I thought I would start this up under its own
thread.
(Galen, you need to post your low maintenance
solution to weeding here. DH thinks it has
possibilities and fits in well with his flame thrower
solution to weeds.)

We do pond work once a year.
DH rounds up one of the boys, both of them if
he can catch them. I supervise :-)
Pond is drained. Fish captured and put in the
waterfall pool (150 gallon stock tank hidden in
behind the waterfall).
Dump as much hornwort as we would like
on the ground.
Lily baskets and pump basket lifted out.
Lilies divided, only if needed. Fertilized.
Iris island trimmed around the edges.
Pump hosed off, pump basket hosed off.
90-ish% of gunk on the floor of the pond
shoveled out, distributed to happy trees.
Pond refilled, very slowly. Dechlor added.
Fish put back in (and any frogs and turtles
wandering around). Put back hornwort.
Waterfall turned back on.
Ignore pond the rest of the year.
Winter care - turn off waterfall, add bubbler
to keep a hole open in the ice. Go back to
ignoring.

k :-)