Shootout alternative

[Mike8623]

Hi Folks, first post............I have a few questions I could use some help on....

I have 160 acres in Montana........keeping up with noxious weeds is a full time process...........I do two kinds of spraying...........one type for my roads and the sides of the roads and the another more time consuming one of spraying everywhere else that noxious weeds pop up............I have in the past used two different type products...........I use Shootout Weed and Grass killer for my roads and then Redeem for the rest of it...........my questions are:

1. The Shootout product so far doesn't seem to bother the trees next to the roads I spray.......I just use 64 oz. for 20 gallons, at a time, in a pull sprayer and spray everything next to the roads............seems to do the job I want without killing the trees.............Question is, is there another product with the 18% Glyphosate that will do the same thing.(without killing the trees)..........The shootout is kinda hard to get.........so any recommendations you folks have would be appreciated.....

2. Redeem is very expensive......is there a cheaper alternative..........????

Thanks in advance and I hope I don't sound to stupid.

[PHS]

I'm not familiar with Shootout specifically but why do you need 18% gly?. Why not buy the standard 41% in a generic brand and mix at a lower rate? It would be more cost effective that way and not such high mix rates.

Can't help you with Redeem.

[Mike8623]

I had thought of buying a higher percentage cheaper concentrate.....but I am a novice at chemicals.......and just wanted to make sure I didn't kill any trees............I just hook my sprayer to the back of my atv and spray the entire area of the roads including the sides.......as far as I can........the roads sure last longer .............so what is a good ECONOMICAL brand of glyphosate.

As far as the redeem goes.........it is $275.00 or more for 2 1/2 gallons.......I could go thru that in one season.........just thought there may be a generic alternative...........

Thanks for the reply.......and to any others that may follow.

I thought I would go to those folks that know.

[PHS]

All you're doing is adjusting the mix rate, the final concentration of the mixed product is probably very close or the same. There are a ton of economical gly's out there. Just for comparison Round-up sells for about $160/2.5g. A pest control company I buy some stuff from sells Riverdale 'Razor' for $75/2.5g. I buy mine from a farm supply store (can't think of the brand offhand) for $50/2.5g.

Redeem may not have a generic alternative if it's still on patent. If you know the weeds you're really targeting maybe there is another chemical that could work as a replacement. Or for example, triclopyr may be the primary chemical that's killing the weeds you're targeting and the chlorpyralid isn't doing much for you, so switching to straight triclopyr could save you money. Or 'Crossbow' which is 2,4-D/Triclopyr might serve as a substitute? I don't do any rangeland management so I can't give you any specific recommendations but I can kinda explain the theory on how to go about it. In any case, you're best bet for finding alternatives is to identify the weeds you're concerned about, find out what actual chemicals (not brand names) control them, and then look at products that contain those chemicals.