Ortho Groundclear- How Dangerous?

[tallguylehigh]

I would first off like to introduce myself and say hello. I found this site while looking for information on lawn care and it looks to be an excellent resource for land and hardscaping. :clapping:

I recently purchased some Ortho Groundclear to use on a slate patio that I have in my backyard. The vegetation killing, year long protection sounded good. However, after reading the label (something I always do now) I noticed that in the disclaimer, it explains that you shouldn't spray Groundclear within twice the diameter of the trunk of any trees as well as the drip zone which is visually shown as the area covered by the canopy.

Here's the catch- on either side of my patio are two MASSIVE oak trees. They are amazing and provide the back patio with great shade, aka "drip zone."

The LAST thing I want to do is spray this Groundclear, kill the weeds and somehow damage the oaks. Should I use a weaker weed killer (Round up) on this patio instead of the more potent Groundclear because of these trees?

I have included a picture of the patio to show the proximity of the oaks to the patio and weeds in question.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a270/tallguylehigh/37%20Rainbow/P1040460.jpg


Thanks for any advice you could provide. :)

[2stroke]

yes... i think it would be very bad to put the ground clear down in that area. use repeated doses of Roundup.

[Whitey4]

Do NOT use the Ground Clear here! It will enter the root system of those oaks and cause some damage! This stuff is potent, and will leach into the root systems of nearby trees and shrubs, as it does have a long residual.

The right product here, on the retail Home Depot/ Lowes level is "Extended Control RoundUp". Safe to use near established shrubs and trees, but has to be used about every 2 months (not the 4 months they claim).

Thank goodness you read the label...... far too many people don't.

[tamadrummer]

As long as you are just doing the cracks, you should be ok. Don't go crazy with the stuff. It is a ground sterilant and it will kill the trees if you go too heavy with it but if you just spray the stuff you want dead with little to no extra drips off the plants after they are sprayed.

Otherwise, go to Lesco and buy some ProDeuce and spray it. It is a pre/post emergent.

[Whitey4]

As long as you are just doing the cracks, you should be ok. Don't go crazy with the stuff. It is a ground sterilant and it will kill the trees if you go too heavy with it but if you just spray the stuff you want dead with little to no extra drips off the plants after they are sprayed.

Otherwise, go to Lesco and buy some ProDeuce and spray it. It is a pre/post emergent.

That light foliar spraying technique defeats the purpose of Ground Clear as a pre-emergent herbicide.... if it is to applied as per label instructions for maximum pre-emergent effectiveness, the ground (growing medium) must be soaked. Much better to use RoundUp if it is going to be applied as a foliar spray.... and much cheaper. It's the wrong control here..... sure, if it's not applied as per the label, just a leaf wetting, it will do what most post-emergent non-selective herbicides will do... kill what is up and growing. Waste of money.... Roundup will do the same thing at less than half the cost.

[tamadrummer]

That light foliar spraying technique defeats the purpose of Ground Clear as a pre-emergent herbicide.... if it is to applied as per label instructions for maximum pre-emergent effectiveness, the ground (growing medium) must be soaked. Much better to use RoundUp if it is going to be applied as a foliar spray.... and much cheaper. It's the wrong control here..... sure, if it's not applied as per the label, just a leaf wetting, it will do what most post-emergent non-selective herbicides will do... kill what is up and growing. Waste of money.... Roundup will do the same thing at less than half the cost.

Thanks Whitey :) I thought it might have to be put down like prodiamine but figured if he were to use it like Roundup there would be enough residual to keep it down for a few months.

Listen to Whitey, he is a licensed applicator. I am not for lawns, just for flowerbeds at this point and brand newly licensed at that.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[heritage]

Do NOT use the Ground Clear here! It will enter the root system of those oaks and cause some damage! This stuff is potent, and will leach into the root systems of nearby trees and shrubs, as it does have a long residual.

The right product here, on the retail Home Depot/ Lowes level is "Extended Control RoundUp". Safe to use near established shrubs and trees, but has to be used about every 2 months (not the 4 months they claim).

Thank goodness you read the label...... far too many people don't.

Whitey4,

You saved the Day.....And a tree.

Thank You.

Pete

[greendoctor]

Ground Clear is imazapyr, that is not something to be used within the root zone of desirable trees. I am constantly amazed by what is sold to homeowners. Imazapyr is Arsenal herbicide. This is used to kill EVERYTHING in right of ways, industrial areas and noncrop areas. There is a product called WeedStop or WeedStopper. This is oryzalin, a preemergent herbicide designed for use around trees and desirable plants. At the right dose, most weeds do not emerge for an entire season. This a a good thing to use with RoundUp, because it has no effect on emerged weeds.

[Ric]

tallguylehigh

I have a customer who Didn't Read or understand a Label and applied Shara to his landscapes beds in hopes of not having to spray Roundup as often. He now in the slow process of affording to removing over 20 pine trees in the 40 ft tall range. When treating his property just two days ago, I saw he planned to expensive Palm trees and I don't believe enough time has past.

[LIBERTYLANDSCAPING]

Ground Clear is imazapyr, that is not something to be used within the root zone of desirable trees. I am constantly amazed by what is sold to homeowners. Imazapyr is Arsenal herbicide. This is used to kill EVERYTHING in right of ways, industrial areas and noncrop areas. There is a product called WeedStop or WeedStopper. This is oryzalin, a preemergent herbicide designed for use around trees and desirable plants. At the right dose, most weeds do not emerge for an entire season. This a a good thing to use with RoundUp, because it has no effect on emerged weeds.

:clapping:

Round-Up + Surflan (Oryzalin) is the way to go! When I can't afford any weeds, I also add some Gallery to cover more broadleaf weeds:)

[tallguylehigh]

I would like to thank everyone for the responses. I shudder to think what might have happened had I applied it.

Following Whitey's advice I picked up some Extended Control Roundup and will apply it this weekend. I will post up pics of the results.

Again, thanks for the help everyone!!!

[Runner]

You better read the label on the extended control Roundup, as well. It is full of the same salts that can harm just like many other products are.

[heritage]

:clapping:

Round-Up + Surflan (Oryzalin) is the way to go! When I can't afford any weeds, I also add some Gallery to cover more broadleaf weeds:)

I agree this is a good mix so long as you have agitation for the Surflan.

The Barricade/Gallery Tank Mix, is the cat's meow as well.

Pete

[Whitey4]

You better read the label on the extended control Roundup, as well. It is full of the same salts that can harm just like many other products are.

The extended control roundup is safe around ESTABLISHED shrubs and trees when applied per the label. Yes, some of the AI is the same as groundclear, but it isn't the same mix, nor as potent. I have been employed by the Scotts-Miracle Grow Ortho Company, so I do know perhaps more than most about these retail products. My opinion is not based on company propaganda however, as I have used most of them.... as I had access to many of them well below standard retail prices.

I have used the Extended control Roundup near established annual flowering plants.... plants that were far beyond transplant shock, like 4 weeks, and encountered no issues. I've not killed or damaged anything with the Groundclear, but I believe the label.... don't use it where it can leach into the root zones of any plant, shrub or tree.

Now.... if I only knew as much about the commercially available herbicides and fungicides.... I might be drinking Sam Adams instead of PBR's! :drinkup:

[Runner]

Yeah, I have never actually used the extended control Roundup, so I haven't even read the label, but it sounds as if it may be reasonably safe. I'll have to check it out (the label) - just for the sake of maybe learning something.:)

[BulldogAg]

and spot treated some weeds around some 50 year old trees, am I OK? The most any tree would have gotten was 3-4 small sprays.

This was recommended to me, but I didn't read about trees....However, I didn't use the big 5 gallon concentrate formula...

Please put my mind at ease! :)

[ted putnam]

and spot treated some weeds around some 50 year old trees, am I OK? The most any tree would have gotten was 3-4 small sprays.

This was recommended to me, but I didn't read about trees....However, I didn't use the big 5 gallon concentrate formula...

Please put my mind at ease! :)

You're just fine. Your situation would be like killing an elephant with Mouse bait...1 in a Gazillion.:)

[BulldogAg]

Thanks Ted. That makes me feel much better. I was so mad at myself after I used it and read the label....I LOVE my trees...:)

Thanks again for helping to put my mind at ease!

Marty

[phasthound]

Yah I know, it's all about perspective. I look at the photo from the OP & first I say, "What weed problem?" The patio looks great to me. But I'm not like every one else, so my next thought is why not just hand pull the weeds. Oh yeah, that involves some work. OK, then let's try some things like a propane torch or some natural weed killers that have no chance of reaching the root system of the trees. Yes there are studies that show Round Up will cause problems for trees.

The trees are irreplaceable. I can't think of any reason to jeopardize them. Just try to imagine the property without them! Now tell me it's too hard to pull a few weeds by hand. :cry: