes - Typha sp.)