How to Remove Lily Pads
Row a boat through the lily pads., Rake away the lily pads., Fill the pond with fish., Use a spade., Try an aquatic mower.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Row a boat through the lily pads.
If the body of water in question is a lake or a large pond, and you want to remove the lily pads to provide a path for boats, simply rowing the boat through the lily pads is often enough to open a path and keep it opened.It is best to do this with a rowboat, rather than a motorized boat, since the pads could potentially get caught in the blades of a motor. -
Step 2: Rake away the lily pads.
If the pond is relatively undisturbed and the roots of the pads are not too tangled, surface raking is a viable solution to remove lily pads.
Row a boat into the middle of the pond, or wade to the center of the pond if the water is shallow enough.
Use a standard garden rake to pull the pads off the surface of the water.
Some hardier varieties may have resistant roots that make surface raking difficult, and you may not be able to remove the pads at the root.
This works well as a short-term solution, but the lily pads will often re-grow afterward. , If the pads are growing in your own private pond, adding several grass carp (note grass carp is a non-native species and may be invasive) or other fish that dine on water lilies can naturally reduce the amount of pads that form on the surface.
Typically, adding two fish per acre of water is an effective amount.
The fish should be young, since young fish eat more than older fish. , This method works best with shallow ponds that you can wade into, and is difficult to accomplish with deeper ponds and lakes.
While standing in the water, drive the metal edge of the spade beneath the root of the lily pad.
Loosen the root from its place and then lift the freed pad off the surface of the water.
This solution can take a long time to accomplish, and it may be difficult to use it if you have a large pond and are working by yourself.
It proves effective, though, and literally removes the lily pads at the root of the problem. , An aquatic mower is a specially designed tool that works like a weed cutter, except that it trims away weeds and vegetation that grows on the surface of a body of water.
It is usually used against algae and seaweed, but it also works against lily pads.
The mower can be used from a boat, so it works in deep ponds as well as shallow ponds. -
Step 3: Fill the pond with fish.
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Step 4: Use a spade.
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Step 5: Try an aquatic mower.
Detailed Guide
If the body of water in question is a lake or a large pond, and you want to remove the lily pads to provide a path for boats, simply rowing the boat through the lily pads is often enough to open a path and keep it opened.It is best to do this with a rowboat, rather than a motorized boat, since the pads could potentially get caught in the blades of a motor.
If the pond is relatively undisturbed and the roots of the pads are not too tangled, surface raking is a viable solution to remove lily pads.
Row a boat into the middle of the pond, or wade to the center of the pond if the water is shallow enough.
Use a standard garden rake to pull the pads off the surface of the water.
Some hardier varieties may have resistant roots that make surface raking difficult, and you may not be able to remove the pads at the root.
This works well as a short-term solution, but the lily pads will often re-grow afterward. , If the pads are growing in your own private pond, adding several grass carp (note grass carp is a non-native species and may be invasive) or other fish that dine on water lilies can naturally reduce the amount of pads that form on the surface.
Typically, adding two fish per acre of water is an effective amount.
The fish should be young, since young fish eat more than older fish. , This method works best with shallow ponds that you can wade into, and is difficult to accomplish with deeper ponds and lakes.
While standing in the water, drive the metal edge of the spade beneath the root of the lily pad.
Loosen the root from its place and then lift the freed pad off the surface of the water.
This solution can take a long time to accomplish, and it may be difficult to use it if you have a large pond and are working by yourself.
It proves effective, though, and literally removes the lily pads at the root of the problem. , An aquatic mower is a specially designed tool that works like a weed cutter, except that it trims away weeds and vegetation that grows on the surface of a body of water.
It is usually used against algae and seaweed, but it also works against lily pads.
The mower can be used from a boat, so it works in deep ponds as well as shallow ponds.
About the Author
Doris Rogers
Writer and educator with a focus on practical DIY projects knowledge.
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