Round-up question

[goaliedad]

We recently moved ( finally got the cat to join us- see earlier thread ) and now have to do some plantings. The so called yard is a weedy mess- hit it with round=up (ready mix stuff) twice in the last week or so. Most of the growth is starting to show some sign of wilt.

Can I pull the biggest weeds out now or do I have to wait for them to die? I would like to speed the process up, and don't want them going to seed on top of everything else.

Thanks in advance

 

[Robert_in_NY]

It is best to let them die completely then go to work. If you rush it too soon you will just regret it later. 10-14 days is what I normally wait for on my fields if I am using roundup or similar product.

 

[Redbug]

Hi Goaliedad,

If you are using Roundup...with glyphosate being the active ingredient...it will take around 2 weeks to get results. I would wait until they are dead before doing anything more. Also, for the product to actively work, the plants must be thriving! That is, during a drought is not a good time to spray because the plants are semi-dormant and will not send the glyphosate to the roots, (killing the plant).

 

[hudr]

Just for future reference. I have good luck mixing equal parts AMS (ammonia Sulfate) in w/ the RoundUp. It seems to speed up the kill a bit (by several days) and give better results.

 

[nmu98]

Just for future reference. I have good luck mixing equal parts AMS (ammonia Sulfate) in w/ the RoundUp. It seems to speed up the kill a bit (by several days) and give better results.

I also use the same with very good results.

 

[KaiB]

If you're using hard water to mix, ammonium sulfate will make a world of difference. The use of a surfactant is also recommended even with AS.

 

[Piperflyer]

Where can you buy AMS?

 

[ToadHill]

When I worked for a landscaper we used to spray Roundup wait one week and till the ground. The plants are dead after about 3 days, they just don't know it yet. The glyphosphate has clogged up the vascular system in about 3 days and the plant has stopped transporting nutrients and water, it just doesn't know its dead.

 

[hudr]

Piperflyer
I get the AMS at the same Feed & Fertilizer I get the Roundup. I buy them both in the big jugs (3.5gallon?) and usually go through them in a year. That will usually go around all our fencerows, etc. about twice.

 

[Gatorboy]

Just for future reference. I have good luck mixing equal parts AMS (ammonia Sulfate) in w/ the RoundUp. It seems to speed up the kill a bit (by several days) and give better results.

Not sure what the rush is, seems like a waste of time, energy and money just to speed up the results. Also, how much better can the results can be -- dead is dead.

 

[TMcD_in_MI]

The glyphosphate has clogged up the vascular system in about 3 days and the plant has stopped transporting nutrients and water, it just doesn't know its dead.

Hmmmmm. I think you will find that glyphosate is an enzyme inhibitor, not a vascular system clogger. Don't know about that three day thing.

Tom

 

[hudr]

Dave: <dead is dead>
Yeah, but I want them knocked down quickly and thoroughly. Remember, our society is interested on RIGHT NOW service/results. You wouldn't want to be labeled a non-conformist, would you ;-)

 

[Chuck52]

Glyphosate interferes with aromatic amino acid synthesis, which is required by nearly all plants. I don't know what stopping the synthesis of the aromatic amino acids would do to the plant's vascular system, but it for sure wouldn't help it. Perhaps shutting down nutrient transport is one of the principal seconday effects. Anyway, on a practical note, I've hd pretty good luck tilling in grass that was still green after treatment with glyphosate, when I was in a hurry to get a site ready. The absorption is pretty fast, certainly less than a day, though it takes a while for the plant to go brown. Once the glyphosate is in the root system, it probably doesn't make much difference when you till the stuff under. On the other hand, what often happens is that I haven't gotten all the grass/plants with the first application, and they stay green, or new seeds sprout. If you wait, and spray again if new green shows up, you'll likely get more of the stuff that will eventually come up. When I've done the fast system, I usually was tilling in compost or something and planned to till at least one more time before planting because even the dead turf needs to be broken up well so it will decompose. Under those conditions, I was tilling under anything that remained or had sprouted after the treatment.

Bottom line: If there's no hurry, let it go brown and zap any new stuff before the final tilling.

Chuck

 

[HomeBrew2]

Agree w/ Chuck about tilling or mowing. My understanding is that the idea of "not touching" vegitation after applying glypho is to allow it to BURN the plant to the ground, not just kill it. For apparence and fire hazzard reduction, burn down is desired. Mowing and tilling does the same thing but requires more work. With mowing, I don't expect the remaining weed to burn down, and it won't. With tilling, I guess the point is moot. Just my thoughts, not sure they're correct but seems to work that way for me.

 

[BillyP]

We recently moved ( finally got the cat to join us- see earlier thread ) and now have to do some plantings. The so called yard is a weedy mess- hit it with round=up (ready mix stuff) twice in the last week or so. Most of the growth is starting to show some sign of wilt.

Can I pull the biggest weeds out now or do I have to wait for them to die? I would like to speed the process up, and don't want them going to seed on top of everything else.

Thanks in advance

I'll give you my opinion for what it's worth. The ready mix stuff is a waste money. You can buy the real deal and mix it for what you want to kill a lot cheaper. It'll tell you in the direction at what strength to mix. Stay away from the name brand Round Up. Go generic, much much cheaper

 

[Redbug]

This may help you all out...Cost per acre, etc. for the different products. I found it very interesting! There are several pages, products are in alphabetical order. "Next page", is at the bottom left. You may want to print the data out...

North Dakota State University

I get Roundup Original Max at a reasonable price...that's what I use. Around 49% glyphosate and it is mixed at 2 oz. per gallon. I pay around $70 for a 2 1/2 gallon container. Even cheaper in bulk.

 

[Redbug]

Also,

Just reading from the last page of the North Dakota Herbicide Summary it says: "By 2010 ~90% of herbicide active ingredients will be off patent. Resulting in numerous brand names for each active ingredient".

That's good news! Like glyphosate and Monsanto, when the patents expire other companies can make like products and bring prices down thru competition. Good for farmers and the rest of us.

 

[tallyho8]

Also,

Just reading from the last page of the North Dakota Herbicide Summary it says: "By 2010 ~90% of herbicide active ingredients will be off patent. Resulting in numerous brand names for each active ingredient".

That's good news! Like glyphosate and Monsanto, when the patents expire other companies can make like products and bring prices down thru competition. Good for farmers and the rest of us.

But, what will probably happen when the patent expires will be, the EPA will find something wrong with it and ban it and then a new more expensive product will replace it.

 

[Chuck52]

You can kill a lot of grass with a quart of the 41% generic stuff. I just used the last of a quart I bought two years ago. I used that for 50x50 and 16x30 new garden areas as well as keeping the weeds down around about 30 new trees, on the patio, etc. Goes a looooong ways.

Chuck

 

[JerryG]

I have tried a number of different sprays over the years but by far the best one I have found is Pramitol 25E. It is a soil sterilizer so it gets rid of everything. Unlike Roundup, it only has to be sprayed once a year.