weed killer

   / weed killer #1  

Sarge

Bronze Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2004
Messages
95
Location
Western, NY
Tractor
B1700
Getting ready to purchase a tow behind spray rig (FIMCO) and been researching weed killer stuff. I want to kill everything down to the roots, but not my trees and ready to plant grass in 2-3 weeks. I'm thinking "Big-N-Tuff" or "Round-up". Am I on track with that /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Thanks
 
   / weed killer #2  
I was told that there is a "sticky" agent added to some of these chemicals to help them adhere to the weeds. Apparently Round-up doesnt have very high levels, although it will kill the weeds, a light dew will wash it off.

I tried Round-Up in the past and wasnt happy with how long it lasted so this made sence to me. I am using another chemical that the local feed store recomended. Sorry, I cant recall the name of it right now. It seems to be more effective and lasts longer for my needs.
 
   / weed killer #3  
I've had good luck with round-up, but there are others with the glyphosate that work as well. These work when applied to 'green' growing leaves or blades, and kill the plant. They don't kill trees (but I wouldn't get a lot of spray on the stems) unless you spray the leaves or needles. Putting round-up on stumps apparently works to kill unwanted 'brush' that has been freshly cut.
If your 'weeds' are growing well (that season is coming to an end) I would think glyphosate products would work for you.
And I think you are on the right track.
/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
   / weed killer #4  
Roundup works well. I go with a Roundup knockoff called Clear Out. $59.99 for 2.5 gallons at the local farm/fleet store. For the "sticking" agent mentioned above, instead of buying an expensive surfactant, you can use plain old dish soap instead. Add several ounces of dish soap to the sprayer with your weed killer and it will do a better job of killing.
 
   / weed killer #5  
I buy a generic round up brand from our local feed and seed. 30 gallon drum is $12 a gallon and it has the surfactant in it, sprayed 1 quart to the acre, did 20 acres and after a week, it's all dead. Will start the disc process this week
 
   / weed killer #6  
Good replies so far, just a couple additions.
Round-Up (generic = glyphosate) is a post-emergent. As beenthere said, kills all growing weeds. If you go with something that's mixed with something else, the something else could be a pre-emergent, thus will kill your ready-to-plant-grass SEED (if I understand you correctly).
As I recall, Round-Up wasn't designed for broadleaf weeds and some folks have a lot of broadleafs and it hasn't worked well for them. I believe the label says it works on some. For hard to kill broadleafs, I spray them a little more heavily and they die.
Some glyphosates have the surfacant built in, but some might not. You can, and should, use a surfacant .. dish detergent works.
As far as subsequent dew and rain goes, i.e., rain-fastness, that is something to check into for each different brand ... seems it's usually buried in the encyclopedia that comes with the chemical. It seems to vary from a couple of hours to a couple of days.
Cheers!
 
   / weed killer #7  
There are now several versions of the Roundup brand now available. I have been working on a jug of Roundup Ultra for several years. It will kill if it can dry on the foliage for less than an hour before a rain. I'm using it now to burn down part of my back yard which is full of bermuda and crab grass. Have not had to worry about rain lately. Would like to have some to help my aerator.
 
   / weed killer #8  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( For the "sticking" agent mentioned above, instead of buying an expensive surfactant, you can use plain old dish soap instead. Add several ounces of dish soap to the sprayer with your weed killer and it will do a better job of killing. )</font>

Do you have to add an anti-foam agent when doing this? I would thing the recirculating circuit would really foam things up in the tank.
 
   / weed killer #9  
Just a word of warning, if your spraying Round-Up, be careful if you spray around a pond or lake. The surfactant in it will not harm the fish, but it will kill the amphibians (toads, frogs, tadpoles, salamanders) in the pond. I found this out the hard way and eliminated one of the food chains in my pond for the fish and had to feed them. It's recovering but slowly.
 
   / weed killer #10  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Just a word of warning, if your spraying Round-Up, be careful if you spray around a pond or lake. The surfactant in it will not harm the fish, but it will kill the amphibians (toads, frogs, tadpoles, salamanders) in the pond. I found this out the hard way and eliminated one of the food chains in my pond for the fish and had to feed them. It's recovering but slowly. )</font>

That can't be good /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
 
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