Troublesome reeds
theelderberry
Posts: 1
We've recently bought a house that has a pond in the garden, it's been neglected for years and has lots of what I think are reeds surrounding it.
I'm after tips on how to get rid of these, I've 
tried digging but the roots are extremely tough so I was hoping there's an easier way?
Any help would be hugely appreciated!!
0
Posts
Not sure I can offer an easy solution but I can fully sympathise!
I have a similar problem with overgrown bullrush in our pond. We have a shallow top pond which was originally planted (by previous owners) with some nice 'marginal' plants and this flows into a deeper pond below. It seems that some reeds will always tend to dominate in such benign conditions and out compete anything else. What you can see in your picture is, I suspect, just the tip of the iceberg and there will be a thick fibrous tangle of roots below the surface which has become enmeshed with silt, stones or rock. I honestly believe that any time spent in the garden is never wasted but trying to lift and cut those roots with secateurs was like something from jaws with much splashing, flailing and the water starting to turn increasingly red!
The difficulty with trying to dig it out is that you will probably puncture / tear the pond liner (assuming there is one in there). I think you have two options; either try to cut back as much as you can to contain the situation, or if the pond has been a bit neglected it might be better bite the bullet, drain it and give it a proper clear out. This is something I have been putting off but I am resolved to giving it a go this summer.
I'm sure others here will be much more able to offer their expertise. Good luck!