Why Weed Management is Important

Florida is home to over 7,800 lakes of ten acres or more. Just pull up the Maps app on your phone and scan over the state – it’d be difficult to travel for more than 5 miles in a straight line and not hit a body of water. Our lakes and ponds are one of the most visually striking features of our state, and they certainly enhance the natural beauty of our environment. But, the presence of invasive and excessive weeds can be a huge problem for Florida lakes. Here are a few reasons why you should take care of your pond or lake by keeping intrusive weeds in check.

• Weeds can crowd out native aquatic plants

  Invasive plants like hydrilla can quickly overtake a body of water, forming wide-ranging and thick mats. These can spell bad news for native plants like water lilies, which can be choked out by the weeds. In addition, weeds can block sunlight from reaching underwater plants, causing them to die off.

• Weeds can reduce the population of fish in the lake

  Because weeds can kill off native plants, the whole food chain can be disrupted. Fish will lose their food sources and begin to dwindle. They can also throw off the chemical levels in the water, which leads to unhealthy fish.

• Weeds can restrict water activities

  Boating, jet skiing, swimming, and fishing are all affected by weed levels in lakes. Weeds can be such a nuisance for boaters, who have to continually stop and unclog their motors. Fishermen and women also despise large quantities of weeds since their lures can easily get caught in large weed beds, which is particularly vexing.

• Weed beds can harbor more mosquito eggs

  Who has ever thought, “You know what, I think Florida needs more mosquitoes”? Answer: nobody. Mosquitoes must lay their eggs in shallow water sources, and weed mats provide the perfect bed. Cutting down on weed growth can curb mosquito populations in your yard.

• Weeds take away from the natural beauty of lakes

  Without Florida’s natural aquatic plants and animals, our lakes simply aren’t as beautiful. Nor can we enjoy to the fullest all that lakes have to offer. An unhealthy, weed-ridden lake is certainly an undesirable thing, and it can even decrease your property’s value.

These five harmful qualities of weeds demonstrate just how valuable a weed management plan is. While weeds aren’t so bad in smaller, controlled quantities, things can quickly spiral out of control. Keep your lake healthy, fun, and weed-free with Sorko Service’s aquatic weed control program. Our expertise with Florida fresh bodies of water allows us to diagnose the issues with your lake and formulate a plan to restore it to full health. To learn more, please give us a call at 407-878-4492.