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HORTICULTURE
Think Twice Before Using 2,4-D
by Mark Longstroth
2,4-D is a
common and useful herbicide used for controlling board leave weeds. It is commonly used to
control weeds in lawns and pastures because it does not harm grasses. 2,4-D is
available in two forms an ester and an amine form. The active ingredients are similar with
the same mode of action but the ester is likely to volatilize, becoming a vapor or a gas
and moving with the wind to grape plantings away from the site where they are used. The
ester form of 2,4-D can move a long ways on the wind causing damage miles away from the
site of application.
The 2,4-D ester is a common ingredient in brushkillers. We had several incidents where farmers, property owners or commercial pesticide applicators have applied the 2,4-D in the ester form and damaged grapes nearby. In each case the person who applied the 2,4-D was not aware of the restrictions. This damage to the grape crops did not result in fines but did result in the payment of damages to the growers. Unless you want to pay for part of your neighbor's grape crop and perhaps a fine for the misuse of pesticides be careful when selecting 2,4-D. With the increase of houses in rural areas the new property owners are unaware of the restrictions on pesticide use.
I have posted more information on 2,4-D and Grapes.
When you use pesticides it is your responsibility to reduce drift and off site damage. This is very hard with ester form of 2,4-D because of its tendency to form a gas and drift off site. Warm conditions increase the likelihood of volatilization and damage to grapes and other plants.
The townships affected in Van Buren County are Antwerp, Paw Paw, Porter and most of Almena, Covert, Decatur, Hamilton, Hartford, Keeler, Lawrence and Waverly townships. In Berrien County, the townships are Bainbridge, Benton, Berrien, Baroda, Chikaming, Coloma, Hagar, Lincoln, Lake, Oronoko, Pipestone, Royalton, Sodus, St. Joseph, Watervliet and most of Weesaw, Buchanan, Niles townships. In Cass County, it affects Pokagon and Silver Creek townships. In Kalamazoo County, the townships are Texas and most of Oshtemo Township.