Garlon 4 Ultra

[squackattack]

Honestly, after thinking about it, I may just use Roundup. Here's the situation: I should have sprayed last year, but I never expected such quick regrowth. I only had the timber heavily thinned two years ago in winter (Jan-Feb). Normally you have weeds and "food stuffs" in a timber cut area for three summers. But with a winter cut, and most of the sites being wetter north-facing slopes that had a lot of white oak (best growth conditions), now the third summer is already a complete canopy of hardwood saplings. No food stuffs or grasses in the area because the hardwood regrowth has already canopied out 5-6 feet high. The only plant that could keep up with the growth was blackberry, so there's a lot of blackberry mixed in. The canopy is already so complete that no spray is going to hit the ground. Most of this heavily thinned timber area (100 total acres broken into 7 patches) is just going to be allowed to go through the normal regrowth process, which is usually 3 years of summer food stuffs (weeds and newly sprouted saplings), followed by 3 years of complete canopy hardwood saplings (great cover) followed by another 10 years of moderate cover as all those hardwoods grow into pole timber stage. But I would like to create some small patches mixed in with all this regrowth that stays in the very early stage of growth (that first 3 years of food production).

I have been looking at "selective" herbicides because I didn't want to kill off any grasses that have filled in. But the regrowth has been so fast saplings have already choked out all the grasses and broadleaf weeds. I'm thinking of just going non-selective with Roundup simply to kill out some 1/2 to 1 acre patches in these big areas of regrowth. Plus, Roundup is a heck of a lot cheaper than the expensive selective herbicides.

I have not bought anything in the last couple months, but glyphosate was the same price as garlon 3a when I was buying garlon 3a for a project. Something to consider.

 

[BSK]

I have not bought anything in the last couple months, but glyphosate was the same price as garlon 3a when I was buying garlon 3a for a project. Something to consider.

I've been able to find glysophate concentrate (2.5 gal) for $80-100, but Garlon 4 Ultra is in the range of $260-300.

 

[MickThompson]

I've been able to find glysophate concentrate (2.5 gal) for $80-100, but Garlon 4 Ultra is in the range of $260-300.

What rates are you planning to spray?

 

[BSK]

What rates are you planning to spray?

Garlon 4 Ultra label says - for forestry applications - not to exceed 6 qts per 100 gallons per acre. I normally spray glysophate at 2 qts per 20 gallons per acre, but would probably go 3 qts for this type of application.

 

[Quailman]

Garlon 4 Ultra label says - for forestry applications - not to exceed 6 qts per 100 gallons per acre. I normally spray glysophate at 2 qts per 20 gallons per acre, but would probably go 3 qts for this type of application.

BSK, if you're going to use Glyphosate as a foliar application 3 qts./acre should be pretty effective. I've used up to a 5% rate for low volume applications with pretty good success (spot treatment).

 

[BSK]

BSK, if you're going to use Glyphosate as a foliar application 3 qts./acre should be pretty effective. I've used up to a 5% rate for low volume applications with pretty good success (spot treatment).

Quailman,

Any other recommendations for knocking back a complete hardwood sapling environment? I would love to see Indian Grass and other tall grasses take over eventually. Ever since TVA switched to spot spraying the powerline right-of-ways, they have turned into an Indian Grass, blackberry, broadleaf weed environment the wildlife is going crazy over. Would love to recreate that in more areas on my place.

 

[Quailman]

Quailman,

Any other recommendations for knocking back a complete hardwood sapling environment? I would love to see Indian Grass and other tall grasses take over eventually. Ever since TVA switched to spot spraying the powerline right-of-ways, they have turned into an Indian Grass, blackberry, broadleaf weed environment the wildlife is going crazy over. Would love to recreate that in more areas on my place.

BSK, you have any pictures of the sites you mentioned? That might help on suggestions. You referenced TVA powerlines, so that probably rules out a growing season prescribed fire. TVA normally doesn't like it when you burn under their transmission lines!! I also assume this is for a lot of the areas where you recently conducted timber harvests?

 

[megalomaniac]

Consider 2,4 d plus remedy.

That combo will kill everything it touches that is not in the grass family. If you go hot roundup, you are starting from square 1 and the broadleaf and herbaceous plants will outcompete the grasses yet again, and you are back to square 1 in 2 to 3 years.

 

[BSK]

Consider 2,4 d plus remedy.

That combo will kill everything it touches that is not in the grass family. If you go hot roundup, you are starting from square 1 and the broadleaf and herbaceous plants will outcompete the grasses yet again, and you are back to square 1 in 2 to 3 years.

You may be correct. But I'm planning on just spot-spraying with a back-pack sprayer so I can control what I hit hard. And in the areas I'm going to hit hard, the saplings have already outgrown everything and it is a total sapling canopy about 5-6 feet tall. I don't think any spray will get below the canopy.

 

[BSK]

Consider 2,4 d plus remedy.

That combo will kill everything it touches that is not in the grass family. If you go hot roundup, you are starting from square 1 and the broadleaf and herbaceous plants will outcompete the grasses yet again, and you are back to square 1 in 2 to 3 years.

I'll get some pictures next time I'm out. Fire would be the best process, but considering how few days a year fire can be use, the crews and equipment needed, and the steepness of the slopes, I'm a bit hesitant to rely on fire.