Diseases and insects happen even in the best water features. The combination of the water’s natural nutrients and the variety of plant foliage makes a fitting habitat for fungal diseases and a fine feast for pests. Knowing the steps to take to prevent and control infestations and infections before they become severe ensures the health of your pond and help avoid the use of garden chemicals.
Aquatic plants have larval insect pests that can strip leaves and stems, cut holes in foliage or otherwise attack. Frequent inspection and early discovery are the best defense to preventing a major infestation from becoming established or spreading.
Photo Credit: ©2001 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
Regularly examine plants for any signs of insect pests or diseases. Some pests are nearly microscopic in size. They’re likely hanging around nearby damaged foliage.
Photo Credit: ©2001 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
Pest control begins with a healthy garden – from plants to water. Choose appropriate plants for your pond situation and provide them consistent care. Although all aquatics have some natural resistance to most infections, those varieties adapted to your USDA Plant Hardiness zone are most adept at naturally resisting your area’s particular pests and diseases. Prevent garden infestations by using sterile soil mixes every time you add a new plant to your water garden – reused containers and garden soil often contain fungal spores that spread disease.
A healthy garden environment is better able to resist pests and diseases. Maintaining overall plant health, ensuring water quality and regularly removing debris in and around the water goes a long way toward preventing the most common problems.
In addition, make periodic inspections of your plants and water, turning over leaves to check for signs of illness and digging into the soil in submerged containers to expose any insect pests. Infested or ill plants should be removed from the garden promptly and provided care away from your other plants. Always clean your equipment, clothing and gloves after working on sick plants to maintain the overall health of your garden – both aquatic and on land.
If a pest infestation or disease is too severe or spreading to the point that all non-chemical control attempts have failed, you may have to consider applying pesticides or fungicides to the ill species. Avoid applying such measures to the pond as a whole – treat only the plants bearing signs of uncontrollable damage or disease, isolated in a location outside the pond and away from other plants. If you have pond fish or your feature supports other wildlife, keep all treated plants out of the pond until the control agent’s package instructions specifically state it is safe to bring them back to the water.
When the infestation has been reduced, the plants returned to health and no more chemical applications are required, reintroduce the plants to your water feature. Wait an additional 24-48 hours before reintroducing any new fish, amphibians or aquatic reptiles to the feature.
Remember, a watchful eye is the best first aid for healing plants. The sooner a pest infestation or disease infection is discovered, the sooner you can take action to control it (and the less chemicals, the better). The following pictures and captions describe the appropriate steps to take when healing marginal and deep-water submersible plants.
Healing Aquatics
Healing Aquatics - Steps 1
Collect a piece of damaged foliage, place it in a sealable plastic bag, and seek identification help from your water garden retailer or local
Cooperative Extension office.
Photo Credit: ©2001 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
Healing Aquatics - Steps 2
Create a temporary holding basin to isolate any affected plant, then remove your sick aquatic from the water feature and place it in said basin.
Photo Credit: ©2001 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
Healing Aquatics - Steps 3
Handpick or brush insect pests from foliage. This may be sufficient enough to control many pests that, once removed from the foliage, quickly die.
Photo Credit: ©2001 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
Healing Aquatics - Steps 4
If hand-control methods fail, choose a pesticide or fungicide that specifically lists the pest or disease and is recommended for specific water garden plant application. Wear protective clothing, gloves and a respirator, then carefully apply the control, completely following all package label instructions and warnings.
Photo Credit: ©2001 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
Healing Aquatics - Steps 5
Keep the treated plant isolated for the allotted time period indicated on the chemical label. Once that time is up and the plant is healthy and all residue of the control agent has abated, return the plant to its home in your water feature.
Photo Credit: ©2001 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
