iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Herbicide for Scrub Oaks

Started by Woolywolf, January 03, 2009, 10:49:17 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Woolywolf

I have a herbicide question: What's a good herbicide to use on a thicket of scrubs oaks?  Most of the oaks in the thicket are turkey oaks, water oaks, blackjack oaks, and southern red oaks.  The thicket is located in extremely sandy soil and very close to a farm pond.  The tentative plan is to cut the oaks in spring and treat the stumps with herbicide, then burn over the area in fall, and plant in longleaf next winter.  There are several thickets, but their total acreage is relatively small--less than two acres.

My big concern is price and environmental contamination.  I wanted to stump treat the oaks to minimize leaching in the sandy soils, especially since the thickets are near a pond.  I found one herbicide called Garlan 3a, which can be applied to stumps during the spring and is safe near water; however, the project (a capstone type project for school) is on family land and the cost is all out of pocket, and Garlan 3a is pricey: 250 dollars per 2 1/2 gallons.  Does anyone know if there is a generic Garlan 3a that is less expensive? Thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions.

Here are a couple of photos of the thickets:









Tom

That looks like a made-to-order job for Arsenal.  But it's not cheap either.  More expensive than Garlon, I'll bet.

Check out the application rates.  By the time the chemical is cut to application density, it might not be too bad.

Woolywolf

Tom,

I'm a little bit, or a lot bit, inexperienced when it comes to herbicide, so this might seem like a dumb question: but what exactly do you mean by cut to application density?  Does that mean suppliers sell the chemical per order, meaning I wouldn't have to buy two and half gallons?  Could they just sell me a half gallon or one gallon if I determined that was all I needed after looking at the application rates?  I'm not sure how that works.  It would sure be nice to not have to buy two and a half gallons if I only needed a half gallon.  Thanks for your help.     

Tom

Concentrate is sold in quarts, 2 quarts, gallons, etc.  Some manufacturers sell it in different sizes.  When I bought my Arsenol, years ago, I bought it in quart containers.    I would then mix it at the recommended percentage.  As memory serves, it was 3 oz of concentrate to each gallon of water for injecting trees.   Spray applications would be thinner.

I think it requires an application license to apply now.  You'll have to check on that.

Member,Customsawyer, is also a silviculture specialists and herbacide applicator.  You might want to pick his brain.

PineNut

In Mississippi, Arsenal can be purchased in two different concentrations, one requires an applicators license and the other does not. Last time I checked on the price, the two and one half gallon jug of the higher concentration was around $1200.


woodtroll

There are generics of Garlon 3a and garlon 4. Ask your dealer. And figure price on mixed amount. Cut surface treatment can use less herbicide then other forms of application.
You may find a contractor in your area that my sell you less then a "full jug" of herbicide.
Garlons are not soil active, that is whats good about them.

woodtroll

Oh yeah, If you are new to using herbicides, make sure you are familiar with the product. Read the label and talk with your dealer. The herbicide is just part of the mix. Garlon 3  may need an oil additive to help it penetrate and work. Garlon 4 is mixed in an oil base and works very well for cut surface treatment.

Thank You Sponsors!