doomtrpr_z71
Senior Member
I was asked by Canuck5 to make a post on pesticides and safety and it took me making a trip to Texas to have time to write it.
The first thing to remember is the label is the law, applying a chemical in a manner that violates the labeling is a FELONY. You can look up the label for nearly any chemical past or present here: http://www.cdms.net/Label-Database.
Calibration for sprayers is also important so you are not wasting money, spraying 2 or 3 or more quarts to the acre of roundup won't kill weeds any faster. Here is a section on sprayer calibrations and gives a shortcut method: http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.cfm?number=C683.
As far as herbicide safety goes, most herbicides don't pose acute risks to humans, still follow the PPE requirements on the label., the biggest issue stems from the fact that they are acids. So make sure to clean out sprayers or you'll have corrosion issues.
Make sure if you put herbicides in a different container that they you label them. Gramoxone (Paraquat) will kill humans if it is ingested, it tends to be put in Gatorade bottles, don't do this. To many times some one has drank from those bottles. Skin contact isn't an issue but the acid does serious damage if its ingested.
Also, on the subject of paraquat, if you spray it, do yourself a favor and buy a formulation like Gramoxone that has safeners, you do not want it getting in your lungs.
Something that is not talked about much to homeowners is resistance management. Most people have no clue what a miracle glyphosate (Roundup) is. I urge you to spray multiple modes of action. Spray roundup mixed with paraquat, diquat, 24-d, or dicamba. You get enhanced burndown, quicker herbicidal action, and protect the MOA of glyphosate. This is a list of MOA's https://ag.purdue.edu/btny/weedscience/Documents/Herbicide_MOA_CornSoy_12_2012%5B1%5D.pdf. If you are going to plant with a no till drill, it makes more sense anyway to add a preemergent such as Valor to the glyphosate at burndown any way.
The first thing to remember is the label is the law, applying a chemical in a manner that violates the labeling is a FELONY. You can look up the label for nearly any chemical past or present here: http://www.cdms.net/Label-Database.
Calibration for sprayers is also important so you are not wasting money, spraying 2 or 3 or more quarts to the acre of roundup won't kill weeds any faster. Here is a section on sprayer calibrations and gives a shortcut method: http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.cfm?number=C683.
As far as herbicide safety goes, most herbicides don't pose acute risks to humans, still follow the PPE requirements on the label., the biggest issue stems from the fact that they are acids. So make sure to clean out sprayers or you'll have corrosion issues.
Make sure if you put herbicides in a different container that they you label them. Gramoxone (Paraquat) will kill humans if it is ingested, it tends to be put in Gatorade bottles, don't do this. To many times some one has drank from those bottles. Skin contact isn't an issue but the acid does serious damage if its ingested.
Also, on the subject of paraquat, if you spray it, do yourself a favor and buy a formulation like Gramoxone that has safeners, you do not want it getting in your lungs.
Something that is not talked about much to homeowners is resistance management. Most people have no clue what a miracle glyphosate (Roundup) is. I urge you to spray multiple modes of action. Spray roundup mixed with paraquat, diquat, 24-d, or dicamba. You get enhanced burndown, quicker herbicidal action, and protect the MOA of glyphosate. This is a list of MOA's https://ag.purdue.edu/btny/weedscience/Documents/Herbicide_MOA_CornSoy_12_2012%5B1%5D.pdf. If you are going to plant with a no till drill, it makes more sense anyway to add a preemergent such as Valor to the glyphosate at burndown any way.
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