Killsocket said:
I think this is a good topic, but I do have a question of my own.
Does anyone buy concentrated products separately, then make your own "cocktail"? I mean I just use Ortho or Bayer in concentrated forms for my sprayer but always grab the stuff with quinclorac because, well, why not. That has been my mentality. But now I kind of wish I would just get a jug of 2, 4d and a jug of quinclorac and just mix (or anything I may be missing) when it is crabgrass season or, if broadleaf is under control, I can just mix quinclorac to spot spray just crabgrass. Then, aren't I also limiting unnecessary chemicals on my lawn as well.
It depends on how much you generally use each year. The prepackaged cocktails cost a lot more per app but are very convenient and save a lot of time. If you're buying a lot, mixing it yourself saves a lot of money.
I keep a stock of a standard 3 way for broadleaves, quinclorac for crabgrass, sulfentrazone or triclopyr for some of the tougher weeds, tenacity for zapping weeds at or close to seeding, dithiopyr as my go-to pre-emergent, gly & Scythe for hardscapes and directed spray in landscape beds. For surfactants, Southern Ag MSO, Agridex COC, Alligare 90 NIS and a bag of spray grade ammonium sulfate. I'm trying to think of a weed around here my inventory won't kill. Ah, bermuda - that is a very especially diabolical weed.
The Ortho stuff with quinclorac will kill most weeds without any trouble if you get on them early enough, except the tougher perennial legumes and woody / viney weeds (the clovers, thistles and wild violet type weeds). PBI Gordon TZone will do a fine job on them. If you're not using a whole bunch of it every year, might as well not have to mix your own. Has it been working well for you?