2-4-D

[DT86]

For me I wait until fall and then spray--it kills less.

Wtf?? Doesn't that defeat the whole purpose????

 

[sixdogs]

Wtf?? Doesn't that defeat the whole purpose????

The purpose for me is to get rid of weeds and that's a long term process. Mares tail, for example, is a weed that is Roundup resistant so I need 2,4-D. Were I to spray those weeds now, that are in close proximity to other plants, vegetables and trees, I could kill the good things. So for this year and Mares tail, I weed whack them to keep them in check and come back in August or Sept to hit with 2,4-D. Been doing it for 20 years.

Now, I might hit a dandelion in the center of the lawn but only with a hand sprayer and on a dry and sunny day. I didn't take that care last year and killed my 10 ft sugar maple in the spring with a higher pressure tractor sprayer. That's just the way 2,4-D is. You can wipe out all your tomato plants that are 50 ft away if you get rain the night you spray or a muggy next day. 2,4-D has a residual impact of fumes or whatever forming again.

The way to get the greatest results with the least risk is to spray in the fall. If you want to kill weeds in the summer or spring you just need a hand pump sprayer, a droplet tip and luck.

This year, my pear trees were damaged by the farmer spraying my fields with a mild mixture of 2,4-D. He sprayed with droplet nozzles, ultra low 10 psi near the buildings and still damaged two pear trees and impacted some peach trees. He was 75 ft away from them and a mild breeze. That's my experience with that product.

 

[Pine Strip]

Is there a beter product then 2-4-D for general purpose large lawn care? I've never been an advocate for chemical use, but the weeds took over this years new grass planting. Is there a better solution?
:forbidden:


View attachment 322995

Happy to report I've had a good kill with only minor colateral damage to my plants and garden veggies. I still hate the stuff.

 

[Dan Hunter]

I always assumed the D in "2,4 D" was dicamba.

 

[Creamer]

2,4-D is a great old herbicide. It is cheap and effective but now over 95% is used non-agriculturally - golf courses, lawn, industrial buildings, ditches, right-of-ways, etc. There are many new herbicides available that are safer and more effective and do not have as much impact on the plant you want to keep. They are available at any Farm and Fleet type store. there are a few drawbacks to these newer chemicals though - some require a license or certification, some are more expensive, some are not as broad of spectrum. Consequently I still use 2,4-D on my grass but I do limit broadcast spraying to the fall as I seem to get a more consistent kill of what I do not want. I also use 2,4-D Amine LV - where the LV stands for low volatility. I will spot spray withing a couple feet of my garden and have never had an issue but I also do not blow the grass clippings into the garden.

 

[newbury]

there are a few drawbacks to these newer chemicals though - some require a license or certification, some are more expensive, some are not as broad of spectrum.

Do you have any links to licensing or certification requirements to apply herbicides? After about a 15 minute google adventure all I could find were for pesticides.

 

[DFB]

Do you have any links to licensing or certification requirements to apply herbicides? After about a 15 minute google adventure all I could find were for pesticides.

An herbicide is a PESTICIDE.

Pesticide is general classification that includes ALL herbicides, insectides, miticides, and fungicides. You really should do your homework first before any of you get involved in using any chemicals that can affect human health and the environment

 

[AKfish]

Dicamba General Fact Sheet

What are some symptoms from a brief exposure to dicamba?
Pure dicamba is low in toxicity if breathed. If inhaled, people may experience dizziness, and irritation of the nose, resulting in coughing. If you get pure dicamba on your skin, it is low in toxicity, however skin irritation may develop. If you get dicamba in your eyes, it is moderately toxic. If dicamba is swallowed, people have reported symptoms such as vomiting, loss of appetite and muscle spasms. If a large amount is swallowed, diarrhea and abdominal pain have been reported.

I'm a licensed pesticide applicator. I could list the exposure caution for 2,4-D and we could all be foolish... or, you could recognize that low concentration formula's for Dicamba are available from your local hardware (Lowe's, Home Depot) for homeowner use.

AKfish