Spring Fence Maintenance

[Bossroo]

Probably a generic clone of Roundup. Either their own brand -FarmWorks RM 43, which has 2 active ingredients. or Gordon's Pronto Big N Tuff which is just 41% glycosphate. Works well as a foliar application but does little to actually kill the root system of woody brush. It will "appear" to kill it, because all the leaves change to fall-like color, then turn black and die/fall off, but for brush, you really want to use either a basal application or a different herbicide. Otherwise, you are just spraying the same plant year after year. To kill woody brush, basal applications work best.
The Farmworks RM43 has glycosphate and imazapyr as the 2 active ingredients. Imazapyr is a restricted herbicide in my area, mean one has to have an applicator's lic to purchase it.

Glycosphate works well as a fence line maintenance tool because it is non-selective--that is, it should kill or knock back EVERYTHING on the fenceline. Nothing growing on the fenceline means livestock are much less likely to venture near the fence. Add 1 qt of 2,4d to your glycosphate per 100 gals total mixture, and your application rate can be decreased and kill rate will improve.

If one adds a couple of oz. ( or less [ like a squirt from the squeeze bottle ... put it in last into the sprayer as it tends to foam] if one is using a small amount of spray ) of any brand of liquid dish soap to the glycosphate ... it acts as a surfactant that spreads the solution evenly over the leaf surface for a much better absorption of the herbicide.

 

[greybeard]

If one adds a couple of oz. ( or less [ like a squirt from the squeeze bottle ... put it in last into the sprayer as it tends to foam] if one is using a small amount of spray ) of any brand of liquid dish soap to the glycosphate ... it acts as a surfactant that spreads the solution evenly over the leaf surface for a much better absorption of the herbicide.

Yes, the old standby--Dawn dish detergent but, not all dish detergents are non-ionic, which is what is needed in a surfactant. (Dawn is one that is--so is Palmolive original.) The recommended ratio for a mixture is "one to 2 pints surfactant per 100 gals of total solution". I've tried Dawn and Palmolive, when I had run out of surfactant and compared to the areas I sprayed using an 80/20 real surfactant, got very poor results, adding the detergent in the last 25-50 gallons of a 300 gallon mixture. It's better than nothing of course, but considering a qt of Dawn costs nearly $4 at Walmart (equals $16/gal) , and a gallon of good surfactant costs $17.50 at tractor supply, and the Dawn is not as effective, I think we are better off spending the extra $1.50. For me, herbicide is just too expensive to not get the best bang for my bucks.
If you don't need a full gallon, split the cost with a friend or neighbor that also sprays.
Many glycosphate retailers also carry a product with the surfactant already added. Eraser is one, and one of the other products I mentioned in an above post does as well.

 

[greenmulberry]

What do you use to paint your fence gates? I have some metal tube gates that I want to paint.

 

[SheepGirl]

My neighbor just used spray paint labeled for outdoor use and metal.

 

[goatboy1973]

We use a paint from Tractor Supply Co., but we have used in the past paint from Lowe's. It should be a good oil based paint. I like to brush paint vs. spray paint, but to each their own. I do use a good primer that you brush on as a base coat though. Krylon has always been a good brand of paint but I would talk with the experts, regardless though the life of the paint job is determined in how good the prep work goes. We usually put some Dawn dish washing liquid in a hose end sprayer and spray each gate down to get bird poop, dirt, and loose surface rust off. Then when the gates are fully dry, I apply a thin coat of primer, and let it dry as per the labeling, and then put a coat or 2 of the paint and let it dry between coats as per the labeling. It is this simple.

 

[goatboy1973]

The main thing to remember about paint is that it is like our skin. It protects the internal stuff from the outside elements. Paint is a lot less expensive than a new gate in most instances so keep your gates painted and the acidic rain will not rust your gates. Plus, painted gates show visitors and customers that you take pride in your farm.

 

[Queen Mum]

Wish I had all that mechanical equipment. My equipment consists of a machete and a chainsaw. On 20 acres. it's hard to keep up. Thus the weeding is year round. As is the pen cleanup. Of course, I am with the goats pretty all the time and have a portable fence to move around to keep the goats moving from place to place.