Crossbow Herbicide for Guava / Faya?

[ric]

Has anyone tried Crossbow on Guava or Faya? If so, please inform best way to apply this. I was told to apply to stump after cutting but there is some confusion over whether better to drill hole and pour the Crossbow into the stump, or to somehow brush this onto the stump. Please clarify if anyone has experience with this.

[oink]

I can't advise on the Crossbow, but I can blab:
I've never had to eradicate guava. I do know that the best way to get rid of Brazilian Pepper (so called Christmas Berry) is to back up my truck to it, wrap a chain around it and to my hitch, and drive off. Obviously this doesn't work after they get past a certain size. It should work in dirt or Aa but might not work so good if growing in Pâhoehoe cracks.

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

[Larry T]

I have used Crossbow. Cut just above ground and put it on with a paint brush right after you cut. ( not days or even hours works best ) remember this stuff is BAD read the label

[Hotzcatz]

How about cutting back the guava, fencing the area and putting in a goat or two to eat the new leaves as they sprout? I do that with guinea grass and geese. Clear the area, fence it and put geese in to eat the newly sprouting grasses and weeds. There are way too many green growies around here for humans to keep them under control by ourselves.

---

"I like yard sales," he said. "All true survivalists like yard sales."
Kurt Wilson

[ric]

Thank hotzcatz, I didn't think of that, but for now we aren't set up to take care of any animals. Larry, do you just paint it on the face? Someone mentioned to me that I should also cut up the bark on the sides after cutting and paint on shaft of tree also. One more question. . .did you do this at 100% strength, undiluted? Thanks again.

[Mitzi M]

Crossbow is a combination of triclopyr and 2,4-D ester (which is really the most toxic part). I have used Garlon 3 and 4 (which are just triclopyr) to kill strawberry guava with success. I think it will work the same way on Faya and I have heard of some folks who used it with success. Tryclopyr has a relatively low toxicity and breaks down pretty quick. Garlon is available at Garden Exchange but is very concentrated and expensive since it only comes in a petty large quantity. If you don't need a ton of it then you can try Brush-B-Gon which is also triclopyr.

There are various ways you can go about it - I would always use gloves and eye protection for starters. In my experience (and from those of my fellow weed hating friends) the guava seem to die and stay dead the best when you actually cut them and paint the stumps You have to do this immediately after cutting because the sap recedes into the sump and roots within the first minute or 2 and you want it to carry the herbicide with it. If you have a very large, stump as with faya, I suppose you could drill - but I think painting it immediately will do the trick best.

I have also had good results slashing or "frilling" the trunk with a machete very close to the ground so that the inner bark is exposed and then applying the herbicide with a squirt (not spray) bottle. Restaurant style ketchup bottles with a long nozzle work best.

This way the tree dies standing. It takes longer and sometimes there are re-sprouts, but if you have a huge area it's a more economical use of your labor. If there are native trees or any other plants you want to save nearby take extra care not to spill any herbicide on them or onto the ground nearby.

Happy weeding!
Mitzi

[Larry T]

I just painted the top where it was cut.

[rasman]

Please stop poisoning the aina and our water with these poisons. Roll up your sleeves and pull it out by the roots. I do this for a living if you are interested in hiring out, if not a pick ax and O'O bar work wonders!

[ric]

In my non-expert estimation, I wouldn't think carefully using a herbicide causes any detectable 'poisoning' beyond the plant that is treated. If so. . I wouldn't think anything would EVER grow in the area that has been treated. I think I'm doing the island by taking on the task of removing faya and guava, which apparently are not helping the other native species. We are talking about a herbicide that is applied almost surgically, just a few drops per tree, not sprayed in excess. In addition, removing faya's by the roots makes a huge hole in the landscape, may also require plowing over some hapu'u's to get access with large enough equipment to pull the stump. I'm going with the herbicide for this initial invasive removal, I'll let you guys know how it works. . .

[MarkP]

Everything in moderation, as Benjamin Franklin said. I pull weeds up by the roots when possible but I use herbicide when necessary. As long as you use herbicide properly, I think you come out ahead because you are able to eliminate so many weeds that you might otherwise leave in place.

There is a thorny weed called yellow himalayan raspberry that is nasty and prolific. It grows in disturbed areas and was coming up all over the area I had bulldozed. I went after it by hand, patrolling my property and pulling it up by hand. After a couple of months it was almost eliminated. I did put roundup on a couple of the really big bushes, but it is amazing what you can accomplish with dedicated hand pulling in small areas.