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Ann Arbor, Mi

I have grown field pumpkins for many years using Command 3 MC as a herbicide. Today I went to get my years worth only to find out pumpkins (except for processing) are no longer on the label. Another formula Command 4 EC still is labeled for pumpkins. Unlike 3 MC, 4 EC must be incorpated.

Steve "Mr. Pesticide" , You know anything about why they changed the label?

Thanks ......Bob Wells

5/12/2003 7:25:28 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Hey Bob,

That language change is 2 years old now. You must have gotten the "pre-2001" stuff last year.
Presumeably the change is due to concern of drift & volatility. Under certain weather coditions, a temperature inversion can occur. When it does, a virtual ground fog of herbicide can waft into ajoining fields (or worse). Sometimes many hours after treatment. This happened to a copetitor of ours last year in Mass. That mess still hasn't gotten into the courts & I don't envy anyone involved. That one involved a gas off into several homes with sleeping people. One was related to the grower. The lawyers are going to have a field day with it. I'll wager the crop applicator hangs but he won't go to court alone.

I think FMC got tired of buying fields full of dead plants & the related law suits.

Steve

5/12/2003 9:05:35 PM

Montoursville, PA

Yikes! Maybe we are sending to many inspectors to the Middle East????? Maybe the Agriculture Department could send some to North Korea to help their crop management problems.

5/12/2003 9:40:20 PM

Ann Arbor, Mi

Steve,
You're right about the pre 2001 stuff from last year. I was always cautious about the drift. I would incorpate 3 MC. Than if no rain came it would be fine. I would get some whiten of some tree's leaves in fence rows. In 2000 shortly after planting we got a heavy rain fields flooded lost my weed control. Most of time it works real good except for pigweed, cocklebur, and canda tristle. I use curbit (postplant)to get the pigweed, and spot spray Round up for the others.

I've looked at some of the other few herbicide for pumpkins, never tryed any, know of any others that work as good or better than Command and Curbit. I rotate 2 years in /4 years out of fields. Rotate with Round up ready corn and soybeans.

Looking for a better way

Bob

5/13/2003 8:20:07 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

I'll make a couple calls.

Steve

5/13/2003 8:33:24 PM

Tipp City, Ohio

I'm going to use Curbit this year for my acre patch. Was looking into Sandea, for both pre and post emergence. Good stuff from what I have read. Although, a maximum of 1oz/acre / season a twenty oz bottle would last me 20 years. I would have to buy a case to get it. That was not the problem, the problem was that it was over $200 per bottle.....Tom

5/13/2003 8:44:07 PM

Ann Arbor, Mi

Tom,
Sandea is one I looked at for boardleaf and Perfar for grass. $10 / acre is reasonable.
Bob

5/13/2003 9:04:55 PM

Tipp City, Ohio

I agree, but where I was to buy the whole case unless they and myself could find any other takers(they work with mostly grain farmers not specialty crops). $2,400 for the case was just a bit too much to shell out for now. If I expand in the next couple years maybe....Tom

5/14/2003 9:09:16 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Bob,

Got a hold of the boys in Mass today. A lot of the Pickling Cucumber guys are going with Strategy Herbicide. Having trouble linking you a label today. Need to reboot.

Steve

5/27/2003 10:02:40 PM

Ann Arbor, Mi

Steve,
Thanks for the reply...Strategy is a Command and Curbit mix. Strategy would be great for the grower who does a few acres. In my case of more than 10 acres it is costly mix of Command and Curbit with less ragweed control.

Bob

5/30/2003 10:22:35 AM

Ann Arbor, Mi

Tom,
Do I read your post correctly? 20 oz bottle for over $200? I call a dealer near here I got a price $36.55 per oz in 10 oz bottles. How many ozs in that $2,400 case?

Steve,
You have a price for Sandea? Would you know what's the self life on Sandea?

Bob

6/3/2003 1:22:46 PM

Tipp City, Ohio

Yes, that is what they told me. 12 bottles in the case. Since it was a special herbicide that they do not carry, I would have to buy the minimum that they would have to purchase. That is why I would have had to buy the whole case. They did not want it sitting on their shelves for years to come.

I did find another dealer that would sell me one bottle(20 oz) for $40.56/oz. Still, at over $800 that is too much up front money for my acre patch. Using a maximum of 1 oz. per acre per season the price is good compared to manual labor. lol. Owww my poor back....Tom

6/3/2003 1:50:05 PM