2,4-D and rain

[TheMan419]

Ok, I have googled until my eyeballs are sore....

Sprayed 2,4-D about 4:00 p.m. yesterday. Trying to kill dandelions that have overtaken my horse pasture.

It was not supposed to rain.... but guess what.... 1/4 inch of rain last night. It started raining about 8-12 hours after spraying.

From what I have read it should be ok. Is that correct?

Also about how long before I start to see the weeds die?

Next up is soil sample so I can get the right fertilizer and/or lime down. That way we can crowed out future weeds. Although with horses putting pressure on the grass it will be a never ending battle I suspect.

 

[mcfarmall]

You should be fine. 2,4-D damage usually starts to show in about 48 hours with most of the weeds I have in my yard. Dandelions will still go to seed the day after spraying and spew their demon spawn seeds everywhere. In about 2-3 weeks they will turn black along with the plantain (buckhorn). The plant stems will get all twisty when they've sustained a killing dose of herbicide.

 

[riptides]

...
... Although with horses putting pressure on the grass it will be a never ending battle I suspect.

Oh yes...cross fence and pasture rotation is a must.

 

[TheMan419]

What was the product it's in? That will affect how long after spraying it will wash off. You should start seeing results in 5-14 days.
The product label is a good place to get answers to a lot of questions you may have... unless like me you made the mistake of getting it wet and the print dissolved.

It was in a generic 2,4-D from TSC. Gordons I think is the name on the label. I did read the label, well some of it anyway. That is where I found the information on how much to use per acre. My spreader manual contains info on how to calibrate to get 10 gallons per acre. If I am remembering correctly the label was like 1.5-2 pints per acre. So I went roughly 1.75 pints to the acre.

If they are just going to go to head when I spray them how do I ever get rid of them? or is it just Murphy's law that by the time you get out to spray them it is time for them to head out so you were just late?

 

[TheMan419]

Oh yes...cross fence and pasture rotation is a must.

yes we have multiple pastures for rotation. We have land to build more pastures as well, but there just never is enough time in a day.... plus I have a day job where I work 50-60 hrs a week.

 

[Big Barn]

8-12 hours before rain you should be fine. I would assume the generic version is more for homeowner use and not commercial but if you used the recommended rate it should work.

 

[TheMan419]

8-12 hours before rain you should be fine. I would assume the generic version is more for homeowner use and not commercial but if you used the recommended rate it should work.

Correct I do not think it is meant for true farmers or lawn care folks to go into TSC and buy. But they sell it fairly cheap in 2.5 gallon jugs. I have a total of 18 acres so if it works decent it is cost effective for me.

You do not want to know what it would have cost me to have the place sprayed commercially. For the investment of a few hours running the tractor I paid for the sprayer already.

Plus now I can fertilize and weed kill next year etc.

 

[rgr33]

It helps if the spray contains a little adjuvant to help make it rain fast.

Also a little liquid ammonia sulphate will speed up the process.

 

[boomer1025]

If they are just going to go to head when I spray them how do I ever get rid of them? or is it just Murphy's law that by the time you get out to spray them it is time for them to head out so you were just late?[/QUOTE]

Spray them in the fall.
Do some research this summer and find out what might work better to kill the dandelions and weeds in your pastures.

 

[1010]

If it had time to dry on the weed and the weed is susceptible to 24-D it'll be flat on the ground in 24-36 hours. The rain does help the plant recover so if you had small dose it might be longer or just make the weed sick. You need some warm sunny weather.
There are 24-D varieties used for pastures like grazon. I use crop oil as an surfactant, some folks just use dish (dawn) washing liquid.

High yield stuff at the local co-op is ok, but I recommend a chemical dealer like Helena, CPS or Nutrien (sp). 2.5 gallon jug will last several years just keep it from freezing cold weather.

 

[Ford850]

Since you're in Indiana, I'll give my opinion based on my Ohio weather when you applied the 2,4-D. Unless this was over applied, I wouldn't expect a very good kill of those weeds. You need warm sunny weather for this to work, and most labels will say 24 hours without rain with temperatures 60-90. In your case, applying late in the day on a cool day, it only had a few hours of daylight before sunset and then rain a few hours after that. The following days were cool as well. Maybe you're in southern Indiana and had warmer weather than me though.
I applied several 2,4-D type sprays to different areas the day before you did, early Sunday morning and the weather was sunny and warm (70*). By Monday morning I could see wilting weeds in most areas, but some were not affected yet. Monday and Tuesday were very cool, in the upper 40's or low 50's for highs with a couple showers and snow showers mixed in. The weeds seem to be in a holding pattern now, and with the cold weather forecast through the weekend, I hope they aren't sitting dormant waiting to regrow when ever it does get warm again.
Between temperatures, winds, and rain, spraying is always a gamble.

 

[TheMan419]

Since you're in Indiana, I'll give my opinion based on my Ohio weather when you applied the 2,4-D. Unless this was over applied, I wouldn't expect a very good kill of those weeds. You need warm sunny weather for this to work, and most labels will say 24 hours without rain with temperatures 60-90. In your case, applying late in the day on a cool day, it only had a few hours of daylight before sunset and then rain a few hours after that. The following days were cool as well. Maybe you're in southern Indiana and had warmer weather than me though.
I applied several 2,4-D type sprays to different areas the day before you did, early Sunday morning and the weather was sunny and warm (70*). By Monday morning I could see wilting weeds in most areas, but some were not affected yet. Monday and Tuesday were very cool, in the upper 40's or low 50's for highs with a couple showers and snow showers mixed in. The weeds seem to be in a holding pattern now, and with the cold weather forecast through the weekend, I hope they aren't sitting dormant waiting to regrow when ever it does get warm again.
Between temperatures, winds, and rain, spraying is always a gamble.

Yeah I am in northern Indiana. We have snow in the forecast. Thankfully 24d is cheap. Of course the other issue is if you wait too long to spray them they go to seed and then you get more back next year.

I am glad I am not spraying with something expensive like Grazon.

 

[MossRoad]

The best time to kill dandelions is in the fall, with herbicide on their leaves, or they'll winter over. Another way to prevent them is to put down a preemergent herbicide, like you would for crabgrass, in the early spring. This will stop the seeds from germinating. If you don't stop the seeds, you'll always have plants to kill. So kill the ones you have now with the 24D, and you can keep using that as spring progresses, until it gets too hot. Hit them again in the fall. Then next spring, put down crabgrass preventer. It'll prevent the dandelions, too.

However!

If you plan on putting any seed down in the grass, it won't germinate if you put down the preemergent. Also, I have no idea if this is bad for horses, so that's up to you to find out.


Here's a better read on it than I can write...

Dandelion Control (Dandelions) | Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

 

[MossRoad]

Also, since you and I have had such a cold spring, it might not be too late to put down crabgrass preventer. I put mine down a month ago, but I'm gonna hit it again this weekend after the freeze. I haven't seen any crabgrass yet this year. And just a few dandelions.

If I were you, I'd mark of a small area and test it there this year and see how your results are VS wasting $$ on a large area.

I've always gone by the last freeze April 15, last frost May 15, but it looks like 28 this weekend. Yikes! There go the grapes, cherries, etc....

 

[TheMan419]

Yeah the pre-emergent is a no go for the horses. Plus it is a lot pricier than the 24d. Who would have thought we would be having a freeze warning this time of year.

At least I got the sprayer working. I値l likely hit the little bastards again when it warms up and again in the fall.

 

[Ford850]

There's no perfect solution. If you spray in the fall, there will be dormant seeds from late summer and fall that will germinate early spring. Same goes for spring spraying, with early seeds germinating in the summer. If you spray once a year you will keep them somewhat under control and manageable.

 

[Maxify55]

I switched to GrazoNext a couple of years ago & love the results.
There are far too many plants that aren't touched by 2,4-D.
Clover, for one, is very difficult to kill.

Next on my list is cogon grass.
That stuff is just horrid!
You've almost got to nuke the land to kill it.
Then it'll get wind blown from across the way.
Whatcha gonna do? :confused3:

 

[lman]

I switched to GrazoNext a couple of years ago & love the results.
There are far too many plants that aren't touched by 2,4-D.
Clover, for one, is very difficult to kill.

Next on my list is cogon grass.
That stuff is just horrid!
You've almost got to nuke the land to kill it.
Then it'll get wind blown from across the way.
Whatcha gonna do? :confused3:

Is there a problem with clover in a horse pasture? I use 24d and appreciate the fact that it leaves some clover for my horses. I have heard that clover was beneficial for horses and cattle.

 

[Diggin It]

Clover, for one, is very difficult to kill.

Is there a problem with clover in a horse pasture?

I have heard that clover was beneficial for horses and cattle.

And soil. And bees.

I just spread two pounds of red clover seed hoping it takes with some rainy, cool days

 

[RalphVa]

Read the bottom of the 2nd page: http://newsomseed.com/resources/24-DMSDS.pdf A lot of this could wash off into the water system.

Dandelions are edible, almost entirely. Doubt they will harm the horses.

The other thing is that 2,4 D is VERY easily volatilized. Just the act of spraying it is enough. Give just a breath of air moving, and you could be killing someone's shrubs, tree or vegetables miles away when it recondenses and deposits.

Ralph