Tree Damage From Crop Spraying

[lone wolf]

I'm seriously thinking of asking the guys at the fire dept, to come hose down the yard.
I've been hoping for rain, but none in sight going on two weeks and it's extremely hot. The ag man even asked if we've had any rain since he noticed the field corn crops are looking rough. I noticed that myself, that the leaves are pointy.
The ag agent was the second one to recommend watering everything... but it would be impossible for me to "water" over 150 trees/plants on 2.5 acres with a garden hose. He even suggested soaker hoses. I'd have to buy miles of them.
One firehouse is right next to the cemetery, but I'm going to the other one five miles up the road.
I called the fire chief at the close one last week, left a message, and he never called me back.

I'm trying to get my courage up.
Wish me luck.

Might have to pay them.

Can someone smarter than me help me out on this one?

https://www.winsol.com/uploads/4/2/3/1/42312731/5098_-_wetter_water_-_sds_081518.pdf

@Mad Professor

 

[lone wolf]

No problem. Probably have to pay for the water, too.

Or call it a donation.

 

[Bill G]

There is no way they would do it here

 

[Bill G]

All volunteer fire departments here there is no way they would ever do that. They do not have the time or resources

 

[Bill G]

I cannot speak to your situation but here even if they could do it, it would be seen as a favor and it was cause jealousy. Everyone would want their lawns watered and pools filled. When we had a pool I considered asking but ended up not

 

[Bill G]

Yes there is no doubt things can be frustrating. I know frustration. In 31 years of working I have never seriously considered walking off a job mid-shift. Today was a first. I have never seriously consider using violence. Today was a first. Yes I know frustration, I know it well

 

[Bill G]

I'm sorry to hear that.
This might be a good place to talk about it and get it off your chest...
https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/anger.349378/

Good suggestion

 

[farmer steve]

Finally...

PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS (PGRS)​

These herbicides are effective on annual and perennial broadleaf plants and usually have no activity on grasses or sedges, except at high application rates. They produce responses similar to those of natural, growth-regulating substances called auxins. Application of artificial auxins, such as 2,4-D, upsets normal growth as follows:

• Cells of leaf veins rapidly divide and elongate, while cells between veins cease to divide. This results in long, narrow, strap-like young leaves.
• Water content increases, making treated plants brittle and easily broken.
• Cell division and respiration rates increase, and photosynthesis decreases. Food supply of treated plants is nearly exhausted at their death.
• Roots of treated plants lose their ability to take up soil nutrients, and stem tissues fail to move food effectively through the plant.

The killing action of growth-regulating chemicals is not caused by any single factor but results from the effects of multiple disturbances in the treated plant.

https://extension.psu.edu/introduction-to-weeds-and-herbicides#section-33
And that's what I've been saying all along.

So what did you get from reading this article? I'm not sure what you are saying. I know I mentioned PGRS in an earlier post. I've met and talked to Dwight (the author) several times over the years and discussed weed resistance, herbicide drift and carryover. He has been/is one of the instructor's at the classes I attend for my applicators license.

 

[Bill G]

......................Alerting the "authorities" isn't working. They're ignoring me and hoping I'll shut up and go away.
The ones I've talked to all say, "Give it a year. Wait and see what happens."
All the evidence will have withered up and blown away by then...........................

Well that is because unfortunately this is a fairly common issue (which does not make it right) It has been an issue since the beginning of usage of chemicals. The problem is each year we should learn more and do a better job but that just does not happen. As the yaers go by folks need to cover more acres in less time and unfortunately speed increase problems.

As for waiting a year they are right but SO ARE YOU. The trees will more than likely recover with little to know damage by this time next year. The smaller plants and annuals maybe not especially the annuals since well they are toast at the end of the year no matter what. You DO have to collect evidence and data now but you may have to wait a year to really pursue a claim on the trees. I know you do not want to hear that but it is simply the way it works out.

 

[MattGPT]

Where is the @Mad Professor on this?

I hate to admit it, but when it comes to the stuff that burns, bubbles or smokes, I’m beat.

Wow, I REALLY hate to admit it, but qualifications are qualifications, and I don’t have ‘em like that mad bastard does, lol.

Credit where it’s due eh?

 

[MattGPT]

Maybe they had a surplus of the garbage because no one wants to buy the garbage and so they held back availability of the good stuff in order to sell their stockpiles of the garbage?
Makes perfect sense to me. That's what any business would do with surplus old inventory and a new product coming online.

I assume I’m on ignore but if not, I can provide some insight.

I have worked in the evil pharmaceutical industry for years, you wanna know their secrets I’ll tell all. Pharmacia, Pfizer, Schering-Plough, LIPA, what do you wanna know?

 

[MattGPT]

Give em hell!

That is a big mistake...you want them on your side.

 

[MattGPT]

T

The woman I talked to, not the mayor, said she thought they filled pools for people in the next over bigger city.
I decided to call them. Glad I did.
The man I talked to said they used to use Wetter Water (I guessed right ) but don't anymore. They hook up directly to the hydrants. Oh, and they can't come out here because I'm outside the city limits.
Out here, where there are no hydrants, they would use the tanker truck which stays filled with water at all times.
It might, or might not have the chemical in it. Maybe they add it depending on the type of fire they are tending to?

All I know is I've had enough for one day. I'll call fireman #1 back in the morning.

Try the ones who wash down power lines. Clean water, and used to hard access.

 

[HansFranz]

Wow, 53-page thread and I'm just discovering it now.

I deal with herbicide overspray on an annual basis. Live on a long/narrow lot surrounded on all sides by row crops (corn and soybean) and every year I lose more trees due to Roundup and/or atrazine.

When I asked the county extension folks about it, I got the feeling they were all friends with, and/or in cohoots with, the farmer applying the herbicide. Got the feeling there was not much I could do. But I have lost a LOT of trees...many Thuja "Green Giants" which seem to be VERY sensitive to Roundup (I can only keep them alive if they are in the MIDDLE of the yard), and Leyland cypress (which ain't worth a damn, anyway) and others...

I pretty much need to take cuttings and propagate new trees on an ongoing basis to keep up with the attrition...our trees are kind of a "rolling stock" around here, thank God they love this soil and climate.

On the "good" side, in the years when they grow soybean, they SLAG the fields with permethrin every so often, which is like a neutron bomb for bugs...

 

[ATpro]

Try the ones who wash down power lines

Rain does that here.

 

[ATpro]

Wow, I REALLY hate to admit it, but qualifications are qualifications, and I don’t have ‘em like that mad bastard does, lol.

If you would read the thread you would gain some knowledge on the subject. Instead you insult the mad bastard living in your head.

 

[Bill G]

Here to

 

[Bill G]

I mean rain washes down the power lines.

 

[MattGPT]

If you would read the thread you would gain some knowledge on the subject. Instead you insult the mad bastard living in your head.

Ummm, it was a compliment to @Mad Professor. Did you miss that?

 

[farmer steve]

I haven't heard of any damage from 2-4-D Ester the last rew months. I really don't think many people use it here. I get enough stuff (almost daily it seems) from Penn state and PA dept of AG that they would have put something out about it if it has happened. I know some of your stuff is dying but I personally think your bigger trees will survive. The younger trees and shrubs/ bushes may not. Usually when 2,4-D is used to kill trees it is used full strength and injected into the tree or sprayed on a freshly cut stump.