Beech management and triclopyr

[Jeff Jourdain]

Pete-

I just read your link from March about triclopyr and beech.  I am going to look at the research using 'diluted' Garlon 4.  I have been using Garlon 4 as a cut stump treatment for beech regeneration control with an herbicide applicator on a brush saw.  So far most of the results have been promising.  Using less herbicide would be even better.  Attached are a couple photos from recent project.  I treated the beech regeneration and some of the trees in the midstory up to about 4" dbh.  It will be followed with a commercial improvement cut.  

[Peter Smallidge]

Hi Jeff - Nice pictures of the treated woods. Thanks for sharing those.

Dave Jackson with PSU did the research that I'm familiar with on the reduced dose rate concentration with Garlon 4.  Here is his link (or google for PSU selective basal bark herbicide).  In NY, and I assume in PA and CT, the law allows agricultural herbicide treatments to be less than the labeled rate.  In NY, Garlon 4 is restricted use and only available to certified applicators (commercial or private).  Pathfinder II is the pre-mix of Garlon 4 in oil and is not restricted use.  I don't know if it is lawful to dilute Pathfinder II below the mixture rate given it is a pre-mix.  I'll look into that.

Is the applicator you used attached to the brush saw?  I'm aware that attachment used to be sold commercially, but the last I knew they were no longer manufactured.  Have you found a new vendor for these? Maybe someone else knows where to obtain a applicator that attaches to a brush saw.

What was the advantage of a brush saw with Garlon 4 vs, say, brush saw and glyphosate or hack-n-squirt with glyphosate?

I'm curious, what is the next treatment planned for this woods?  Is the beech work in preparation for a prepatory cut or thinning?

Pete

[Jeff Jourdain]

Pete-

Yeah the applicator attaches to the brush saw.  I got mine from the gentleman in Canada that developed them.  It has been a couple years since I spoke with him.   He was having a hard time getting them manufactured, but he sounded optimistic at that time.  One of my clients who is a forester in Pennsylvania tried unsuccessfully to contact him earlier this spring.  I would love to find another source.  

A friend of mine who used to work at the University of Maine and then for a tsi/brush saw contractor in Northern Maine in the early 1980's has an early generation herbicide applicator for brush saws.  I'm hoping to try that out this fall as well.  

I used Garlon 4 for a couple reasons - first I had it, second was when I first used used the applicator it was getting to be cold and I didn't need to worry about the oil like I would have with the water.  I have also developed a preference for the oil based treatments on stumps.  

The brush saw is really efficient at dealing with small dbh trees /seedlings.  Especially beech thickets of saplings/seedlings.  You can really lay them down fast.  

Next treatment is a thinning/prepcut/improvement cut.  The low grade material will come out.  Most of the large beech stumps will be treated with either Garlon 4 or glyphosate depending on the timing of the treatment.  

Jeff

[Peter Smallidge]

Hi Jeff:

Thanks for the note.

When I compared Garlon 4 and glyphosate on cut stump, i had almost double the control of root sprouts with glyphosate.  However, if the sprouts are dead, as you know, either Garlon 4 or glyphosate will control the stump.

Pete