How to spray weed killer?

[Sunflower86400]

Hi everyone.

I was reading the label of the Roundup Ultra 3000 weed killer and the whole (1lt) bottle it can cover an area of up to 3000m2 using a sprayer. That's quite some area, so I was thinking how liberal, or not, do you spray a plant. Do you just let a mist touch a few leaves or cover quite thickly all over the plant?

Regards.

[PAULW]

SUNFLOWER
If its just grass or ordinairy weeds a fine mist will do the job well if it is something like marestail or dock something with a leathery leaf a wetting will not go amiss.

[burnie]

You have to be carefull spraying chemicals as they can go where you don't want or expect them to go.Do you have to use this chemical is a question I ask myself,organic is hard work at times but the benefits are worth it.

[bubblewrap]

I never use weed killer.
The wind can carry it some distance & can reach other allotments/gardens.
I have found digging is the best way to deal with weeds, once the weeds are "under control" it does not take much effort to keep it that way.
If you have cooch grass you will have to dig it out anyway as the roots can be to deep to be reached by a weed killer.
My allotment is 300sq yards + and have no problems with weeds.

[Matt.]

I don't use a mist as its likley to blow away. Instead set your sprayer to squirt and go round like that. Experiment with the nozzle setting and in seconds you'll have it right for you.

[Sunflower86400]

Morning all.

Thanks for the tips about how to spray.

I know organic is the way to go but I'm going to use chemicals as a one off to get me going, after, I will be organic.

I take on board the advice about the possibility of contaminating other peoples vegetation, but to put you at ease, the veggie patch I intend to create will be in our garden which is almost 4000m2. We don't have an allotment. There is only one neighbouring garden and that is going to be at least 40m away from my proposed area. I'm thinking/hoping that that should be a safe enough distant.

Kind regards,

Sunflower.

[snohare]

To avoid the problems of spray drift and save weedkiller, there are a couple of techniques you can use. One is to use a weedkiller application glove - you can get these from agricultural supply shops, maybe even garden centres. Basically it is for spot weeding of things like thistles, bash them with a stick or something and then wipe the damaged areas with the glove which has a built-in sponge you dip into the weedkiller. I did that with glyphosate once and it worked brilliantly, cleared about an acre infested with thistles with one small pistolgrip spray bottle.
The other method is to run a mower or roller over the area you are about to weedkill. The bruised foliage will absorb the chemical more effectively, thus making it less likely you will have to spray again.
Don't spray if the weather is about to be or has been at all wet, because the carrier oil - the chemical that is tailor made to the chemical to allow it to disperse as a spray of the right droplet size and characteristics - will be rendered ineffective by the wet. (That's why they don't usually use water as a carrier, it doesn't have the right characteristics for surface tension etc.)
If you do get splashes on you, don't wash with soap or any sort of detergent - that will break down the protective oils your skin has and aid permeability to toxins; use just plain water. Be very, very careful if there is any wind, as breathing in the vapour is a great way to ingest toxins; your lungs have a very large surface area, a large and rapidly replenished blood supply, and are full of natural surfactants to aid in dissolving gases into the blood, which would also aid in breaking down oil droplets. Ignore the breezy sales literature, these chemicals are still pretty nasty - in Glyphosate's case it is the carrier oil that is now thought to cause problems. If you are unlikely to use it again, I'd wear a disposable overall and nitrile gloves with wellies, then bin the first two.
Sounds like you have thought properly about safe spraying, your distances are certainly safe enough for your neighbours. Would that farmers were always that good !
Needs must when the devil drives I'll admit, but the more I find out about these things the more I think the road to hell is paved with convenience...

[Sunflower86400]

Sorry for my late reply.

Thanks for the good information snohare, very interesting.

Regards.