Horse Nettle Herbicides w/o Residuals

Got a horse customer that relayed a story to me the other day out of concern that I use herbicides on my Timothy hay.  The comment was, "how soon do you spray before you cut the hay?"  The reason for the question was, apparently a friend of this person bought some "really clean" hay, fed it to their horses, scooped up the horse manure and recycled it onto their garden.  Residuals were in the hay and they put a major hurt on the garden.

 

GrazonNext XL has residuals and I'm starting to associate super clean hay with herbicides that have residuals.  There is a lot of it sold around here and I probably wouldn't be to far off the mark to assume the "really clean hay" had GrazonNext XL sprayed on it.

 

Before I bash GrazonNext XL - which is not my intent, I'd like to use it.  Amazing that Bristol Va and Bristol TN are separated by a state line.  There is a supplemental label that allows GrazonNext XL in Tennesee, but not one foot across the line in Virginia - go figure!  My preference would be to use GrazonNext, which sounds like a terrific herbicide and will kill Horse Nettle, among other things - and inform the customer - don't put the horse manure on your beans....

 

Speaking of Horse Nettle.....

 

I've got some Horse Nettle.  I don't use any herbicide with residuals to date.  I hit the Nettle with both Pasturegard early spring and then with 2,4-d after the first cut.  I don't recall seeing any Horse Nettle of any amount when I sprayed Pasturegard, but saw a bit when I sprayed with 2,4-d.  The 2,4-d stung it, maybe some of it died, but I've still got some Horse Nettle.

 

Here is a link to a Virginia Tech PDF regarding Horse Nettle:  http://ift.tt/2dZEzg8

 

In the article under "Control in Forages", it speaks to the use of triclopyr and 2,4-d.  Crossbow is such an herbicide combo - and has no residuals.

 

The article further states, "Long-term control of horsenettle, however, is much more difficult to achieve. High rates of Remedy® or Crossbow® will provide acceptable levels of long-term horsenettle control (Table 2); however, repeated applications of these herbicides over several years may be required for complete elimination of severe horsenettle infestations."

 

There is no table 2 - unless I'm missing it.

 

For some reason, I think I've read that 2,4-d is effective at killing or maybe the right term is burning the leaves, but does nothing for the roots????

 

Crossbow has 16.5% of triclopyr

Remedy has 60.45% of triclopyr

 

Pasturegard has 45.07% triclopyr - not as much as Remedy, but has almost triple triclopyr as Crossbow.  The Virginia Tech publication is silent on Pasturegard and Horse Nettle.  Maybe the publication is a bit dated?

 

Anyone having luck with Pasturegard alone killing Horse Nettle?  I just can't remember from my past experience with it.

 

I realize to rid Horse Nettle - is a multi year process.

 

Anyone have any success with other non-residual herbicides and Horse Nettle?

 

Doing a little planning for next year.....

 

Thanks!

Bill

Horse Nettle Herbicides w/o Residuals