The first step toward eradicating your Phragmites is creating a customized treatment plan. LakePro will visit your site to identify the Phragmites and determine the best practices for management. Your options include various herbicide treatments, cutting, and burning.

During our site visit we will also determine whether or not your site requires an EGLE – ANC permit. If it does, LakePro handles your permit application, correspondence, and compliance reports. In most cases, the permit application fee ranges, but usually is about $80 per year. Best of all, there is no extra charge for this service!

All successful control programs include the use of herbicides. LakePro utilizes Glyphosate and Imazapyr individually or in combination depending on the site conditions and treatment timing. Both herbicides are sprayed directly onto the target plants. Phragmites absorbs the herbicides and moves them into the roots, killing the entire stand. Programs can range from one treatment in the fall to multiple times throughout the entire summer. In most cases, it takes at least two years of management to eradicate the Phragmites.

Herbicide treatments control the Phragmites by killing the plant, including the roots, and preventing expansion of the stand. However, some mechanical control is necessary to physically remove the plant biomass. This may include simple cutting, mulching, or burning. LakePro has the equipment and expertise to help you with this portion of your program.

All mechanical control methods must take place either after the herbicide treatments or after a hard frost has set in the ground. This ensures the roots will not spread laterally to expand the Phragmites stand.

Tilling, disking, or pulling of the plants is never recommended. These activities promote the spread of Phragmites because the broken roots and seeds can be dispersed and will sprout new growth.