Linda, I use a home made weed killer that I found on the Internet. The 2 main ingredients are salt and vinegar. I use it around my pond with good result. Not great but just good. Haven't killed my fish as of yet and I have been using it for 2 months. If you want you can PM me and I will send it to you.
Vernon in central Mo

You can also try pouring boiling water on them. Or flaming them with a propane torch. My DH loves to flame weeds.

You can paint the Round Up on rather than spraying it. I've done this many times around my pond.

I have used round-up within a foot of my pond with no ill effects. I am, however, very careful how I use it. I spray only with no wind, no rain in the forecast, and I am very careful to always direct the spray away from the pond. My pond also has a slightly raised rim, which means there is never any water drainage into my pond.

Round-up is very effective, and I don't think it is too bad from an environmental perspective. I'm open to informed discussion, if anyone disagrees with this.

I recently heard a negative article on glyophosphate, which is the active ingredient in roundup and those type products. Apparently research has shown that it lasts longer than advertised in soils and affects organisms of many types. There might even have been something about ground water contamination. Search on glyophosphate and see what you get. Though I will still use these products on occasion, it will be very limited, and NOT around the pond.

Hand pulling after rain, weed barriers, mulches, and careful plant selection of as many natives as possible are my preferred methods of weed control.

Please use any chemicals according to label directions and heed cautions. Use them sparingly, and be aware of not only where you are putting it, but also where it will end up.

Thanks!
-TT

Invasive weeds can be a pain. Like the dandelions that have roots that go forever! I am constantly pulling dandelions and quackgrass out of my flower beds. I don't use any chemicals in my yard except for bone meal around the peonies and black bananas buried amongst the roses. The slightest breeze can blow chemicals into your pond and alot of them here anyways require that you wear old clothing, rubber gloves and don't let your pets outside for at least 12 hours if spraying roundup. I think my neighbor sprayed something along my fence line as my elder lost all its leaves. Maybe she was trying to kill the mint that she has along my fence line that I am constantly pulling out on my side of the fence. That stuff is really invasive!

The most important thing in using any lawn and garden chemical is to read the instructions and follow them!

Far too many people don't or they double the dose per gallon thinking that they really want those weeds dead or whatever. It doesn't work that way and not measuring can lead to serious problems with the plants that are sprayed. Worse than what they were sprayed for....

My husband is an agronomy specialist for a fertilizer company. I recently asked him about roundup for around our pond. He said they sell a roundup that does not have glyophosphate in it. Does anyone know of a weed preventer like Preen that can be used on the beach to prevent weeds?