2,4-D and rain

[Ford850]

Since you're in Indiana, I'll give my opinion based on my Ohio weather when you applied the 2,4-D. Unless this was over applied, I wouldn't expect a very good kill of those weeds. You need warm sunny weather for this to work, and most labels will say 24 hours without rain with temperatures 60-90. In your case, applying late in the day on a cool day, it only had a few hours of daylight before sunset and then rain a few hours after that. The following days were cool as well. Maybe you're in southern Indiana and had warmer weather than me though.
I applied several 2,4-D type sprays to different areas the day before you did, early Sunday morning and the weather was sunny and warm (70*). By Monday morning I could see wilting weeds in most areas, but some were not affected yet. Monday and Tuesday were very cool, in the upper 40's or low 50's for highs with a couple showers and snow showers mixed in. The weeds seem to be in a holding pattern now, and with the cold weather forecast through the weekend, I hope they aren't sitting dormant waiting to regrow when ever it does get warm again.
Between temperatures, winds, and rain, spraying is always a gamble.

 

[TheMan419]

Since you're in Indiana, I'll give my opinion based on my Ohio weather when you applied the 2,4-D. Unless this was over applied, I wouldn't expect a very good kill of those weeds. You need warm sunny weather for this to work, and most labels will say 24 hours without rain with temperatures 60-90. In your case, applying late in the day on a cool day, it only had a few hours of daylight before sunset and then rain a few hours after that. The following days were cool as well. Maybe you're in southern Indiana and had warmer weather than me though.
I applied several 2,4-D type sprays to different areas the day before you did, early Sunday morning and the weather was sunny and warm (70*). By Monday morning I could see wilting weeds in most areas, but some were not affected yet. Monday and Tuesday were very cool, in the upper 40's or low 50's for highs with a couple showers and snow showers mixed in. The weeds seem to be in a holding pattern now, and with the cold weather forecast through the weekend, I hope they aren't sitting dormant waiting to regrow when ever it does get warm again.
Between temperatures, winds, and rain, spraying is always a gamble.

Yeah I am in northern Indiana. We have snow in the forecast. Thankfully 24d is cheap. Of course the other issue is if you wait too long to spray them they go to seed and then you get more back next year.

I am glad I am not spraying with something expensive like Grazon.

 

[MossRoad]

The best time to kill dandelions is in the fall, with herbicide on their leaves, or they'll winter over. Another way to prevent them is to put down a preemergent herbicide, like you would for crabgrass, in the early spring. This will stop the seeds from germinating. If you don't stop the seeds, you'll always have plants to kill. So kill the ones you have now with the 24D, and you can keep using that as spring progresses, until it gets too hot. Hit them again in the fall. Then next spring, put down crabgrass preventer. It'll prevent the dandelions, too.

However!

If you plan on putting any seed down in the grass, it won't germinate if you put down the preemergent. Also, I have no idea if this is bad for horses, so that's up to you to find out.


Here's a better read on it than I can write...

Dandelion Control (Dandelions) | Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

 

[MossRoad]

Also, since you and I have had such a cold spring, it might not be too late to put down crabgrass preventer. I put mine down a month ago, but I'm gonna hit it again this weekend after the freeze. I haven't seen any crabgrass yet this year. And just a few dandelions.

If I were you, I'd mark of a small area and test it there this year and see how your results are VS wasting $$ on a large area.

I've always gone by the last freeze April 15, last frost May 15, but it looks like 28 this weekend. Yikes! There go the grapes, cherries, etc....

 

[TheMan419]

Yeah the pre-emergent is a no go for the horses. Plus it is a lot pricier than the 24d. Who would have thought we would be having a freeze warning this time of year.

At least I got the sprayer working. I値l likely hit the little bastards again when it warms up and again in the fall.

 

[Ford850]

There's no perfect solution. If you spray in the fall, there will be dormant seeds from late summer and fall that will germinate early spring. Same goes for spring spraying, with early seeds germinating in the summer. If you spray once a year you will keep them somewhat under control and manageable.

 

[Maxify55]

I switched to GrazoNext a couple of years ago & love the results.
There are far too many plants that aren't touched by 2,4-D.
Clover, for one, is very difficult to kill.

Next on my list is cogon grass.
That stuff is just horrid!
You've almost got to nuke the land to kill it.
Then it'll get wind blown from across the way.
Whatcha gonna do? :confused3:

 

[lman]

I switched to GrazoNext a couple of years ago & love the results.
There are far too many plants that aren't touched by 2,4-D.
Clover, for one, is very difficult to kill.

Next on my list is cogon grass.
That stuff is just horrid!
You've almost got to nuke the land to kill it.
Then it'll get wind blown from across the way.
Whatcha gonna do? :confused3:

Is there a problem with clover in a horse pasture? I use 24d and appreciate the fact that it leaves some clover for my horses. I have heard that clover was beneficial for horses and cattle.

 

[Diggin It]

Clover, for one, is very difficult to kill.

Is there a problem with clover in a horse pasture?

I have heard that clover was beneficial for horses and cattle.

And soil. And bees.

I just spread two pounds of red clover seed hoping it takes with some rainy, cool days

 

[RalphVa]

Read the bottom of the 2nd page: http://newsomseed.com/resources/24-DMSDS.pdf A lot of this could wash off into the water system.

Dandelions are edible, almost entirely. Doubt they will harm the horses.

The other thing is that 2,4 D is VERY easily volatilized. Just the act of spraying it is enough. Give just a breath of air moving, and you could be killing someone's shrubs, tree or vegetables miles away when it recondenses and deposits.

Ralph