So I bought Remedy to mix with the recommended Diesel (3:1).

Gal at Producers said diesel clogs the pump sprayers which aren't rated for diesel. She recommended an actual surfactant (80/20?) instead of using diesel as the surfactant.

Then some expert today told me that diesel is too oily anyway and doesn't allow good penetration of the Remedy. He recommended water (with a marker/dye solution).

What say you OB?

Have never used surfactant with diesel. Only used it with foliar method. To me, diesel acts as a surfactant in assisting penetration of chemical . Don't spray diesel on leaves..only basal. I've never used dye with diesel, either..

Brush Country Ag said:

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Have never used surfactant with diesel. Only used it with foliar method. To me, diesel acts as a surfactant in assisting penetration of chemical . Don't spray diesel on leaves..only basal. I've never used dye with diesel, either..

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Thanks. I meant use Remedy plus diesel (as a surfactant) or water or actual surfactant.

I think your expert isn't much of an expert.

Diesel w remedy was the go-to for a long long time. Never heard of mixing it w water. Have to rinse your pump after every use w a good pump cleaner (my 2 cents). Makes pump components last longer, but still be prepared for eventual repair/rebuild/replace.

We often throw in some dye to mark the treated tree trunks but not necessary. If you move around you can see the effects within 7-14 days (leaf wilt).

I prefer Sendero. Mix in water. And surfactant w this one. But must cover foliage of entire plant. Gets expensive for tall trees. Lots of loss in air when spraying high. Much better kill in my hands when used correctly.

Wear a good respirator (rated for chemical vapor) and glasses/goggles. Also use appropriate herbicide gloves.

mhnatt said:

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So I bought Remedy to mix with the recommended Diesel (3:1).

Gal at Producers said diesel clogs the pump sprayers which aren't rated for diesel. She recommended an actual surfactant (80/20?) instead of using diesel as the surfactant.

Then some expert today told me that diesel is too oily anyway and doesn't allow good penetration of the Remedy. He recommended water (with a marker/dye solution).

What say you OB?

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Your expert is wrong. The A&M Brushbusters site still recommends diesel, or, get this, vegetable oil.

Water doesn't work because you need something "sticky" (like diesel or vegetable oil) to hold the chemical on the cambium layer in place to allow for the chemical to penetrate. Most farmers/ranchers just use diesel because it's convenient and cheaper than vegetable oil.

dr_boogs said:

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I think your expert isn't much of an expert.

Diesel w remedy was the go-to for a long long time. Never heard of mixing it w water. Have to rinse your pump after every use w a good pump cleaner (my 2 cents). Makes pump components last longer, but still be prepared for eventual repair/rebuild/replace.

We often throw in some dye to mark the treated tree trunks but not necessary. If you move around you can see the effects within 7-14 days (leaf wilt).

I prefer Sendero. Mix in water. And surfactant w this one. But must cover foliage of entire plant. Gets expensive for tall trees. Lots of loss in air when spraying high. Much better kill in my hands when used correctly.

Wear a good respirator (rated for chemical vapor) and glasses/goggles. Also use appropriate herbicide gloves.

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Thanks. The expert is the hay guy that comes around which iIve now let go for someone else.

A few clarifications:

1) would I need a respirator if using the Remedy (not Sendero)?
2) if I use diesel as the surfactant, what pump cleaner solution is recommended?

Thanks again!

You should be basal spraying remedy+diesel so I wouldn't worry about a respirator. I've never considered the need for one. And we always do 4:1 diesel to remedy with good kill rates.

Also, we have a dedicated sprayer for this and have never cleaned. Still works just fine after several years of use. Diesel is an oil so should keep things lubed up inside the pump.

I've been using closer to 15% remedy vs diesel this summer on slick bark mesquite with very high success

Oh man…

Guys…first off, diesel and surfactants serve two different purposes. Surfactants are used when using remedy and reclaim as a foliar spray. It is a high volume application. It keeps the product on the leaves long enough to be absorbed and work.

Diesel is not a surfactant. It is a carrier. It will allow the product to be absorbed into the trunk. This if for a basal spray. If you use this on leaves, the leaves will fall off and it will not kill.

So, what is your goal? How big are your mesquite trees that you are treating?

If you are going to use diesel, you need a sprayer that has Viton seals if you want it to last. Petroleum products are hard on rubbers. If you aren't doing a lot of trees it doesn't matter. Buy a cheap sprayer and throw it away when it stops working.

Please check out TAMU websites related to this and do no rely on the cashier at producers. They all mean well but a lot don't know what they are talking about. Not trying to be rude, it's just what it is.

Sorry to sound like a dick but that **** is way too expensive to let someone potentially get it wrong.

https://texnat.tamu.edu/about/brush-busters/mesquite/

https://texnat.tamu.edu/about/brush-busters/

Remedy became Remedy Ultra, when they moved from a petroleum carrier, to a vegetable oil. Hence it works very well when blended with diesel, for basal application.
It would make an ugly blend, using water, with or w/o a surfactant.

I would not use diesel for foliage application because it'll just kill the leaves before you get adequate absorption to kill the root.

As other posters have said, if you go by the Brush Busters guidelines you should be fine.

And now it's back to regular remedy

"Remedy" and "water" shouldn't even be in the same conversation unless they're being mixed with "Reclaim" and an emulsifier is involved. Remedy-diesel mixes should NEVER be used foliar, so no respirator is needed. You're using a low pressure-low volume application on stems or cut stumps.