Food Plot Maintenance... which herbacides

[JohnnyMX]

I have about an acre of clover food plots in total. They are established and growing great for 2 years now. I'm finally getting some grass and broadleaf weeds. I guess I"m looking for a cheap version of Arrest Max and Slay. I've hear butyrac/24dB or clethodim for grasses and not sure about broadleaf.

I can't translate ingredient to something I see at Tractor Supply, etc. and Amazon seems to kill you on this stuff. What should I get and where?

 

[3gunr]

The clethodim is for grasses and the 24d butyrac is for broad leaves. mowing your plots will help keep weeds out of the plots. You should spray your plots after aweek or so after mowing. THere are lots of good youtube videos on food plot planting and maintenance. good luck with your plots. I have purchased my chemicals from rural king.

 

[kthompson]

For your chemicals find one that supplies to golf courses or farmers. They will have fuller product line.

 

[JohnnyMX]

Good idea on the golf courses and farmers. I try to keep it mowed, but the clover is growing like crazy. Keeps growning over a foot tall, and unfortunately, the weeds also like the soil and sun combo.

Found an online place for Clethodim (not amazon) that wasn't as bad on shipping. I have a creeping bush for erosion on a slope near the house that I want to try it on. If that can prevent me from weeding it will be well worth it !!! Trying something called IMOX which is a blend of weed/broadleaf for the plots. It was a bit cheaper than buying both by themselves. We'll see how it goes. Maybe I can find a local place and save $12 bucks on shipping.

Seems like for perennials, it is cheaper to keep 'em weed free than to re-plant them so I'm giving it a shot.

 

[RalphVa]

Look up the stuff in Grazon. Stay away from whatever weed application has any of the same stuff. It can be ingested, and lives on in the poop of the animals that eat the grass/clover for actually years.

This is if you use the poop from any of those animals anywhere. It'll kill green stuff with the poop.

Ralph

 

[Big Barn]

For your chemicals find one that supplies to golf courses or farmers. They will have fuller product line.

In B.C. those suppliers sell only to commercial customers with a pesticide applicator licence and inspected storage facility.

 

[Big Barn]

I have about an acre of clover food plots in total. They are established and growing great for 2 years now. I'm finally getting some grass and broadleaf weeds. I guess I"m looking for a cheap version of Arrest Max and Slay. I've hear butyrac/24dB or clethodim for grasses and not sure about broadleaf.

I can't translate ingredient to something I see at Tractor Supply, etc. and Amazon seems to kill you on this stuff. What should I get and where?

Generally speaking, a cheaper version of any particular herbicide is directly related to strength/potency/% of active ingredient.

AKA - you get what you pay for.

 

[sawtooth]

And if any chemical requires a surfactant make sure you use it. It’s cheap and can make a huge difference in performance for some herbicides. Glyphosate is one for sure that benefits. Basically it allows the chemical to better penetrate the oily surface on some plants.

 

[Big Barn]

And if any chemical requires a surfactant make sure you use it. It’s cheap and can make a huge difference in performance for some herbicides. Glyphosate is one for sure that benefits. Basically it allows the chemical to better penetrate the oily surface on some plants.

Agreed. My Roundup label says it contains a surfactant but I ALWAYS add anyway.

 

[kinglake]

This is completely inaccurate, at least in the US. The cheaper "generic" versions are almost always identical in strength/potency. Just this week I purchased generic Surflan (oryzalin) and generic Barricade (prodiamine). Exact same percentage of active and inactive ingredients, just half the cost.

For a clover plot, you want Imox. It is a bit expensive, but it kills both grass and broadleafs in clover plots and has some residual effect as well.

 

[Big Barn]

This is completely inaccurate, at least in the US. The cheaper "generic" versions are almost always identical in strength/potency. Just this week I purchased generic Surflan (oryzalin) and generic Barricade (prodiamine). Exact same percentage of active and inactive ingredients, just half the cost.

Here in BC, Roundup and generic versions of identical potency are comparably priced. All consumer use versions ( less potency by law) are priced cheaper.

 

[mtsman2]

For a clover plot, you want Imox. It is a bit expensive, but it kills both grass and broadleafs in clover plots and has some residual effect as well.

I have used IMOX for years. it works very well on grass and average on some broadleafs. It will not stop thistle, various types of dock, and some types of solidago infestations. It will slow down the dock and some solidago but not kill it.
There are many boards out there for no-till food plotting, plot maintenance, rotations, etc.
I started my first clover plot in '98. I can remember the representative at the local ag extension office looking very confused and asking me " why do you want to plant clover for the deer??" I still prefer to cut my clover plots at 6-9" height during specific time frames to control broadleafs...it just seems to work better for me. The IMOX does work well on the grasses inside my plots.

 

[sawtooth]

Agreed. My Roundup label says it contains a surfactant but I ALWAYS add anyway.

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The funny thing is the off brand Glyphosate must not have it included. The reason I say this is because it never seems to work as good as the name brand products. It’s a good bit cheaper at least here in Virginia and has same strength. I mix at same rate but it never seem to performs as well till I started adding a little surfactant a few years ago. Now it smokes everything every time. Surfactant is so cheap and you use such a small amount it’s still a lot cheaper going this route vs the name brand product.

 

[super55]

Another option would be to use a weed wiper with glyphosate. It is essentially just a rope soaked with herbicide and you just brush it against your target plants. For just an acre I would just put one on a backpack sprayer and walk the plots. Mow first and usually the weeds will grow a little faster then get after it.

 

[JohnnyMX]

Ended up doing IMOX on the clover plot. 6 oz of IMOX to 2.5 pints of 80/20 surfactant (TSC) in about 25 gallons of water. We'll see how it goes on the roughly 1 acre total size.

Also tried to clear and old fall plot with 2 pints glyphosphate, 2 pints surfactant and whatever 2-4D I had left in 25-30 gallons of water to kill everything there to prep for another round of planting come early August.

I wish there was a Herbacides for dummies guide with just the basic stuff out there.
Glyphospate (aka roundup; 41% concentrate) + 2-4D + some surfactant seems to kill anything including multiflora rose and work quick.
2-4D on the lawn kills off dandelions pretty good if done at least twice a year early season and fall

Butyrac (2-4DB) seems to be a goto on clover for broadleaf (aka Slay)

Clethodium on clover or many other things for just grass control (aka ArrestMax)
IMOX = Clethodoim+Butyrac in one solution with some residual
SALT = scortched earth and 10' of dead stuff around what you wanted to kill

 

[super55]

Here is an amazing link from an individual named dbltree. He has since passed on but the information he put on the internet to help food plotting invaluable. It won't have newer herbicides out there like Kixor but he just about covers every type of herbicide and what it is used for.
Herbicides | Iowawhitetail forums

 

[johncanfield]

Generic glyphospate around here is about 41%, Roundup Pro is about 50%, don't remember exactly. In my experience I've had better performance from Roundup. The generic version requires more chemical to mix with water so it doesn't make as much solution. I do have a Texas Private Applicator License so I can purchase restricted herbicides for my use.

 

[sawtooth]

Generic glyphospate around here is about 41%, Roundup Pro is about 50%, don't remember exactly. In my experience I've had better performance from Roundup. The generic version requires more chemical to mix with water so it doesn't make as much solution. I do have a Texas Private Applicator License so I can purchase restricted herbicides for my use.

Just add a surfactant (it’s cheap) to the off label or generic stuff and you want notice a difference plus you will still save a lot of money. There’s actually no difference in either (unless more concentrated as mentioned) because glyphosate is glyphosate no matter what brand. The difference is how efficiently the chemical is absorbed into the plant foliage. Roundup as a brand generally contains a surfactant whereas many generics do not. A surfactant breaks down the oily layer on the surface of foliage allowing the chemical to more efficiently penetrate the plant. So a concentration of 40% glyphosate will kill **** near anything as long as it’s able to effectively penetrate the oily layer.

 

[johncanfield]

Thanks for that tip about the generic stuff not having a surfactant, I still have a couple of gallons of that concentrate left. I do use a surfactant when I'm spraying other herbicides but I'll include it with the generic glyphosate.

 

[sawtooth]

Thanks for that tip about the generic stuff not having a surfactant, I still have a couple of gallons of that concentrate left. I do use a surfactant when I'm spraying other herbicides but I'll include it with the generic glyphosate.

I wasn’t aware either until a few years back so wanted to share my findings. Good luck and kill’um dead. I’m now dealing with a out break of Johnson grass. Man is that stuff nasty if it makes it to seed out. Last year we had very little of it but now that the seeds blew all over the place it’s taking over in only a years time. I’m sending it back to **** though this weekend. Lol