Pond mud and Cat tails

[Shadow]

I am currently draining and getting rid of cattails and milfol from our pond. Question is I have been hauling the cattails and the mud and milfoil and putting it in a pile. The mud STINKS . Has anyone tried composting this mess, and if you do will it make good compost or just stink. Dumb question but just something I have not run into before.
By the way there is several tons of it. I am using a tractor with a front end loader and its a job still.

[rambler]

I wouldn't know; the greenies would have you hauled to jail in my state for messing with a protected cattail. You get nasty letters & threats for mowing road ditches that have cattails in them. Can cut the grass hay, but don't touch a wetland! You need a pile of permits to do what you are doing 'here'. Hope you are in the clear 'there'.

--->Paul

[seedspreader]

Originally Posted by Shadow

I am currently draining and getting rid of cattails and milfol from our pond. Question is I have been hauling the cattails and the mud and milfoil and putting it in a pile. The mud STINKS . Has anyone tried composting this mess, and if you do will it make good compost or just stink. Dumb question but just something I have not run into before.
By the way there is several tons of it. I am using a tractor with a front end loader and its a job still.

Never composted it, but yes it does stink, like a sewage. I spent one whole summer pulling them out of a lake so I could go to camp as a 12 year old kid.

[texican]

Shadow, I reckon you like hard work! And like to do it over and over. Once cattails get in a pond or wetland, it's sorta difficult to get rid of em, unless you resort to poison. Leave just a little of the tuber and they'll resprout. I speak from experience.

What part of the country are you in... in that you can be draining water out of your pond in the summertime... The last thing in the world I'd consider doing would be to lower my ponds this time of year...

Have you tried grass carp for your milfoil.

I've hauled my cleared cattails up to the garden area and just laid em about six inches thick on top of my worst soil areas... trying to build up the organics in that area. The mud, in a compost situation...I don't know...if it's got lots of clay in it, might make your pile sorta lumpyish...

[Jan Doling]

Cat tails are edilble...eat your way out of this one! Or you can bury the mess and let it compost underground....no smell that way.

[Shadow]

Its just a small pond about a 1/4 acre with a dam I put in about 10 years ago. The Cattails we put in a few for looks big mistake, the milfoil came with water lillies the wife got at a garden center. Its off to the side of the road coming to the house but can be seen from the house and road. Looks like heck. Milfoil so bad few fish left. I started a siphon going a couple of days ago and the water is dropping about 8 inches a day. When its all out I will finish cleaning it out and while dry kill off the milfoil left then let it refill this fall. At least thats the plan. If this don't work I put the dam in I will take it out. And let it go back to a hollow that is good for very little.
Thanks for any infromation David

[moonwolf]

green cattails would be a good nitrogenous and add nutrient value to a compost heap I should think. The mud would be very good also. To counteract the smell, simply layer the cattails on the compost heap, add a few inch layer of topsoil or whatever dirt you have readily available. I'd do that in alternating layers and if you have any source of hot manure (like chicken manure fresh) add that, cover with another layer of soil, add more cattails and so on. That would compost down to some fine amemdment for your garden next year, or it would simply be a way to rid your cattails in an environmentally friendly manner.

[danb98577]

Have to do a similar clean up this summer-will wait till August as the level will be lower. Have done this a couple of times and the muck is a chore. Have a Dico log loader with a clam bucket which works fairly well-usually put the muck in an old flat bed Ford grain truck with a lift. Have to be careful about weight-that muck is VERY heavy. I try to spread it on field. A bit tricky as a light touch is needed to avoid dropping a oile in one spot. Have considered a manure spreader but haven't tried it yet. I am thinking of making a dredge one day, but that is in the dreaming stage now. After dropping on field it takes a few days to aerate and smell to vanish. The rains help in that dept. -Dan