My Father-in-law Found 2,4-d At Tractor Supply And Started Spot…
James Asked
My father-in-law found 2,4-D at Tractor Supply and started spot spraying it on his lawn this year. He fell in love with it and recommended I buy some. I am thinking of buying a pull-behind sprayer next year and spraying this product on my two acres. My question is, how safe is this herbicide around trees and shrubs? I have oak, maple, evergreen trees, holly, lavender, and other shrubs. This product sounds very successful; however, I don’t want to kill my mature trees. I would like to know your thoughts of this product (using in raw form, not Roundup, Ortho, etc). I have two acres with lots of clover and other crummy weeds and grasses.
The Gardener’s Answer
Hello, James in Kentucky: 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) is a post-emergent herbicide used to kill broadleaf weeds. It is effective on annual, biennial, and perennial broadleaf weeds but will not be effective on the grasses you mentioned, which is why it is so commonly used for weeds found in lawns. It does not have the same active ingredient as Roundup (glyphosate), which is a non-selective herbicide that will kill basically anything it comes into contact with. 2,4-D can still potentially damage your trees if the herbicide reaches any shallow roots and is absorbed through the root system. Spot spraying as your father-in-law does is the best method for a controlled treatment. Using it as you have described may put your trees at risk. This herbicide is available in both amine and ester formulations. If you do choose to spray be sure to purchase a product that is labeled amine as it is has lower vapor pressures, but the downside is that this formulation is typically less effective in terms of weed control.
