It can take a while to identify plants, especially if you're looking for the ideal plants to plant near your lake or pond. However, once you start identifying the plants you'd prefer, the sooner you'll notice them in different environments so you can narrow down your choices and decorate your pond accordingly.

You should also know the "language" when it comes to plants. It can be overwhelming to have so many choices, since you need to know where to purchase the plants, which plants to select and how you should arrange the plants. Knowing where to start and keeping some rules and recommendations in mind will make it easier for you to choose the ideal aquatic planting options for your lake, even if you're a novice.

Retention Ponds in Florida

Florida native plants are in retention ponds all over the state. Some of these ponds are tended to regularly and others aren't. It's likely to see less dependence on chemical weed and algae control as the economy goes through significant changes, which means some lakes and ponds won't receive consistent maintenance. However, beautiful plants are part of the visual appeal of lakes and are a vital part of the lake ecosystem. Plants aren't only pleasing to the eye, they're also a haven for birds and other forms of wildlife. Fish also live in or around many of these aquatic plants and use them for food.

Here are some aquatic plant choices that will make your pond area look more colorful and welcoming.

Pickerelweed

This plant grows to around four feet tall in shallow water. Normally, you'll only see one or two feet of the plant since the bottom of the pickerelweed is underwater. The leaves are shaped like lace and can develop to be about five inches wide and 10 inches long. Each of the flowers on the pickerelweed only lasts for a day. The flowers have a rich blue color and bloom from March until November.

Pickerelweed grows in marshes, streams, ditches, lakes, marshes and ponds, and can cover large areas. The nectar of the flowers is appealing to several insects, including butterflies and bees. Muskrats and ducks use the plant as food and the leaves and stems are hiding places for fish, reptiles, swimming mammals, birds, insects, and amphibians.

Duck Potato/ Arrowhead

Duck Potato, also known as arrowhead, have tubers that are buried deep into the lake. Ducks eat the seed of this plant. Arrowhead grows heartily in lakes, stream margins, swamps, and ditches. the plant has huge leaves that are shaped like arrowheads and white flowers with three petals. The flowers grow on sturdy stalks that are about a foot above the arrowhead's leaves. Waterfowl and mammals eat the seeds of Duck Potato as well, and the flowers are attractive to butterflies.

Fire Flag/ Alligator Flag

Alligator Flag or Fire Flag can grow to about 9 feet tall from a sturdy rhizome. The plant is common in ditches and lakes and blooms from the summer into the fall season. The fire flag has leaves on long stalks -- the large leaves are one of the distinguishing features of hte plant. Alligator Flags also have tiny purple flowers with three petals. This plant could be a great choice for aquatic planting, since it will brings butterflies into your pond area.

Horse Tail

Horse Tail has been around for centuries and is an evergreen that looks similar to a fern. The plant is about 3 feet and is a rich green with segmented stems. Horse Tail grows in sandy soil and is a food source for mammals and waterfowl. The plant has silicon crystals in its tissue which creates a gritty texture. That's why the plant is also called the "scouring rush."

If you think any of these Florida native plants would work well near your pond or lake, get in touch with Crosscreek Environmental by calling 941-479-7811 or emailing admin@crosscreekenv.com. You can also fill out a Pricing Request Form for more information how to add these plants to your landscape.

There's nothing quite like waterfront living. From the thrill of watching a sunset over the water to the excitement of participating in various water sports, owning a waterfront property has many benefits. As great as living near a body of water can be, though, it also comes with some unique challenges. Problems such as pollution, erosion, and excess plant growth can make your dream of living on the waterfront more like a nightmare. Fortunately, dredging offers a solution to many of these common problems, allowing you to reclaim your little piece of paradise.

Understanding The Process

If you've never utilized dredging services before, you may wonder what it entails. Essentially, the process involves removing various types of sediment and debris from a specific area in a waterway. Waterways can include lakes, rivers, ponds, and even oceans. A large machine, called a dredge, is used to complete this process. As sediment is removed, it is diverted to a safe area to be used as backfill, fertilizer, or for a number of other purposes. We've helped with dredging for many years. If you're looking to get a quote on our services, simply submit our Pricing Request Form here.

Types of Dredges

All types of dredges use suction to remove debris from one area and relocate it to another. If the sediment isn't compacted, a plain-suction dredge can be used. This dredge is similar to a vacuum in that it merely sucks-up anything that's loose and sends it on its way. As to the other types of dredges, the main difference between them is the method used to loosen the debris before it is removed from the body of water.

For jobs where there is only a shallow layer of sediment, a cutter-suction dredge can be useful. Utilizing a cutting wheel, this piece of equipment cuts a wide swath on the bottom or side of a body of water. For many residential applications, a cutter-suction dredge is a great option.

Deeper applications may require an auger-suction dredge or a jet-lift dredge. Both of these types of dredges have tools that can penetrate deep beneath the top layer of sediment to allow for major altering of the bottom of a body of water.

Why Is It Necessary?

The shorelines and bottoms of bodies of water are constantly changing. As the amount of water in a waterway increases and decreases, it can cause erosion on the shoreline. Or, if there are large amounts of organic deposits in the water, these deposits can build-up on the shoreline, which can make it more difficult to access the body of water. Therefore, one use of dredging is to restore a shoreline to its original state, either by removing debris or reinforcing the shoreline using material from the bottom of the body of water.

On the bottom of a body of water, organic matter can settle and decompose. Dying plants and animals, dirt deposits, excess fertilizer, and a host of other materials can easily find their way to the bottom of a body of water. Even bodies of water that aren't fed by a river or stream can experience this build-up of debris due to run-off from the surrounding land during wet-weather events.

Eventually, this organic debris can reduce the depth of the body of water, making it unusable for its original purpose. Additionally, the increased decomposition can reduce oxygen levels for living organisms in the body of water, causing a risk for a mass die-off. Fortunately, a dredge can be used to remove this organic matter so that the body of water can be restored.

Additionally, a dredge can be used to increase the size of a body of water, providing additional opportunities for recreation, commerce, and more. Request a quote for dredging services here.

What Are The Benefits of Dredging?

Given the reasons that dredging is needed, you can probably pick up on some of the benefits. As a homeowner, there are several benefits of dredging that can help preserve the beauty and value of your waterfront property.

One crucial benefit of using a dredge is helping to reduce erosion. By using the sediment that the dredge collects on your shoreline, you can build-up and compress the shoreline so that the water doesn't come too close to your home.

You can also use a dredge to re-shape the shoreline to a more natural shape that helps to hold back the soil and ensures you don't use your valuable land to the nearby body of water. Plus, by preventing erosion, you will help protect the body of water so that it doesn't end up with the problems that require a dredge in the first place.

Another important benefit of this process is that it helps to remove pollutants that may have found their way into the water that's near your home. This is especially important if you swim in the body of water or eat fish taken from the water. Something as simple as an excess amount of fertilizer can cause health problems for you and your family if you are exposed to the water. By removing the sediment that contains these pollutants, though, you can swim and fish without a second thought.

While using a dredge isn't right for every situation, it can have major benefits when the need is present. Therefore, if you are having problems with your piece of shoreline, it may be time to give this process some consideration.

Need help with dredging?

Are you looking for some help dredging a shoreline or removing debris? Give us a call today at 941-479-7811 or email us at admin@crosscreekenv.com to request a quote.

Whether it is on property near a home, on a golf course, or elsewhere, a well-maintained pond can be beautiful and offer many benefits to the property, such as attracting various types of wildlife as well as adding to the property's allure. But no matter what type of pond may be on your property, keeping it looking great requires many different aspects. If you have questions about pond cleaning and the steps needed to make it less labor-intensive, here are some helpful pond management tips we at Crosscreek Environmental Inc. have found to be very effective.

Always Aerate Your Pond

If there is perhaps one thing that is most important to proper pond maintenance, it is aerating your pond. Whether your pond is large enough to be considered a small lake or is a small, decorative koi pond, stagnant water is the last thing you want to have on your property. When stagnation occurs, it is due to the pond's bottom water layer losing oxygen. As a result, oxygen floats to the water's surface and often results in fish deaths. By aerating, oxygen is added to the pond's bottom layer, ensuring the entire pond has an adequate supply of oxygen. In addition, algae overgrowth and decomposing matter within the pond are also kept to a minimum.

As for how to aerate, a bottom diffuser works well if your pond is at least six feet deep or has a tendency to have its top layer freeze over. Along with forcing water to the surface where it can gain more oxygen, the diffuser will also allow more light into the water when it stays thawed, helping to reduce wintertime fish deaths. If, on the other hand, your pond is very shallow, surface aeration from a waterfall or fountain will do just fine. In addition to agitating the water, they also add beauty to your pond.

Buy a Pond Rake

While raking your pond may not sound like an easy part of pond cleaning, investing a few dollars in a quality pond rake will make cleaning your pond much easier than you think. Though it may be a bit time-consuming if you have a large pond, you'll only need to do this task about once a week. By doing so, you'll be able to remove algae, twigs, dead leaves, and other debris. Should your pond be a small decorative one or even a koi pond, you may need to use your rake only about 10 minutes per day. For very small ponds that don't get very dirty, a skimmer may do the job just fine.

Add Correct Plants

If you want to make pond maintenance even easier, add plants that are well-suited to your pond. In many cases, floating plants are great additions. Providing shade to fish and other aquatic life when hot summer days arrive, they also limit algae growth and actually eat up many nutrients algae require to keep growing. As an added benefit, extra oxygen also gets added to your pond's water.

Add Colorant to the Water

Even if you do everything right regarding aeration, raking, and vacuuming, you may still not like the color of your pond's water. If this is the case with your pond, try adding a colorant. Made from dyes used in human food, they are safe for fish and livestock. However, for additional peace of mind, try to use dye that is veterinarian-approved.

A simple process, you should still wear protective gear when adding dye to your pond, since it may stain your skin and clothing. However, once you're finished adding the dye, your pond will quickly start to realize many benefits. Along with water that will have a rich new color, the water's temperature will be lowered so that oxygen levels can be properly maintained. Finally, the darker color of the water will also act as a shield for your fish, since predators will have much more difficulty seeing them.

Beneficial Bacteria

As the last step to keeping your pond clean, plan to add beneficial bacteria. An easy way to reduce excess nutrients, this step also improves water quality and clarity. A way to make pond management very easy, the good news is that you cannot over-treat the water, but you can under-treat it. To keep this from happening, purchase biodegradable bacteria packs, calculate the number of gallons of water in your pond, and add the packs. If you live in an area where summer temperatures get very high, you may need to perform this treatment on a monthly basis.

Though following these steps should make keeping your pond clean much easier, you will likely still have questions along the way. To get your questions answered by experts in pond management, contact us here at Crosscreek Environmental Inc. by calling 941-479-7811 for a consultation or filling out our pricing request form.