Herbicide

The label is the law. Read the label and the safety data sheet and follow the requirements.

No herbicide is “safe” which is why you should follow the PPE requirements

PPE requirements are frequently more stringent when mixing herbicide due to the potential for splashing and spilling.

The herbicide information included is specific for cut-stump applications. 

If you are planning on using other herbicide control techniques (foliar spray, basel bark, etc.) then it is critical that you spend the time to research the correct herbicide. You will also need to research the techniques because spraying herbicide has significantly more risks to the applicator and also to plants. It is critical to watch for aerosolizing the herbicide, additional PPE, potential for drift due to wind, temperature and herbicide volatilization.

The Nature Conservancy has published a document “upkeep and maintenance of herbicide equipment a guide for natural area stewards” that is a good reference

The Nature Conservancy has published a document "volunteer herbicide applicator training" which covers the specifics to keep you safe when working with herbicide.

Glyphosate is a broad spectrum herbicide which means that it will kill most types of plants. Glyphosate mixture can be used full strength (40% - 53.8% that varies by manufacturer) but can also be mixed with water and still be very effective. For cut stump applications the recommendation is to make sure that the glyphosate percentage is 20% or higher. As an example, for the product listed below, the recommendation for cut stump is to use between 50% - 100% solution which equates to 26.9% - 53.8% glyphosate. When glyphosate is mixed with water, over time the water will bind up some of the glyphosate and reduce the effectiveness. It is best to only mix up the herbicide that is required for the specific project. It is important to allow time for the glyphosate product to soak into the stump before any rain, at least 6 hours.

If you go to your local hardware store to purchase herbicide, you will notice that there are a wide variety of herbicides with many different active ingredients but you will not find glyphosate products which is the manufacturers decision. Glyphosate is considered a general use pesticide by the state of Michigan which is appropriate for people without herbicide certification to use. 

Because of the lack of retail sales, most of the glyphosate products are in a container larger than what a typical homeowner needs. For cut-stump applications, the herbicide does not need any surfactants If you are planning on purchasing herbicide for cut-stump applications, we recommend using Alligare Glyphosate 5.4. We have found that the product is available in a 32oz bottle from The Pond Guy. Label, Safety Data Sheet.

There are other glyphosate products that are also watersafe such as Aquaneat, Aquamaster and Roundup Custom.

The dye is used to as an indicator or where herbicide has been applied and to the public to avoid wet areas.

We will be applying the herbicide using Buckthorn Blasters. Here is a video to show the safe use of a buckthorn blaster. When putting herbicide into another container, it is important to label the container with the herbicide, % active ingredients and the date the bottle was filled.

To maximize the herbicide effectiveness, cut down the tree or shrub close to the ground, 5 inches or less. The remaining stump does create trip hazard and the stump should be relatively flat to avoid a sharp edge if someone falls on the stump.

The herbicide is applied to the inner back area (cambium layer.) within 5 minutes of making the cut, but the sooner the herbicide is applied the better. See picture below. The cut-stump method isn’t effective in the spring when the sap is rising.

If the stump has any sawdust, the sawdust should be brushed off before applying the herbicide. Cut stump is generally considered effective in the plant is ¼” in diameter or larger.

Here is a link to a presentation on Pesticide Safety Training

MDARD manages the state certification process for pesticide applicators.

There is a flowchart that describes whether or not you need to be certified.

Some organization require volunteers to be certified to be allowed to use herbicide when working independently. If you want to use herbicide as a volunteer, we recommend that you discuss it with that particular organization before taking the test.

The state certification lasts 3 years. After 3 years you can retake the test. Another option is to get enough seminar credits.

The Jackson, Lenawee, Washtenaw CISMA has regular training classes on invasive species that offer credits.