Mesquite...Remedy appears to be working, now what?

[dustoffer]

I was on a lease near Cotulla and it had a 200-ac CRP field that the owner was supposed to keep clear of native brush to continue to receive his government handout. We made a deal that we would do the spray if he would buy the chemicals. He insisted on using Remedy/diesel mix and spraying foliage/leaves. Friend of mine who has 330 ac mesquite-free said to just use the Remedy mix, no diesel, and don't spray until the leaves turn dark green--about the end of April, and to do the trunk as well. Well, landowner's treatment got a 40-50% kill and we got a 80-85% kill. The next year, all the "dead" brush he was crowing about killing came back strong. County agent said if you use diesel as a foliar spray it kills the leaves too fast, before they can absorb enough of the Remedy to kill the tree.

[kch73]

From what I read the basal (stem/truck) method is more effective than the foilage/leaf method...I also use dawn soap that seems to work well as a surfactant. It says to let the Remedy work a full year until removal.

The Brushbusters in Aggie land still recomend the diesel mix...I will keep the GS updated...

[locknload]

thx for sharing

[Boomerang]

Surmount is half the price of Remedy and works. 1% Surmount, 1/2% of a surfactant. You need 100% coverage, if you do that you will get 100% kill. Let the trees fall over, don't cut or mow. More is NOT better. Like some posted, diesel or too strong just burns the leaves off. You need the application to become systemic, otherwise you just defoliate and it is a waste. Mesquite work better in the spring, huisache better in the fall but as long as it is the growing season it is very effective.

[denowt]

Our neighbor sprayed his with a crop dusting plane last year, evidently the wind was wrong or the crop duster did not have the correct property lines, we have about 30 acres of them that have died, not real happy about it either, was where quite a few deer stayed, oh well, what can you do ?

I wish I had a neighbor like that!!! I could use the help.
Wait a year or two, if you want the mesquite to grow back, simply do nothing. It will probably come back thicker than before. You have to respray every year. You never get rid of it, you can only keep it under control.
My company has a tower/hub site in the middle of what used to be a nice hay/grazing pasture. The owner quit fertilizing and weed spraying several years ago. It took less than 5 years for it to be almost solid huisache. Other than the road to our building, you cannot drive in the field without having a huisache bush/tree touching your truck.

I was on a lease near Cotulla and it had a 200-ac CRP field that the owner was supposed to keep clear of native brush to continue to receive his government handout. We made a deal that we would do the spray if he would buy the chemicals. He insisted on using Remedy/diesel mix and spraying foliage/leaves. Friend of mine who has 330 ac mesquite-free said to just use the Remedy mix, no diesel, and don't spray until the leaves turn dark green--about the end of April, and to do the trunk as well. Well, landowner's treatment got a 40-50% kill and we got a 80-85% kill. The next year, all the "dead" brush he was crowing about killing came back strong. County agent said if you use diesel as a foliar spray it kills the leaves too fast, before they can absorb enough of the Remedy to kill the tree.

Diesel goes on the base/trunk, water goes on the leaves. Either way will work, but the diesel basal treatment seems to work better in my experience.

From what I read the basal (stem/truck) method is more effective than the foilage/leaf method...I also use dawn soap that seems to work well as a surfactant. It says to let the Remedy work a full year until removal.

The Brushbusters in Aggie land still recomend the diesel mix...I will keep the GS updated...

If you use the diesel basal method, you don't use surfactant.
If you use the water foliage method, you have to use surfactant. Dawn or any other liquid soap will work, but is often more expensive than the actual surfactant. I usually buy a couple of jugs of surfactant when I buy my Grazon, but have used Dawn when I ran out. I didn't notice a difference in kill rates.

[bowhntrmatt]

Surmount is half the price of Remedy and works. 1% Surmount, 1/2% of a surfactant. You need 100% coverage, if you do that you will get 100% kill. Let the trees fall over, don't cut or mow. More is NOT better. Like some posted, diesel or too strong just burns the leaves off. You need the application to become systemic, otherwise you just defoliate and it is a waste. Mesquite work better in the spring, huisache better in the fall but as long as it is the growing season it is very effective.

Surmount is great stuff! Pretty sure you need a license to purchase, but not certain.

I spent a year working on a s. tx ranch and hand spraying brush took up most of my time when it wasn't hay cutting season.
We basal sprayed remedy and diesel at first, getting mixed results. You have to spray the entire circumference to get a good kill ratio. When we did the math, it cost close to over $4 per gallon for that mixture.
We switched to surmount and foliage spray that cost less than 50 cents per gallon and had way better results, especially on huisache.
A product called Tordon also worked well on mesquite, foliar spray.

Give them a year, then just push em over with a tractor if you have one.

[47]

Unless they are large diameter, you can just about "mow" them down with a large skidsteer or med dozer after they've stood for about 12+ months.

Fun watching them shatter into a billion pieces too.

I recommend a skidsteer with an enclosed cab.

[Abcdj]

Our neighbor sprayed his with a crop dusting plane last year, evidently the wind was wrong or the crop duster did not have the correct property lines, we have about 30 acres of them that have died, not real happy about it either, was where quite a few deer stayed, oh well, what can you do ?

It looks like they sprayed a 10 miles square area Roger. Uglyas all get out.They sprayed our place 7 years ago and it sucks bad. Looks like a bomb went off. Dead trees every where. Great for grass I guess but out were we are you can get 1 cow on ever 50 acres. Not the best for hunting

[kch73]

No...leaves thorns on ground...

Unless they are large diameter, you can just about "mow" them down with a large skidsteer or med dozer after they've stood for about 12+ months.

Fun watching them shatter into a billion pieces too.

I recommend a skidsteer with an enclosed cab.

The previous owner just pushed them over and never picked up the branches...its been hell on the Polaris tires. I think I will either chainsaw them or hire someone with a grubber to remove them and send to burn pile.

[Boomerang]

Do a controlled burn this winter, get a fire break first and make sure all the control systems are redundant. The thorns will burn first and probably all of the stumps if ants or termites have already started on the wood.

[Junebug]

Let me help reduce spray costs. I spray brush all the time, and keep a tight herbicide schedule in my orchard. Mesquite is one tough dog to kill, but it can be done. First get rid of the diesel. Waste of dollars. An easy mix of remedy, water, and soap will more than do the job. When applied in spring it will stop all growth of the plant. However the following season you will have regrowth on the standing stem or trunk. For best results spray in fall after the first good cold snap. We have nearly a 100% true kill on plants sprayed in fall. In spot sprayers we usually mix 40 gallons h2o, 20oz remedy, 10oz dawn soap for surfactant. Cheap ad very effective. Watch the spray drift as it will burn down whatever it touches. By late spring ur victims will be ready for removal. Hope this helps some of ya'll.

[unclefish]

Interesting Junebug. I'm assuming that was a foliage spray and not the basal trunk spray? Did you have to spray the entire plant or just a good portion of it?

[Junebug]

Simple Foliar application. It doesn't take much. You end up spraying more with the spot sprayer. We pull a vertical boom down the fence line, 4mph, 30psi at the nozzles gives a very light coat that will kill all.