How to remove water clover?

[J-Roz]

What a mistake. I planted some water clover a few years ago and it is taking over. What is the best way to remove/kill it off completely?

 

[Lisak1]

Welcome @J-Roz ! Happy to see you here - I hope once you figure this challenge out, you'll stick around!

Where is the water clover planted? I'm not familiar with this plant, but remember someone mentioning it recently. I will tell you from a gardening perspective the usual answer to the question of "how do I remove an invasive plant" is "start digging". I planted a buttercup next to the pond and was so happy when it started to do well. It was a pretty plant with lots of yellow blooms. The next year it really spread. By year three it was clearly on a mission to take over the whole place! I spent an entire afternoon just digging it out. It was growing both in and out of the pond. The following spring I spotted a few sprouts of it coming back so I got it out fast- haven't seen it since.

 

[j.w]

@J-Roz Just looked that plant up and you must have it planted in the mud, dirt of a natural pond perhaps? I looked it up and this is what it says about removing it:
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/rid-water-clover-marsilea-mutica-76732.html

Another site says:
Can glyphosate affect birds, fish, or other wildlife?
Pure glyphosate is low in toxicity to fish and wildlife, but some products containing glyphosate may be toxic because of the other ingredients in them. Glyphosate may affect fish and wildlife indirectly because killing the plants alters the animals' habitat.

Good luck!

 

[Mmathis]

If it’s the same stuff I have — very invasive once it gets going — the best thing I’ve found to do is yank/pull it out! And keep pulling, and pulling! Man, that stuff has stems/runners so tough that you think you’re pulling on a piece of elastic string.....but it eventually comes out.....or breaks.

 

[J-Roz]

View attachment 114606@J-Roz Just looked that plant up and you must have it planted in the mud, dirt of a natural pond perhaps? I looked it up and this is what it says about removing it:
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/rid-water-clover-marsilea-mutica-76732.html

Another site says:
Can glyphosate affect birds, fish, or other wildlife?
Pure glyphosate is low in toxicity to fish and wildlife, but some products containing glyphosate may be toxic because of the other ingredients in them. Glyphosate may affect fish and wildlife indirectly because killing the plants alters the animals' habitat.

Good luck!

Thanks for the reply. I planted it in the gravel bottom. I’ll try the Glyphosate.

 

[J-Roz]

If it’s the same stuff I have — very invasive once it gets going — the best thing I’ve found to do is yank/pull it out! And keep pulling, and pulling! Man, that stuff has stems/runners so tough that you think you’re pulling on a piece of elastic string.....but it eventually comes out.....or breaks.

Thanks for the reply. I spent a long day pulling it out a year ago but it has come back. I’m going to try the glyphosate.

 

[Lisak1]

I would really hesitate to use glyphosate anywhere near a pond... or a human for that matter.

 

[addy1]

I had water clover years ago, it didn't like me, lasted one season never came back.