Tagged: invasive

Targeted Weed Killer

View this PowerPoint presentation: Targeted Weed Killer: Precision Foam Herbicide Delivery System.  It explains the advantage of using foam herbicide:  less risk to desirable plants because of reduced drift or overspray ; an increase in herbicide uptake because the foam keeps the herbicide in contact with foliage longer; improved visibility because foam is easier to see than liquid; and reduced herbicide waste because the precision reduces waste.  We offer six different before-and-after examples such as the one shown in the following photos:

Application of Foam Herbicide to Bull Thistle Rosette

Application of Foam Herbicide to Bull Thistle Rosette

Dead Bull Thistle 8 Day after Foam Herbicide Application

Dead Bull Thistle 8 Day after Foam Herbicide Application

Note this: in this application, the chemical used was glyphosate which is a non-selective herbicide.  If that herbicide had contacted the grass, it would have killed the grass too.  As shown in the photos, that didn’t happen.  This is a testament to just how precise you can be with the Green Shoots System. z

Stump Killer – Use It this Winter and Get a Jump on Spring and Remove Unwanted Trees and Bushes

You have an unwanted tree growing vigorously in the wrong place – in the middle of a flower bed or in a native grass planting or next to a building foundation.  You know you need to remove it.  Winter is actually a great time of year to do this.  Herbicides work fine in the winter if applied correctly.  See Reinartz 2002.

If you simply cut the tree or bush down, you will soon get something far worse in the spring: a multi-stemmed bush like the one shown below on the right side.

Buckthorn stump with re-sprouts

treated, dead stump on left; untreated, live stump on right which is sprouting vigorously

There is a simple way to prevent this from happening: use the Green Shoots Foam Herbicide System to precisely apply a concentrated herbicide to the stump immediately after cutting to kill the stump.  So here is what you do.

  1. Cut back the tree or bush – If it is a big tree or bush, I typically cut off the upper branches first and leave a tall stump anywhere from knee to shoulder height.  Clear out the branches so you have room to work.
  2. Prepare the Foam Herbicide Dispenser according to the instructions.  Be sure to read the herbicide label.
  3. Cut the stump close to the ground – try to cut it within 2 to 4 inches of ground level.
  4. Immediately apply the foam herbicide to the cambium layer of the stump.  This is a thin layer of live inner bark  just inside the outer bark.
Freshly cut stump of weed tree

Freshly cut stump of weed tree

Foam herbicide applied to cut stump in winter

Foam herbicide applied to cut stump

The Green Shoots Foam Herbicide System has several advantages over standard herbicide sprays:

  1. Precision – This is critical when you are applying to the narrow ring of live inner bark less than 1/10 inch thick. With a liquid spray, the application is so imprecise – you may miss your target.  At the very least, you will waste herbicide trying to hit the target.
  2. Less Drip – The foam herbicide sticks to the target and will slowly soak in.  Liquid sprays will bead and drip off the target.
  3. Visibility – the foam is visible for some time after the application.  This helps in identifying what part of the target you have treated.

For more information about the Green Shoots Foam Herbicide System, visit the Green Shoots website.

Killing Invasive Thistles and Other Weeds using Large Foam Herbicide Dispenser

This YouTube video shows how to use the new Large Foam Herbicide Dispenser from Green Shoots for spot treatments of non-woody weeds like thistles. Last month we introduced a YouTube video showing how to do spot treatments  of cut stumps to kill invasive trees or shrubs.  In both videos, we have attached the extension nozzle.  The extension nozzle enables

Extension nozzle used to apply foam herbicide to invasive thistle

Extension nozzle used to apply foam herbicide to invasive thistle

precision herbicide applications thereby reducing off-target harm and herbicide waste.  One added benefit of the extension nozzle: the extra reach means a lot less stooping or bending. The Large Foam Herbicide Dispenser will be offered for sale starting in the Spring of 2014.