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K-State Turf and Landscape Blog

Tag: herbicide damage

Every homeowner needs to know the difference between Roundup & Roundup for Lawns.

Posted on by jahoyle

(By Jared Hoyle, KSU Turfgrass Research and Extension)

The other day after eating dinner I was watching TV trying to finally relax.  A commercial came on about Roundup for lawns….  I thought to myself “Oh man, This is going to cause a lot of confusion!”

There is a huge difference in the active ingredients in Roundup compared to Roundup for Lawns.  That is why it is so important to know what you are applying.

Dr. Kevin Frank at Michigan State University just posted a great article about the difference between Roundup and Roundup for Lawns.  Check it out here.

http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/difference_between_roundup_and_roundup_for_lawns 

Every homeowner needs to know the difference!

I will make a prediction.  Due to the confusion with the names of these products.  I will get at least one phone call this year where someone has killed their entire lawn with glyphosate because they thought they could use Roundup on their lawn and they put out the wrong product.

Always remember to READ THE LABEL for the correct rate, turfgrass tolerance, and specific instructions before application!!!

***Mention of trade names or commercial products in this article is solely for identification purposes and does not imply recommendation or endorsement, nor is criticism implied of similar products not mentioned by Kansas State University.***

Don’t forget to follow me on twitter @KSUTurf.

Also, visit our facebook page www.facebook.com/KSUTurf

Oops… I think I sprayed when there was a little too much wind…

Posted on by jahoyle

(By Jared Hoyle; KSU Turfgrass Research and Extension)

I have been in Kansas for awhile now and it still amazes me how much the wind blows.  As a turfgrass manager that makes it hard to find times when it is ok to apply a herbicide.  Drift is a major concern for all agronomic crops including turfgrass.  The picture below is an application of glyphosate that drifted into an adjacent plot out at one of the KSU Turfgrass Research Farms.

IMG_0951

So be careful of drift.  I know it is easier said than done but a couple of pointers to help reduce off target injury to plants are;

1.  Avoid making applicants when particles can be carried by air.

2. Do not spray near sensitive plants or other crops.

3. Do not spray in gusty winds.

4. Always make application with minimal air movement (<3 mph) to determine direction and distance of possible drift.

5. Know your surroundings.  Houses, buildings, trees, hills, etc can influence wind direction and gusts.

6. Use a boom height lowest as possible that will still give uniform coverage.

7. Be aware of nozzle size and spray pressure.  Too much pressure will make smaller spray particles that can drift further.

8. Last but not least  – BE SMART and always follow the herbicide label.

Thanks!

Jared

Plant Injury from Herbicide Applications

Posted on by jahoyle

(By Jared Hoyle; KSU Turfgrass Research and Extension)

Dandelion "twisting" from hormone-disrupting herbicide application
Dandelion “twisting” from hormone-disrupting herbicide application

Throughout the year I get calls, emails, texts and social media questions about herbicide damage. Most of the time it is damage to off-target plants and not the turfgrass.  This can happen due to many different factors including, but not limited to, the list below.

Accidental plant injury from herbicide applications can occur from:

  1. herbicide drift
  2. misapplication
  3. sprayer tank contamination
  4. residual herbicides

A really great resource by University of California is the Herbicide Symptom Search Engine.  You can search by mode of action, chemistry, herbicide, plant species, and symptoms.

http://herbicidesymptoms.ipm.ucanr.edu/index.cfm

Understanding the herbicide you are applying is most important.  The environmental fate of herbicides varies across KS and the United States due to many different factors. Some of the factors include:

  1. photochemical decomposition
  2. volatilization
  3. runoff/erosion
  4. adsorption by clay and organic matter
  5. leaching
  6. chemical decomposition
  7. microbial decomposition
  8. plant uptake

Understanding the herbicide you are going to apply and how it interacts with the environment will prevent non-target plant damage.

Pesticide applicators can use the Kansas DriftWatch website to find sensitive-crop locations in an effort to minimize the potential for damaging pesticide drift.

https://agriculture.ks.gov/divisions-programs/pesticide-fertilizer/sensitive-crops-driftwatch

Always remember to READ THE LABEL for the correct rate, turfgrass tolerance, and specific instructions before application!!!

***Mention of trade names or commercial products in this article is solely for identification purposes and does not imply recommendation or endorsement, nor is criticism implied of similar products not mentioned by Kansas State University.***

Don’t forget to follow me on twitter @KSUTurf.

Also, visit our facebook page www.facebook.com/KSUTurf