Written by 3:36 pm Lawn Tips

Weed Killer Spray – What You Need to Know

When looking to purchase the best weed killer spray for your yard, it is important to understand the best formulation for your needs. Many weed killers, or more properly known as herbicides, will come in a concentrated formula or a ready-to-use (RTU) spray.

Concentrated Weed Killer Spray Herbicide vs Ready-to-use Spray Herbicide

Concentrate

  • Must dilute in spray bottle before using
  • More cost-effective for treating entire yard
  • Can adjust concentration for use on harder-to-kill weeds

Ready-to-use Spray

  • No mixing or additional equipment needed
  • More cost effective for spot treatments
Note: You should always check the label on the product. This is important to ensure the appropriate mixing and application rate of the product.

Using Weed Killer Concentrates in Sprayers

When using a concentrate, you should only mix the amount you need to treat your yard or weeds. Ideally, you don't want any herbicide mix left over. Also, have a dedicated sprayer for herbicides and separate one for fertilizers (if needed). After you are finished spraying, triple rinse out the sprayer after each use and store dried. This will prolong the use of your investment.

Concentrated formulations will sometimes come in a convenient bottle that will allow you to connect to your watering hose to cover large areas.  Additionally, this type of product will handle the mixing of the weed killer and water on its own. This will make it easy for you to focus on spraying your yard.  Finally, tt is important to closely monitor how much product is remaining in the bottle. This will ensure you do not run out and apply too much water instead of weed killer\water mixture.

Fertilome Weed Free Zone RTS is a great product that conveniently connects to your water hose. It controls common summer weeds like perennial ryegrass, chickweed, wild onion, aster, clover, curly dock, and poison ivy. Additionally, it is safe for a variety of grasses like zoysiagrass, red fescue, centipede grass, buffalo grass, and common bermudagrass.  Also, this product is also sold as a concentrated formula if you want to do mix it yourself. Purchase the ready-to-use spot treatment version for small areas.

Generic vs Brand Name Weed Killer Spray

Often, weed killers will be sold by its trade, or brand name, or by its generic or active ingredient.  These two products will have the same active ingredient, or chemical that kills the weeds, but will vary by inactive ingredients, or filler ingredients.  The percentage of active ingredient in the formulation could vary slightly between brand and generic. However, you can easily mix the product with water to get the same percentage in your sprayer.

With the same active ingredient, a brand name weed killer and generic should have the same impact on your lawn weeds. Roundup Pro Concentrate is common broad spectrum weed killer that is frequently purchased by professionals and do-it-yourselfers, but is also sold under many generic names. For example, it's generic versions go by names like Glyphosate Plus, Killzall Weed & Grass Killer, or a stronger formulation like Cornerstone 5 Plus.

With whichever formulation you choose, you should always follow the label on the product.  The label is where you can find guidelines for mixing and application rates. Also, it denotes the best time to apply the product, needed personal protective equipment. Finally, if you come into contact with the herbicide, the label provides first aid information.

The label on the product is the law, so it is always important to check with it when determining the appropriate rates.  The idea of “if a little weed killer is good, then more is better” does not work for herbicides.  If more than the labeled rate is applied, it is only is it costing you money. Also, it could also put you, your family, pets and lawn at risk.

Featured Generic “Round Up”

Killzall is a non-selective post-emergent herbicide just like Round Up. It features a double-surfactant formulation of 41% Glyphosate.

Use it when you want to eliminate broadleaf and grassy weeds, prevent stump regrowth, prevent growth near fences, or clear turf for lawn renovation.

Herbicide Spray Drift

You should always pay careful attention to your herbicide's label before spraying your lawn. Do this especially if you live within a few miles of actively growing row crops. The reason: drift. Especially in warmer temperatures, many herbicides will vaporize and drift downwind. Wind is capable of carrying herbicide more than a mile in distance. Some herbicides can be especially harmful to row crops. Many times, spray drift can have a gigantic monetary impact on a farmer's crop yield, which is one reasons why herbicides are heavily regulated by the states.

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