When is the best time to apply Garlon 4 for Japanese Knotweed control?
A. As Garlon 4 is an auxin mimic, it is best to apply when the plant is actively growing and when the leaves are fully unfurled, thereby maximising herbicide uptake. In trials conducted by Nomix Enviro, the addition of Mixture B (a 2% final solution) has given excellent control, with Garlon 4 applied at 6 litres/ha. In fact, late season application with Garlon 4 gave poor results; which contrasts with glyphosate, which works better just before the onset of natural senescence. If the Knotweed is too tall when first visiting the site, you can either carefully treat the leaves using an extended lance; or cut the stems down, leave them on site and re-teat when approx. 1.5m tall and when the newly emerged leaves have fully unfurled. Q. What is the best control for Laurel suckers? A. When I treated some suckers for a customer, I used Garlon 4 at 10 litres/ha, Mixture B (used to help penetrate the thick waxy cuticle) and Nomix Blue dye (to see where I had treated, as treated leaves dry blue.
