Blackberries & Scotchbroom & Tansy

Transcription

1 Blackberries & Scotchbroom & Tansy Oh My! Plan a Backpack Attack Tree School Clackamas County-OSU Extension Service March 24, 2012

2 What are we going to cover? Chemicals Timing How to apply them Alternatives

3 Introduction Dan Green County Forester, Clackamas Co. Forest Program (also Woodland Management and Green Tree Farm)

4 Please Ask Questions Whenever they occur to you

5 The Best Herbicides There is no One Best Herbicide. Different weeds or different times or different situations require different herbicides.

6 We will focus on Garlon 4 Ultra Capstone (Milestone VM Plus) Roundup (Glyphosate) 2,4-D Escort

7 Will It Hurt Trees? You can use Garlon around (not on) Douglas-fir at any time of the year. You can use Garlon at low rates over Douglas-fir in the dormant season only. (Don t use over cedar.) Capstone and Escort cannot be used around or over forest trees. Even a little drift will damage the trees.

8 Timing of Applications The best time to apply an herbicide depends upon 1. What you want to kill Berries only or Broom only or both. Spray when the herbicide is most effective on that weed. 2. What you want to avoid hurting. Seedling trees present? Spray when the trees are most resistant.

9 #1A: Berries, No Broom No Trees An area wide spray (like a helicopter), no trees to worry about. Garlon 4 Ultra (2 qts/acre) with Hasten (6 oz/acre) in at least 10 gal/acre of water. Apply mid-aug to late-oct

10 #1B: Berries, No Broom No Trees An area wide spray (like a helicopter), no trees to worry about. Escort (1 oz/acre) with Syltac (4 oz/acre) in at least 10 gal/acre of water. Apply mid-aug to late-oct

11 #2: Broom and No Trees An area wide spray (like a helicopter), no trees to worry about. Capstone (1 gal/acre) with Syltac (6 oz/acre) in at least 10 to 20 gal/acre of water. Apply May, June or July (preferably during blooming)

12 #3: Berries or Broom in Trees or Not Spot spray but avoid the trees. Spray the weed foliage until it looks wet, probably with a single nozzle. Garlon 4 Ultra 1% mix (1.25 oz per gal of water) with Hasten or Syltac at 1/4% (about 1/3 oz per gal of water) Aug, Sept or Oct for berries. May, June or July for broom. But don t spray the trees!!

13 Why not Capstone for spot spraying? Too easy to drift on to scattered trees and cause damage. Too easy to apply more chemical than the label allows. Could be done if there are no trees and not very many spots to spray. Check for mix rates.

14 #4: Berries (no Broom) in Doug-fir An area wide spray (like a helicopter) Garlon 4 Ultra (1.25 qts/acre) with Hasten (6 oz/acre) in at least 10 gal/acre of water. After buds harden in Sept and until late Oct.

15 #5: Broom in Doug-fir An area wide spray (like a helicopter) Garlon 4 Ultra (1.25 qts/acre) with Hasten (16 oz/acre) in 10 to 20 gal/acre of water. After buds harden in Sept and until early Oct. ---OR--- mid March to early bud swell.

16 Tansy 2,4-D amine, 1 to 2 quarts per acre, applied in the late spring just before flowering. Check label for rate. 2,4-D amine applied at flowering should stop seed from being fertile. 2% solution in water for spot sprays. No reason to spray at other times. Spray tansy in hay fields, maybe pastures, not elsewhere.

17 Why Not More Roundup??? Works pretty good on berries in the fall. But not better than Garlon. Does not work well on broom. If you are mostly spraying grass and broadleaf weeds with only a few berries, Roundup is good. Roundup is very good on trailing black berries.

18 Why Not Crossbow??? Crossbow is a mix of Garlon and 2,4-D. It is packaged for the small user but for big jobs it is expensive compared to Garlon. Crossbow does not work as well as Garlon 4 Ultra does. 2,4-D on hot days (80 degrees) can damage neighbors plants by evaporation and drift. Crossbow is not labeled for forestry or Christmas tree areas.

19 And if I spray earlier or later than you say? Probably the weeds will die back but re-sprout. Or the seedling trees will be damaged Or nothing much will happen Might as well do it when it works! Learn Patience -- Quickly.

20 How can I spray like a helicopter? A tractor with a boom and a helicopter are each spraying the same way - a certain amount of mixture evenly sprayed over each acre. They know their Ground speed Width of their spray pattern Output of their nozzles Where they have sprayed each pass

21 A backpack sprayer can too Must know the four basics Ground speed Width of your spray swath Output of your nozzles Where you have been already Must calibrate your sprayer It is easier to do if you have a boom. (note our handout)

22 How to use a backpack sprayer for area sprays Too big a topic for this class but it is not hard to learn. Ask us at the end of class, if we have time. Ask after class Ask Extension for publications

23 When to spot spray Most often spot sprays are done when: 1. There are only a few weeds and you spray just them. 2. You are spraying around seedling trees without hitting them. 3. When area sprays are just not possible.

24 Pros and Cons of Spot Sprays 1. Less technical. Not much math. 2. Works good when there are just a few areas to spray. BUT 1. Time Consuming for big areas 2. Uses too much herbicide (Expensive) 3. Uses lots of water (lots of work)

25 Pros and Cons of Area Spraying 1. Cover lots of area quickly 2. Uses less chemical (usually) 3. Uses less water 4. Gives uniform result BUT 1. More cumbersome 2. Really need a boom 3. Can t avoid things easily

26 Brand names vrs. Generics Roundup and Garlon are a brand name of a certain formulation of chemical. There are other formulations that may have other names and there are generic brands that are cheaper but may or may not be the exact same thing.

27 Can t get through it!! Bull-doze Mow Squash with Tractor or ATV Squash with Plywood Spray edges repeatedly Use adjustable cone nozzle

28 Risks - Chemical Read the labels. The herbicides we use in forestry are low in risk, but treat them like they are not. Use the required protective gear. Ask your chemical dealer to explain all of this to you if you are not sure. 2,4-D can evaporate & drift on hot days injuring gardens, vineyards, etc. a long ways from your spray area.

29 Risks - Non-chemical Spraying can be hard work and risks of injuries associated with hard work are low, but real. They are much greater than the chemical risks. Take care of yourself. Pace yourself. You know the drill. Be safe.

30 Where to buy herbicide Garlon 4 Ultra, Escort and Capstone are not packaged for home owner use. You should look for them in farm stores or wholesale farm chemical dealers.

31 General Use Herbicides Glyphosate (Roundup) and 2,4-D are available at garden stores under many brand names. 2,4-D may be hard to get this year. Order early. Check the label of what you are buying to be sure your use is included on that label. Don t use a product that is not labeled for your target crop.

32 Costs Back pack sprayer $70 Boom with nozzles $40 Garlon 4 Ultra $109/gallon (Smallest jug is 2.5 gallons) Capstone $41/gallon (Smallest jug is 2.5 gallons) Escort $15 per oz (Custom Packed 4 oz and up) Glyphosate $16 per gallon (Many package sizes but watch prices) 2,4-D Amine, $20 per gallon Syltac or Hasten Not much

33 Herbicide Cost Per Acre $40 to $50 Garlon 4 Ultra $11 Escort $50 Capstone $10 2,4-D These costs are for area sprays. If you spot spray, your chemical costs will likely be higher. DO NOT spot spray Escort or Capstone for berries or broom.

34 Alternatives to Herbicides Mowing Re-sprouts quickly Broom re-grows quickly from seed Piling Re-sprouts, not as quickly as from mowing Broom re-grows quickly from seed Pulling or Digging Only works when plants are few and small Pull broom and tansy before it gets old enough to produce seed, if you can.

35 This presentation was developed by Dan Green and Jim Wick for the 2008 Tree School Revised for 2009 by Dan Green and Sena Sanguinetti Shamelessly offered again almost unchanged for 2010 and, with the addition of tansy, for 2012 Our thanks to Bruce Alber of Wilbur-Ellis Co. for the up-to-date herbicide recommendations.