On 18 Mar, 12:12, "Pam Cook" wrote:
"K" wrote in message

...

Sally Thompson writes
On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 08:49:18 +0000, Pam Cook wrote
(in article ):

hi,
new to the group...I have a problem that I hope u can help me with
plz.....We have a pond, natural, no liner or anything, I have planted
daffodills all round it but the wild ducks have brought a plant that is
choking them,, it is a tall grass like plant with spikey stalks and
little
brown balls that grow part way up the stem.... It is spreading like
fury,,
even tho' hubby dug it up last year...originally they were individual
plants, but now they are just continual....Is there anything I can use
to
get rid of them that won't harm other plants or the hundreds of fish
that
breed in the pond...or..frogs or frogspawn etc.??? I am at a loss as to
what
to do.....
Thanks,
Pam

It sounds like one of the rushes or sedges. I'm assuming it's growing in
the ground around the pond rather than in the pond itself, so there are
two questions:
a) has the area got wetter over recent years, thus allowing this thing to
flourish? In which case, it may be becoming too wet for the daffs, so it
may be a lost cause.
b) if not, then would applying something like glyphosate to individual
plants have any ill effects on the amphibian life?

Hi Kay, about 3 years ago 3 or 4 of these plants just appeared, not a
problem at first, narrow at the bottom and fanning out, they grew slowly
on the ground at the side of the pond and looked quite arractive, then
last year hubby tidied up the edges of the pond and dug out all he could
of them, as they were spreading too much....but they appeared again and
now they are coninuously growing round about a third of the pond, the
daffs are thriving where these plants aren't...but haven't come up at all
where these plants are...Will put photos up as soon as my son comes
home....

Thank-you all for the comments and suggestions....Very helpful group.
Pam



Have a look at this link, could be what you have.
http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/orga...weed.php?id=65

David Hill
Abacus Nurseries