Charleston & Wilmington Specialized Mowing Improves Pond Health & Aesthetics

Charleston and Wilmington pond mowing season has arrived. Now is the time to review your mowing program, and we have exciting news! Dragonfly Pond Works has added pond mowing services for any size account in our Charleston, South Carolina and Wilmington, North Carolina markets.

Orion Harrell- South Carolina Client Service Manager

Charleston community pond with beautiful, clear water and well maintained landscaping.

One Specialized Vendor for Charleston & Wilmington Pond Mowing & Maintenance

Utilizing one specialized vendor for all your stormwater system and pond needs helps ensure that your pond is aesthetically pleasing, safe, and functioning as designed. Our customized maintenance and mowing programs handle your open water areas, shoreline, side slopes, and dam.

Benefits of Working with a Specialized Pond & Stormwater Vendor:

One point of contact for the entire pond area or Stormwater Control Measure (SCM)
Specialized slope mowing equipment for efficiency and safety
Knowledge of recommended mowing heights
Crews are trained in best practices for ponds and SCMs
Awareness and avoidance of plants that are part of the engineered pond design

Wilmington HOA pond that has been over-mowed, showing turf damage and erosion. — This is an example of a landscaper over-mowing, which has resulted in turf damage and erosion.

Mowing Heights

Landscapers often mow very low around ponds. They also mow weekly or biweekly. However, in relation to ponds and SCMs, it is beneficial to mow at a higher height and reduced frequency. Mowing low and frequently can result in over-mowing or scalping. This damages the turf and can lead to erosion issues and sediment accumulation within the pond. These issues will worsen until addressed, and repairs can be very costly. With Dragonfly’s specialized Charleston and Wilmington pond mowing programs, grass will be taller between visits. A mowing height of 3-5” is ideal for optimum pond health. An additional benefit of this height is that the grass grows tall enough to reseed itself.

Thriving aquatic plan buffer surrounds HOA pond with fountain in the center of the pond. — Healthy HOA community pond with a thriving aquatic plant buffer.

Aquatic Plant & Littoral Shelf Protection

Aquatic plants and littoral shelves provide incredible benefits for ponds and SCMs. Some of the ways they improve pond health include:

Improving aesthetics and water quality
Increasing pollutant removal
Preventing sedimentation from erosion
Reducing nutrients for algae
Reducing space for invasive vegetation to establish
Providing habitat for dragonflies which provide natural mosquito control

It is critical to properly maintain beneficial plants, while treating invasive plants. These plants are part of the engineered design of the pond or stormwater device, and we’ve often seen landscapers completely mow the shoreline plant buffer. This practice decreases pond health and typically requires a costly reinstallation of plants. Dragonfly’s specialized mowing crews have the training and knowledge to mow without harming aquatic plants and littoral shelves.

Top: specialized mowing equipment is used to mow pond perimeter. Bottom: Light equipment, weed eaters, are utilized to prevent system damage. — Our specialized mowing equipment is utilized for efficiency and safety, and our crews are trained in best practices to recognize when lighter equipment is required to prevent potential system damage.

Charleston & Wilmington Pond Mowing Programs with Dragonfly

Our stormwater and pond experts will assess your specific needs and work with you to create a customized plan to best meet the needs of your aquatic system and community. Examples of pond and stormwater mowing programs we can provide include 4 mowing services April, June, August, October or 8 mowing services once a month March-October. An initial one-time clearing may be necessary for pond components that have established trees and brush. Oftentimes, our team comes across ponds where the backside of the dam is not being routinely mowed and trees and brush have become established. This can compromise the integrity of the dam and lead to costly repairs or even a dam collapse. It is incredibly important to mow to the toe of the slope on the dam to protect from structural issues.

Dragonfly Meets All of Your Pond & Stormwater Needs

We understand the importance of a healthy, aesthetically pleasing pond to your community. Our specialized Charleston and Wilmington pond mowing and maintenance experts will ensure that your pond is a safe, healthy, and an attractive asset for all community members to enjoy. Working with Dragonfly as your single point of contact for your entire pond or stormwater device also provides you access to a full-service vendor with all in-house maintenance and repair capabilities. Every Dragonfly service is documented for your records with detailed reports. Contact us today to discuss your customized pond or stormwater mowing program.

Specialized Pond Mowing, Maintenance, & More

Want to learn more about improving the health and beauty of your pond? Our experts explain the benefits of aquatic plants and littoral shelves, and share their top tips for maximizing your investment.

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Dragonfly Pond Works provides specialized pond and stormwater mowing and maintenance, aquatic plant management, stormwater compliance repair, and more in Charleston, Columbia, Myrtle Beach, and Greenville, South Carolina, Wilmington, Raleigh, Durham, and Charlotte, North Carolina, Tampa, Sarasota, Naples, St. Petersburg, Fort Myers, Florida, and Atlanta, Athens, and Savannah, Georgia.