Bye-Bye Brush
Whether it’s volunteer trees taking over a fence row or woody growth spreading on CRP ground, dealing with that pesky brush can be frustrating. It seems to be a fact of nature that when you don’t want it there, plant growth takes off (meanwhile, those young trees intentionally planted in your yard struggle). With summer being a good time to manage unruly growth, we often field questions on brush management products this time of year. Here are some of our go-to brush management tools.
Containing 34.4% of 2,4-D and 16.5% of triclopyr, Crossbow® is effective in managing trees and brush, as well as broadleaf weeds. As a foliar application, Crossbow® can be broadcast or used as a spot treatment. Depending on the tree size and coverage, multiple applications may be needed for an effective kill. Overall, Crossbow® is a cost-effective option for light brush issues.
If you’re plagued with heavier brush issues or you want a definite one-and-done solution, our pick is Remedy® Ultra. Remedy® Ultra contains more than three-and-a-half times triclopyr than Crossbow®, making it effective for both foliar and bark treatment on trees and broadleaf weeds. Remedy® Ultra can be broadcast or used as a spot treatment.
Tordon® RTU is great to use on tree stumps as a one-and-done treatment. After a tree is cut down, spray the stump to kill the tree. In woody plants with stems six inches in diameter or less, Tordon® RTU can also be used for basal bark treatment. With this method, cut into the bark on the stem and spray the product in the opening for an effective kill.
For grass hay or livestock-grazing pastures, GrazonNext® is our go-to product. In addition to being highly effective for thistles, woody plants and broadleaf weeds, it is also completely safe for livestock to consume. GrazonNext® can be broadcast or used as a spot treatment and can also be tank-mixed with Remedy® Ultra. If there is heavy thistle pressure, multiple applications of GrazonNext® may be needed.
There is an 18-month rotation restriction to be aware of: do not use GrazonNext® if you plan to plant a row crop within that window. Another risk comes in the form of livestock manure. If livestock graze a pasture recently sprayed with GrazonNext® or consume hay containing the product, their manure can cause damage to a future crop. Be sure to keep this in mind when spreading manure or grazing livestock on future row crop ground.
With these tools in your arsenal, you can say bye-bye to brush and hello to clean fence rows, pastures and CRP ground. Still have questions? Give our Agronomy team a call!