Bruce's Journal

[CntryBoy777]

When I read about your trip to the woods....the tune of the "Ants go Marching 1 by 1" came into my head....or, "whistle while ya work"...........I have seen others wading in water waist deep among various reeds looking for catfish, turtles, and fishing.

 

[Bruce]

Chose to connect the dump cart to the tractor and head out. Not walking that far even in the better boots with a large hunk of skin off my toe. I did pick up some already cut wood that didn't fit in the cart last time and did some surveying of what to cut next. I should really find my flagging tape.

 

[RollingAcres]

When I read about your trip to the woods....the tune of the "Ants go Marching 1 by 1" came into my head....or, "whistle while ya work"...........I have seen others wading in water waist deep among various reeds looking for catfish, turtles, and fishing.

Dang it @CntryBoy777 now I have "Ants go marching 1 by 1" song stuck in my head!

 

[greybeard]

24" or more for several weeks will kill them here.
Or
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=230296

 

[Bruce]

I'm not likely going to be dumping weed killer of any sort in the pond but if it only has to be 24" deep to kill the cattails, at least there is hope if I ever get some equipment. Would be a problem if it had to be 6' deep or something.

I just read something that said cutting them off a few inches below the waterline will slowly kill them. I guess that would work if one could walk in the water where they are growing without sinking into the muck and being stuck until *I* die.

 

[CntryBoy777]

Ya can always use a flat bottom boat and cut them....after they are cut they will float and can be pushed to the bank or use a rake to reach out from the bank to bring em back to shore....

 

[Bruce]

I don't think a flat bottom boat will float in the muck. Been so dry here the pond is nearly empty, frogs and fish (whatever may still be alive) are surviving (maybe) in a very small and not very deep area. If I had my computer I could post a picture of the last time it was this dry a few years ago. There were no cattails then, I wonder if that is when the cattail seeds took hold.

At this point none of the cattails are in water, just a foot or more of boot sucking muck. I might take a shot at reaching the plants at the (normally shallower) part, those that I didn't already dig out. But I have this huge hole on the side of my big toe from when I dug them out a couple of days ago. Walking is no fun, not putting those boots back on EVER. Maybe someone that sips Goodwill has feet the proper size and shape for them.

I could dig out some muck if I had the equipment, too much to even attempt to shovel out by hand.

 

[CntryBoy777]

If ya have a sheet of plywood or some wide boards, ya could use them to stand on atop the muck and not get stuck....

 

[Bruce]

Oh, true! I'd have to pull some nails from the old plywood, but that isn't too hard.

 

[greybeard]

I'm not likely going to be dumping weed killer of any sort in the pond but if it only has to be 24" deep to kill the cattails, at least there is hope if I ever get some equipment. Would be a problem if it had to be 6' deep or something.

I just read something that said cutting them off a few inches below the waterline will slowly kill them. I guess that would work if one could walk in the water where they are growing without sinking into the muck and being stuck until *I* die.

Well then, kinda sounds like you're stuck with 'em and will have to learn to live with them or even like 'em.
(maybe you could try snowshoes for walking in the mud?)