Is Barley Straw a Friend or Foe in the Fight Against Pond Algae?
Dana Oleskiewicz, OSU Extension Agent, Watershed Management Pond scum…that unsightly mess that invades many Ohio ponds during the warm months. We are forever looking for ways to combat it so that we don’t have to swim in it, fish through it, or look at it. The use of barley straw to control pond algae has been explored as a possible management technique. However, research has shown mixed results on the effectiveness of this method. Barley straw has been promoted in the United Kingdom as a biological alternative to using chemicals such as copper sulfate to control algae. Bales of barley straw placed in water will decompose releasing a chemical that stops algae from growing. There have been documented cases where observation suggests that this approach works. There are also field and laboratory studies that contradict these observations1. For example, barley straw was used in Valley Lake (8 acres), Minnesota2. Observations from long-time lake residents and lifeguards reported a decline
