Much to the chagrin of my family, the television show “Modern Marvels” is among my favorites. The show needs to have an episode on ‘Herbicides’, since they are one of the modern marvels that allows a relatively small group of farmers to feed a hungry world. In the context of food plots, herbicides may not necessarily be essential to the success of a food plot, but weed control with herbicides may improve and extend the useful life of a perennial planting.
With the benefits of herbicides comes the responsibilities of stewardship and safety. Over the years, I have written several detailed articles on various aspects of herbicide use and many of these articles are archived in the Whitetail Institute website. In this article, I want to discuss a few random aspects of herbicides that warrant further emphasis.
FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING HERBICIDES
I regularly browse food plot sections on deer hunting forums on the internet. Weed control with herbicides is a topic that catches my attention. A common thread: What herbicide can be used to control an unknown weed in a food plot that contains several different forage species? This is an example of an honest question that rarely has a simple, straight forward answer. Often in examples of this type, the weed species identity is unknown. Correct weed identification is essential in this case since selective herbicides tend to have narrowly focused weed control spectra. Weed species distribution varies across the U. S. and the best local source for weed identification is often the county extension agent. County extension agents are indispensable public servants who are trained by professionals at a land-grant university, including the weed science faculty. If the county agent cannot personally inspect a fresh weed specimen, then digital images emailed to the county agent are the best alternative. In most cases, our food plot activities are on weekends or at other times when the county agent may not be available. This makes digital images and email very useful options. County agent contact information can be found on the land grant university’s website and it would be wise to keep this contact information readily accessible.
Not all weeds can be controlled by herbicides that are available for use on food plots. Even the venerable glyphosate (Roundup and generics) does not control all weed species. Every herbicide label has an extensive list of weeds that are controlled. If a weed is not on the list of controlled species, assume that it is not controlled by the herbicide. There is a chance that the weed in question can be controlled by the herbicide and has been omitted from the list since there was no data on which to base a recommendation. In this case, the herbicide user assumes all the risk.
Complicating matters on herbicide use are the complex blends of forage species commonly planted for wildlife. While the blends provide a diverse selection of forage for wildlife and help hedge against food plot failure due to drought, the use of selective herbicides is limited due to the diversity of forage species in the blend.Whenever these discussions arise with customers, I think back to extension service experiences gained early in my career. Every spring, local homeowners would call asking for a herbicide recommendation for their vegetable garden (from asparagus to zucchini) that would control every weed. That herbicide does not exist. Herbicide recommendations for food plots that are planted in the multi-species blends are nearly as restrictive. Let’s face it; there will be occasions where there are no acceptable herbicide options.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE CLOTHING
This is a serious topic that is universally ignored by amateurs and professionals alike. All pesticides, including herbicides, have statements on the label about personal protective clothing. The more dangerous the pesticide, the greater the need for protective clothing and accessories. Fortunately, the herbicides commonly available for use in food plots are not particularly insidious. But, these herbicides require (at a minimum) chemical-resistant gloves, eye protection, long-sleeve shirt, long pants, and boots. These statements exist for a reason — to protect the applicator from acute and long-term exposure. Every pesticide label has this critical information and should be the standard reference.
THE POSSIBLES BAG
Wherever I apply herbicides, my ‘possibles bag’ includes several gallons of potable water for cleanup, soap, household ammonia, eye flushing kit, and extra personal protective clothing. In every case in which I have personally applied herbicides in food plots, I was several miles from a potable water source. Thus, I needed to bring all of my own water. This water requirement includes the water needed for spraying, clean-up, and emergency bathing in the event of a spill or exposure due to a ruptured spray line.
I consider ammonia to be indispensable when using a sprayer of any type. The last step in sprayer clean-up is to mix ammonia and water (1-quart ammonia per 25 gallons of water) and flush the sprayer with the mixture. This has been a tried-and-proven practice for years and will help ensure optimum sprayer performance and minimize the risk of herbicide contamination that might injure desirable plants.
HERBICIDE STORAGE
Where are your herbicides stored — garage, barn, outbuilding, shop, truck tool box, or basement? Did you buy 2-1/2 gallons of an herbicide when you needed only 6 fl. oz to treat your food plot?What are you going to do with the nearly full 2-1/2 gallon container of herbicide? I am reasonably certain that little thought is given to storage when buying herbicides. This problem is compounded when buying in bulk to save a few dollars. Purchasing just enough herbicide for your seasonal use is a wise and prudent decision
— good stewardship.
Always refer to the herbicide label for storage instructions. In general terms, store unused herbicides in their original container and in a secure weatherproof structure that is not accessible by children. Provisions need to be made in northern climates to prevent herbicides from freezing. All of this is common sense.
One of the most blatant acts of poor judgment I have witnessed involved the use of a green screwcap soda bottle to store a dangerous herbicide. Many years ago, a former student worker in our department stopped by my office. She asked if I might know what had been in a mangled, green soda bottle. I sensed something was wrong, so I donned latex gloves and inspected the green soda bottle. The most obvious clue was the stench — like rotting flesh. I told her that I was reasonably certain the mystery substance was the herbicide paraquat. Paraquat is a highly toxic, Restricted-Use pesticide (applicators need to be licensed by the state to purchase and use the herbicide). Additionally, paraquat is formulated with an emetic (to induce vomiting when swallowed) and a stenching agent (to discourage ingestion). The lady then filled in the details. She and her husband were driving around in her father-in-law’s truck with their juvenile labrador retriever in the back. Her father-in-law had been given some ‘weed killer’ and he carelessly kept the paraquat-containing green soda bottle in the back of his truck — rolling around. A juvenile labrador retriever is a unique creature — in their eyes every object is either a toy or a food source. The puppy tore into the paraquat-containing green soda bottle and ingested a small amount of the concentrated herbicide — despite the emetic. I printed a Material Safety Data Sheet for paraquat and the lady took it to her veterinarian. There are no antidotes for acute paraquat poisoning. Later that day, the juvenile labrador retriever was euthanized.
This sad story is true and described here with the woman’s permission. Horrific as this true story is, imagine if it happened to a child.
