Too late for hack and squirt?

[Antler Daddy]

Was thinking about doing some remote work next week so I can cut some shooting lanes and hack and squirt some trees on farm.

Is it now too late for hack and squirt in south middle TN, Lawrence County?

It seems like I never have enough time.

 

[Ski]

Juices have to be flowing for hack & squirt to work and a lot of(most) trees are still dormant, so if anything you might actually be early.

 

[Bucket]

I think the Craig Harper cocktail will work about any time of year. Glyphosate may need to be used in fall when things are flowing back down to the roots.

 

[Antler Daddy]

Juices have to be flowing for hack & squirt to work and a lot of(most) trees are still dormant, so if anything you might actually be early.

i thought dormant is what was wanted. If waited till flowing, the poison would push out or something.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

You're not too late. I just mixed a lot of the mixture @Bucket posted. Be aware that you have to mix it in a specific order and the mix is thick. We had to alter our spray bottle filters because they wouldn't spray very well.

 

[Ski]

i thought dormant is what was wanted. If waited till flowing, the poison would push out or something.

I've not heard that before, but it seems counter intuitive to me. Moisture exchange happens continually so IMO there's no bad time.

 

[BSK]

You want the water in the tree flowing down into the roots. Hack and squirt works best in late September through October.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

You want the water in the tree flowing down into the roots. Hack and squirt works best in late September through October.

As of note, I tried this in late august two falls ago and I don't think I killed one tree. What I did notice was sap coming out of every tree at the hacking location. Luckily it wasn't a huge operation like I normally take on - I usually do tasks as "go big or go home". This was a small 2 acre job and just tried it because I was going to be in CO for the next 3 weeks on an archery elk hunt. I should have waited till after, but oh well.

For others reading, yes, wait till end of September

 

[nwsg76]

When we have crews working in tn, we avoid hack n squirt mid March to mid May due to excess flow from roots upward. If you hack the tree and excess flow comes out of hack wound.....then no need to waste your time.
trees are most sustainable in late July till September to take chemical effectively to the roots. But still acceptable most anytime of the year except March to may. Species, bark thickness, timing, amount sprayed into wound, and type of chemical all have major effect.

 

[Boll Weevil]

Basal spray. Trees are starting to wake up now (at least over this way).

 

[deerdills]

I've not heard that before, but it seems counter intuitive to me. Moisture exchange happens continually so IMO there's no bad time.

Avoiding budding/spring green up is standard practice. Not to say that it would never work, but it is less likely to be effective. Moisture flow upward or heavy sap season pushes the chemicals out and away from roots, while fall and dormant season allows chemicals to flow or reach the roots making it more effective.