Mixing MSMA in a 50gal UTV Boom Sprayer on a Kawasaki Mule to spray @ 3mph

[FMFProperties]

The MSMA label says :
"For established Bermudagrass and Zoysiagrass, mix 1 to 2 fluid ounces (2 to 4 tbsp.) of this
product in 1 to 2.5 gallons of water for application to a total area of 1,000 square feet."

I want to spray a 2.6 acre runway of Coastal Bermuda, but to make the math simple let's stick to 1 acre first.

1 acre = 43,500s' divided by 1000s' = 43.5 (I know it's 43,560s' but I'm keeping it simple, we don't need science class lab results here )

So I have to mix 1-2 ounces of MSMA for 1000s', so if I use 1 ounce times 43.5 = 43.5 ounces (1.36 quarts) of MSMA per acre, BUT THEN....

what about where it says to mix it into 1 - 2.5 gallons of water for those 1000s'? If i multiply 1 gallon of water (for 1000s') x 43.5 = 43.5 gallons of water for 1 acre.

My sprayer at 3mph spreads 13 gallons per acre. How many ounces of MSMA do I need for 1 acre spreading 13 gallons of water per acre, OR should I go slower to use more water per acre?

If I go slower, maybe @ 1mph (I haven't tested this speed yet), I might be able to spread at 43 gallons of water per acre, but that doesn't seem logical and the grass would get more water but it would be a more diluted MSMA per acre.

I've called 2 ag stores but they don't seem to know math and give me wild answers, one of them just told me 1.5 to 2 gallons of MSMA for 50 gallons of water !!

HELP !!!!

PS:I know someone will ask so let me get this out now .
I arrived at 13 gallons per acre by actually driving at 3 mph spraying plain water (did 5 passes with a 9' wide spray) over the measured 2.6 acres (46' x 2480'), and it took me 33 gallons of water to do it, so I use a rounded up 13 gallons per acre.

Pictures of the sprayer and first 1000' of the 2500' runway.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

I used to use 1 quart per acre at 20 gallons of water per acre, have a John Blue pump that compensates for MPH to keep the output at 20 gallons per acre, spraying with a PTO pump and figuring MPH takes a little trial and error, but when I did spray with a PTO pump I had it figured on that particular sprayer that I used that I had to travel at 5.2 MPH to get the 20 gallons output per acre. Once you use a spray rig with a ground driven pump that compensates for MPH you will never go back. Nothing will clean up a hayfield of vaseygrass nutgrass, goosegrass etc better than MSMA but be careful as it is not labeled for anything except turf grass, golf courses, ROW's and for cotton, in other words do what you need to do but don't advertise.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

My sprayer at 3mph spreads 13 gallons per acre. How many ounces of MSMA do I need for 1 acre spreading 13 gallons of water per acre, OR should I go slower to use more water per acre?

You have answered your question. Your sprayer puts out 13 gallons per acre and you need 43 oz. of MSMA per acre. So for every acre, or for every 13 gallons, add 43 oz. of MSMA. With MSMA, the gallons of water per acre is not critical.

I've used MSMA in the past and 43 oz. is a good rate. Not too high, but not too low.

But, as @Lineman North Florida said, please read and follow the label. I don't think that what you are planning to do is on the label. Especially if the grass will be used for hay.

 

[FMFProperties]

You have answered your question. Your sprayer puts out 13 gallons per acre and you need 43 oz. of MSMA per acre. So for every acre, or for every 13 gallons, add 43 oz. of MSMA. With MSMA, the gallons of water per acre is not critical.

I've used MSMA in the past and 43 oz. is a good rate. Not too high, but not too low.

But, as @Lineman North Florida said, please read and follow the label. I don't think that what you are planning to do is on the label. Especially if the grass will be used for hay.

Thank you for the first part.

For the 2nd part, I copy and pasted it directly from the label. Here's my post and here's a picture of the label on my 2.5 gallon jug.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

Thank you for the first part.

For the 2nd part, I copy and pasted it directly from the label. Here's my post and here's a picture of the label on my 2.5 gallon jug.

The way I read that label, it can ONLY be used on 25% of the total area of a golf course, or on a sod farm. I don't see where it says it can be used on lawns, sports fields, pastures, hay fields, industrial sites, or anywhere else.

I used it on many sites in the past, but the label changed about 10-12 years ago, and now I don't use it at all. I have been a licensed commercial applicator since 1982. I read labels almost every time I spray.

I'm sure you would be fine if you do spray your pasture, but I just want you to be aware of the label and the law.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

I just went read the label again, and it does have a use on cotton fields, and highway right-of-way.

 

[duffer]

I've used MSMA for several years on my 5 acres of bermuda turf. My sprayer puts out about 20 gal/ac, depending on the nozzles I use. 40-45 ounces of chemical will smoke most weeds in about 10 days or so. Takes a little longer for crabgrass. There are some weeds it won't even touch, so read the label to see if it will work for what weeds you're dealing with.

I agree with previous posters that the amount of water is not critical. Also should point out that it will "stress" your bermuda, but won't kill it. I usually apply some nitrogen/urea a week or two after using MSMA to green things back up.

If your MSMA doesn't have surfactant be sure to add some for best results.

 

[FMFProperties]

I used to use 1 quart per acre at 20 gallons of water per acre, have a John Blue pump that compensates for MPH to keep the output at 20 gallons per acre,

Did 1 quart (32 ounces) per acre work correctly? It came out to 43 ounces per acre in my calculations and I have no problem with using the 43 oz, but if 32 works then I might try that first, better for the wallet.

Nothing will clean up a hayfield of vaseygrass nutgrass, goosegrass etc better than MSMA but be careful as it is not labeled for anything except turf grass, golf courses, ROW's and for cotton, in other words do what you need to do but don't advertise.

The runway is registered with the feds as a turf grass runway so I'm covered there. Regarding the hay fields, why are you asking about hay fields?

 

[FMFProperties]

I've used MSMA for several years on my 5 acres of bermuda turf. My sprayer puts out about 20 gal/ac, depending on the nozzles I use. 40-45 ounces of chemical will smoke most weeds in about 10 days or so. Takes a little longer for crabgrass. There are some weeds it won't even touch, so read the label to see if it will work for what weeds you're dealing with.

I agree with previous posters that the amount of water is not critical. Also should point out that it will "stress" your bermuda, but won't kill it. I usually apply some nitrogen/urea a week or two after using MSMA to green things back up.

If your MSMA doesn't have surfactant be sure to add some for best results.

Thank you. I'm controlling sandburs and bahia, and it's working good. The one I have is already mixed with surfactant.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Did 1 quart (32 ounces) per acre work correctly? It came out to 43 ounces per acre in my calculations and I have no problem with using the 43 oz, but if 32 works then I might try that first, better for the wallet.

The runway is registered with the feds as a turf grass runway so I'm covered there. Regarding the hay fields, why are you asking about hay fields?

1 quart per acre used to work like a champ for me, always smoked the targeted grasses that I was after.

 

[FMFProperties]

OK, so to sum it up, if I use 43 oz of chemical per acre, I can spread it at 3mph and use 13 gallons of water, or I can go 5mph and I'll use 10 gallons of water (just guessing) to cover the same acre, and I'll get the same result because the important thing is the amount of chemical per acre that falls on that acre, no matter how much water I use.

On one side of my brain mathematically it makes sense since it's getting the same amount of 43 oz of chemical on the acre,
but on the other side of my brain it tells me that if I'm going faster, yes all 43 oz of chemical will still all fall on that acre, but it will be less amount that falls on the weeds as I drive by because there's less water falling from the nozzles to the weeds.

I'm waiting for that moment where my brain CLICKS and I understand it, just hasn't happened yet.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

OK, so to sum it up, if I use 43 oz of chemical per acre, I can spread it at 3mph and use 13 gallons of water, or I can go 5mph and I'll use 10 gallons of water (just guessing) to cover the same acre, and I'll get the same result because the important thing is the amount of chemical per acre that falls on that acre, no matter how much water I use.

You are correct again. You will get close to the same result using 10 gal per acre or 13 gal. per acre. I would not go less than 10. Some pesticides require more gallons per acre to get better coverage. MSMA is not that critical, and it has a surfactant in it which helps get better coverage. Fungicides are one type of pesticide that needs higher gallons per acre.

Also, droplet size will affect coverage. Smaller droplets will give better coverage but will also increase the risk of drift. Droplet size can be manipulated by changing pressure or changing nozzles.

My sprayer is calibrated at 15 gal. per acre. I travel at 6mph and have 40 psi pressure.

 

[jwmorris]

Regarding the hay fields, why are you asking about hay fields?

The grass is for looking at after you use MSMA not for animals to eat.

MSMA (monosodium methyl arsenate) is not for pasture use - Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

A cattle owner in eastern Texas noticed several of the 50 weaned calves in his coastal pasture had diarrhea and didn’t seem to want to eat. The pasture had been sprayed with monosodium methyl arsenate (MSMA) to kill weeds about 10 days prior and was fertilized at 300 lbs per acre three days...

tvmdl.tamu.edu

 

[1 Old Man]

Regarding the hay fields, why are you asking about hay fields?

Because your first post showed a picture of what appears to be a field
that would/might be used for haying. You don't use MSMA on pastures
or hay fields. Lots of chemicals have grazing or hay restrictions.

 

[jonsstihl]

It's a grass runway for aircraft to take off and land on, there better not be any animals grazing on it hope its not corrosive. maybe keep traffic off of it until it dries

 

[1 Old Man]

It's a grass runway for aircraft to take off and land on, there better not be any animals grazing on it hope its not corrosive. maybe keep traffic off of it until it dries

ooopppsss. You're correct. I missed the "it's a turf grass runway".
Had to go back and re-read....thanks.

 

[FMFProperties]

The grass is for looking at after you use MSMA not for animals to eat.

The grass is for landing aircraft on.

 

[jwmorris]

As long as nothing consumes the grass you are OK but that is why he made the comment.