Treating small diameter stumps

[ATH]

We do a bit of woodland invasive species management. One project we'll work on over the winter has quite a bit of smaller diameter stuff (1/4"-3/4" diameters). (Jetbead - this was a new one to me...but same question applies to other small diameter stems). Spraying those stumps always feels like we are using a lot more chemical than we need.

Instead of spraying, I'm picturing "dabbing". Would it work or be a bad idea to put a sponge on the end of a backpack sprayer wand. Squeeze the trigger to get that wet then tap the stumps. Obviously there will be some calibration to not get so much that it drips, but there is enough to treat the stump...

@pdqdl - you ever do small stumps with anything besides spray?

 

[pdqdl]

All the time. Perfect application rate. Easy to use. No crazy spills.
https://www.amazon.com/00007-Liquid-Detergent-Dishwasher-Sponge/dp/B000BOC4ZY


Wear rubber gloves approved for herbicides:
https://www.galeton.com/neoprene-over-latex-gloves-flock-lining-6100g


Refill as needed with your sprayer. It's rather difficult to refill those from a gallon jug.
This also works great with weeds in a landscape. Even vines growing up a desirable plant can be bundled up with your gloved hand, then sponged thoroughly with the herbicide. So long as you don't wipe all over the plants you wish to keep, your landscape is safe.

When you wish to put down the herbicide, grab the sponge with your preferred hand, then pull down the cuff, inverting the glove over the top of the herbicide sponge.
Now you have a built in storage for the soggy sponge. With just a little bit of care, that will keep your herbicide and glove together in one spot, and adequately protect the workplace from blue herbicide running all over your truck.

 

[ATH]

Do you use it like that or on a pole?

 

[pdqdl]

We never tried it on a pole.

I suppose with a bit of creativity, you could make something similar with some 3/4" PVC pipe. Make sure you give it a tight seal at the top, bind on a sponge you like over a hole, then experiment with the size hole you are drilling. Install a ball valve near the bottom, then you would remove big leaks while you are filling it up.

 

[ATH]

I was thinking just taping a pole to the scrubber you linked. But maybe attaching PVC to that could work well if I can get a good seal. Both longer reach and more capacity. Probably could do a ball valve between the PVC and the liked scrubber.

Looks like there are some commercial poles for such things.
https://www.amazon.com/Pixies-Gardens-Weed-Wand-Surgically/dp/B01G628PYS/https://www.amazon.com/Smucker-RWTD03-Drift-Sponge-Dauber/dp/B08FVLJ9RC/
I was originally thinking something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Keyfit-Tools-AccuTip-Overspray-Accurately/dp/B0992RQ834/ - but not spending $24 for 4 little sponges. I pictured getting a kitchen sponge, pulling it up over the tip and then either put a tight wire tie or twisted wire around to hold in place.

 

[ChuckMI]

Here is a detailed design for a PVC applicator https://app.box.com/s/klktzn4s1mznu7t3q4mfttg5zlpk4nfr If you make the tube longer, it holds more herbicide and requires less bending but is heavier. I used an expensive valve for a long life, but you could use a cheap one. There is also a commercial product called a Buckthorn Blaster. People whom I have talked to who used it were happy with it, but I like my high capacity, long-length PVC applicator https://shop.naisma.org/collections/buckthorn-blaster

 

[pdqdl]

... If you make the tube longer, it holds more herbicide and requires less bending but is heavier. ...

When you make the tube longer, you do much more than make it heavier. You increase the height of the liquid column inside, which will certainly affect how prone the device is to dripping too much herbicide.

Gravity is always causing problems when you are making liquid applications.

 

[ATH]

Checking back in on this...we tried a couple of things.

The sponge on the end of the backpack sprayer wand seemed like it was going to work, but dabbing it on small diameter stumps tore it up pretty quickly. Easy and cheap enough that we could replace a couple times per day, so not a failure, but not ideal. Switched to a sponge with a scotch pad on it...rough side out to protect it from that damage. Also tried to leave a little gap between the nozzle tip and sponge. Just used wire ties to attach it. That lasted the 3 full days we used it and still looking in good enough shape to use again.

We did those treatments in early March. Returned to the property last week (late April) to foliar spray the honeysuckle that was too small for cut and treat (and anything we just missed). Almost all of the stumps were dead with no sprouting. There were a few with sprouts (that got sprayed this time). I'm gonna guess those were just misses it is hard to find them all when I'm cutting with a clearing saw and helper is treating, but staying far enough away to keep his legs attached.

We used maybe 15% of the chemical that we would have used just spraying the stumps with backpack sprayer as we've always done. To cut amount of chemical by that much and still kill the stumps is big progress!

 

[ATH]

I also bought a couple of these little sprayers. Put it in a gallon jug that was about half - 3 quarts full and a small backpack. This was nice for doing chainsaw work. I had been using a quart spray bottle on a tool belt. It'd fall out, would take a couple squirts to hit the target, was bulky in the belt...etc. Worked, but not ideal. This sprayer itself fit in the tool belt nicely. The backpack was small and light enough to be no bother. Besides not needing to refill because I had 2-3 quarts instead of 1, I also think I used less chemical with this sprayer.

We've got another project with bigger Autumn olive, so that will entail a lot more chainsaw work and we'll get a better review of this system!

Sprayer at Lowes: https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-1-Gallon-Tank-Sprayer/1001433038

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