Hand-spray mesquite while it's cheap and easy
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Hand-spraying can stop brush encroachment or extend the benefits of broadcast treatments
Left alone, mesquite tends to get bigger, denser and more expensive to control. It robs more and more moisture from grass and eventually alters the grass community around it.
To prevent that, Range & Pasture experts with Corteva Agriscience™ recommend two methods of spraying small, scattered brush by hand. One method treats the foliage, and the other treats the stem.
Leaf-Spray with Sendero® Herbicide
For easy application in the summer, the experts suggest leaf spraying, also known as high-volume foliar application. Leaf spraying works well on mesquite that is less than 8 feet tall.
The recommended mix for hand-spraying mesquite foliage is 1% Sendero® herbicide in water with a surfactant. See the leaf-spray mixing table on this page.
Spot applications of Sendero are limited to 1.75 pints per acre per year, so you’ll need an idea of how much total volume you will apply as you hand-spray.
Adding a dye, such as Hi-Light blue dye, to the spray mix will help you see your coverage of the plant and mark the plants you’ve treated.
Observe the same factors of soil temperature, mesquite foliage and growing conditions as you would for broadcast application. However, the season for hand-spraying mesquite lasts longer.
You can start leaf spraying in the spring after soil temperatures at a depth of 12 to 18 inches reach 75 F. Mesquite leaves should have changed from a light pea green to a uniform dark green, indicating mature foliage. The hand-spraying period lasts through July for East and South Texas and through September for West Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico.
Pump-up sprayers, backpack sprayers, cattle sprayers or sprayers mounted on all-terrain vehicles will all work. Make sure your sprayer has an adjustable cone nozzle capable of delivering coarse spray (large droplets)
Stem-Spray with Remedy® Ultra Herbicide
You can control mesquite and many other species, virtually any time of year, by spraying the stems with a mixture of Remedy® Ultra herbicide and basal oil. It works best on smooth-barked plants less than 6 inches in diameter. Susceptible species include mesquite, bois d’arc, oak, elm, huisache, locust, Chinese tallow, saltcedar and many others.
See the table here for mixing directions. Spray the mix all around the lower 12 to 15 inches of the trunk or stem. Spray until the bark is wet but not to the point of runoff.
Herbicide mix for spot leaf spraying mesquite* |
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| Ingredient | Concentration in spray solution |
Tank size | ||
| 3 gal. | 14 gal. | 25 gal. | ||
| Sendero herbicide | 1% | 4 oz. | 18 oz. | 32 oz. |
| Surfactant | 1/4% | 1 oz. | 5 oz. | 8 oz. |
| Dye | 1/4% to 1/2% | 1 to 2 oz. | 5 to 9 oz. | 8 to 16 oz. |
| *All leaf-spray solutions are mixed in water | ||||
25% herbicide mix
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| Total volume (tank size) |
Remedy® Ultra herbicide |
Oil-based carrier |
| 1 gal. | 1 quart | 3 quarts |
| 3 gal. | 3 quarts | 9 quarts |
| 4 gal. | 1 gal. | 3 gal. |
| 5 gal. | 1.25 gal. | 3.75 gal. |
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™®Trademarks of Dow AgroSciences, DuPont or Pioneer, and their affiliated companies or their respective owners. Sendero is not registered for sale or use in all states. Contact your state regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. State restrictions on the sale and use of Remedy Ultra apply. Consult the label before purchase or use for full details. Always read and follow label directions.
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