Help with roundup mixing.

[Raul-02]

little diesel fuel

you don't mind it in your water?

 

[Yander]

My FIL, who was a farmer, gave me advice on applying roundup. Don't spray when it is extremely hot if you can help it. Let the leaves dry out before spraying them in the morning. Make sure there is plenty of leaf surface when spraying, don't mow before you spray it. Don't mow after you spray it because it takes the plant several days to take it to the roots and get a good kill.

 

[workinonit]

you don't mind it in your water?

I don't spray it in my water. I spray it on my grass and weeds. If you're going to ask that question about a dash of diesel fuel, the same could be asked about the rest of these chemicals we use. The concentrations just aren't enough to affect the water supply.

 

[Torvy]

If I understand the original use correctly...killing weeds on the driveway...I just don't think a product akin to regular Roundup is the best option. They make other versions of Roundup with additional/different active ingredients for extended use.

For that type of job, I use a stronger Groundclear type. Like someone mentioned earlier, Triox, by Ortho, used to be it. That stuff killed anything and it stayed dead for a year. Not good near desirable plants. I think they changed it, though as modern stuff doesn't work as well. For vines and woody plants, I use a dedicated brush killer.

Labels are important. Some specifically say to cut 'mature' weeds before applying.

Good luck!

 

[Raul-02]

If you're going to ask that question about a dash of diesel fuel,

I don't have any good data on biodegradation of diesel. I do about those other things (at least the ones that I use). So I know what happens to them after a couple of weeks in the soil. One of them; Glyphosate, is actually beneficial for soil fauna.

Everything I've read about diesel says it is persistent and heads for the water table. ERGO the question. I dunno what a "dash" is which brings up another question. How do you keep it mixed? Diesel is barely miscible in water.

And the word diesel begs yet another question:
I wonder if Biodiesel is harmless in the soil compared to petroleum diesel. One should think it offers the same surfactant properties.

It chaps my ass no small amount that these sorts of questions are often answered (to some degree or other) in white papers and research work that is tucked away behind paywalls with subscription rates in the area of $400, or more, a year just to read a lousy paper.
Some will do it ala carte but most won't.

 

[Torvy]

It chaps my ass no small amount that these sorts of questions are often answered (to some degree or other) in white papers and research work that is tucked away behind paywalls with subscription rates in the area of $400, or more, a year just to read a lousy paper.
Some will do it ala carte but most won't.

That is just a piece of the difficulty in gathering such data. Most of the readily available information is slanted toward the authors' opinions on the use of diesel. Information has been weaponized so much that it becomes difficult for anyone to get real, honest information without setting up their own experiments.

In general, soil itself acts as a filter. Like most filters, it can only handle a fixed volume at a time. I think spraying a light coat of diesel to kill some vegetation probably does little to nothing to the ground water. Dumping barrels in one place would more likely cause some to percolate down to the water table.

I suppose if you want, you could test it using a standard beaker of the local soil and a spray bottle with some diesel in it. Spray the surface of the soil with diesel and then check the bottom of the beaker daily and record how many days it takes for diesel to pool at the bottom of your beaker. Different soils will give different results.

 

[workinonit]

The tank has recirculation aggitation which helps keep the diesel suspended and it takes very little to be effective.

As to biodiesel, I don't use it at all. Especially not in my tractor. I don't even think we can get it around here.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Could be. What I like about a little diesel fuel is you see the kill start the next day.

Persistent toxin, though. Diesel is ugly stuff.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

I don't have any good data on biodegradation of diesel. I do about those other things (at least the ones that I use). So I know what happens to them after a couple of weeks in the soil. One of them; Glyphosate, is actually beneficial for soil fauna.

Everything I've read about diesel says it is persistent and heads for the water table. ERGO the question. I dunno what a "dash" is which brings up another question. How do you keep it mixed? Diesel is barely miscible in water.

And the word diesel begs yet another question:
I wonder if Biodiesel is harmless in the soil compared to petroleum diesel. One should think it offers the same surfactant properties.

It chaps my ass no small amount that these sorts of questions are often answered (to some degree or other) in white papers and research work that is tucked away behind paywalls with subscription rates in the area of $400, or more, a year just to read a lousy paper.
Some will do it ala carte but most won't.

Try emailing the researcher. They only publish because academia requires it, and get nothing from the journal publisher. Often they are happy to forward a copy on request.

It's hard to convince people that the weed killer chemicals are much safer than spreading diesel around. Remember the old days when people spread used motor oil on roads to settle the dust? There's no telling how much wildlife and fish that killed. That said, I do use a 50/50 mix of ATF and Crossbow to do a basal application of persistent weeds. Cut them off and squirt the stump with a squirt bottle. I learned the trick 30 years ago by reading the label. I have no idea if it's still legal, but 12 oz. will go a long way.

 

[71bronco]

I put 13ozs in my 2 gal sprayer. I use the TSC generic roundup in 2.5 gal jugs. Lasts all year and works good. Always goes on sale in the spring.

Jeff