ortho Ground Clear question

13 years ago

I sprayed ortho ground clear all aroung the perimeter of 20+ year old hedges. About 3 foot wide from the base of the hedge. I found round up expensive and ineffective so I tried this product.

Its been about 5 days. 2 days after I sprayed we had torrential rain. A few of the weeds started to die but unless this thing takes a long time to work, most are still alive. I resprayed the weeds with round up today.

SO, I was mad that the ortho ground clear did not appear to be working.

While looking around these forums I found out the ground clear might actually kill the hedges!

So, are my hedges going to die. Might the rain have diluted it? How long does it take to work? Is there anything I can do?

I just barely squinted out the mix ratio...I did not see warnings about established trees/hedges.

Featured Answer

Kimmsr

13 years ago

The manufacturer will tell you that their product will not harm the plants you did not spray, just as Dow Chemical did with their plant poison that was found later to kill trees and shrubs and has since been pulled from the market. These poison move through the soil with the water that moves through the soil and since the roots uptake water they also uptake the poison.
Sometimes the result of applying these plant poisons is evident fairly soon, the same growing season, while other times the plant may just slowly decline over many years.

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Comments (11)

jean001a
13 years ago
The ingredients are .08% Imazapyr 5.0% Glyphosate. Glyphosate is the active ingredient of Roundup.

According to the website, "For best results apply on a sunny day with temperatures above 60 degrees fahrenheit."
Kimmsr
13 years ago
Rain, 2 days after the application of a plant poison, should not have any affect on how it works. Most every plant poison needs less than 24 hours after application to be effective. Many of these plant poisons can have adverse affects on those plants we want, even through the soil and into the plants roots. It can take days or weeks after application to appear which is why many people do not make the connection to applying a plant poison and the problem they are now seeing.
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andrelaplume2
Original Author
13 years ago
so I have no way of knowing if the hedges will be ok or not? I used a tank sprayer. I found a ' how to ' on you tube....they guy was doing his patio using a watering can...I think that was more saturation than my pump sprayer provided. I wonder what the odds of the hedges being ok are.
jean001a
13 years ago
Look for the manufacturer's contact info on the label, then call/email to ask them.
andrelaplume2
Original Author
13 years ago
I'll have to find my magnifying glass! Will do...wondering if anyone else has been in a similar situation and what happened.....
morz8 - Washington Coast
13 years ago
The 800 number is on the label, right above where it says do not use over the root zones of trees or shrubs. There is a phone icon next to the number, you can't miss it....

Of course make the call and ask, but there isn't likely anything you can do once its applied but wait and see what happens, and that could be weeks or even months. There isn't any way to dilute or remove it at this point and temperature, rain, amount of application all so variable I don't think anyone can tell you if you will have damage, how much, if recovery from any damage that may occur is possible.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ortho 800 number, label
andrelaplume2
Original Author
13 years ago
does it have to make it down to the roots? Once it hits the dirt how does it get down there? I'd think the roots are deep. Could getting some on a brank kill the whole hedge?

I'll call...
morz8 - Washington Coast
13 years ago
Maybe Andrea herself could tell us what she learns from her call, I'm not sure how anyone could presume to know how customer service at Ortho might respond. I'd be surprised though with as many variables as come into play with the herbicide application, if they could outline precisely what may or may not happen to the hedge.

Kimmsr, they do state on the label it can injure nearby trees, shrubs and should not be used in areas other than those the product is intended for, those areas where no vegetation at all is desired. They don't claim it won't harm those things not directly sprayed, unlike Roundup this one does have known soil activity and carries appropriate warnings, so I'm not sure your comparison applies...
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
13 years ago
Good grief Kimmsr.
User
9 years ago
I have to know... how did the hedges do? I made the same mistake and I am SICK about it!!!