When heading to the dock with swimsuits and floaties, none of us hope to be greeted by weeds and lake-bottom muck. And yet, those unpleasant swimming buddies seem to crop up – and tangle us up – as soon as the water is warm enough for a dip.
“You can expect to see weeds growing as soon as the water is warm enough to swim. But you don’t have to put up with them,” says Bob Willard, owner of Pond Perfections – one of Ontario’s leading pond and lake management specialists.
Over his 30 years in pond management, Bob has developed a two-step plan which has become a game-changer for lakefront property owners: an Aquatic Weed Roller and an Aquatic Weed Blower.
If your property’s muck and weeds grow thick on the lakebed in your beach area or around your dock, Bob suggests the Aquatic Weed Roller which cuts and pulls out the roots, mulches them, and aerates the muck to break it down further. These rollers work even better when paired with eco-friendly sludge pellets, which further decompose the muck.
Bob advises to start using the aquatic weed roller before the weeds get tall enough and thick enough to make swimming unpleasant.
“The smaller the weeds, the more manageable they are to cut,” says Bob.
If your waterfront is windy, chances are you’ll see a lot of debris floating on top of the water. For floating weeds, the Aquatic Weed Blower is a perfect solution.
Pond Perfections’ Aquatic Weed Blowers can be positioned at six different angles from either a dock mount or a portable mount system to circulate the water, preventing weed growth and keeping debris at bay. The newly designed portable blower mount stand can be set up with a weed blower anywhere along your shoreline.
If you’re a lakefront owner who battles with both floating and growing weeds, you’re not alone. In working with many lakefront property owners, Bob has discovered many neighbours and friends share their frustration of weedy shorelines and will often work together to keep their whole lakefront stretch weed free. While the Aquatic Weed Blower has been typically fixed to the end of a dock, he has created a new transportable mount system that makes it easier to slide or roll – from one end of your shoreline to the other, or to your neighbours’ area for them to use.
“These tools don’t have to be used separately,” says Bob. “In fact, many properties use both as a one-two-punch.”
The Aquatic Weed Rollers and Blowers have been transforming mucky, weedy shorelines for several years now in cottage country. “We’re thrilled that our customers can enjoy their waterfront once again.”
TEXT SHELANNE AUGUSTINE
