Exclusive Food Plot Herbicides:
A new tool for top-quality food plots
More deer, better quality deer and bigger racks are the result of planting quality food plots. So over recent years, food plots have become more and more a part of good whitetail deer management. Unfortunately, all the work is not necessarily done with the planting. Weeds and grasses can hamper even the best-laid food plot plans.
Weed and grass problems actually lie deep within the soil. Over many years, billions of weed and grass seeds have been deposited and can sit dormant until the day the soil is tilled and they move close to the surface. As the seed moves to the surface, the combination of oxygen, temperature and moisture causes the weed and grass seeds to germinate. It is only a matter of time until the grasses and weeds are aggressively competing with the crops.
Weeds and grasses can cause many problems in a field. First, they compete with desired forages in the food plot taking moisture and nutrients from the soil, which are the life-blood of food plot forages. When moisture and nutrients are stolen by weeds and grasses, huge holes in the food plot can develop. If left unchecked, the weeds and grasses can eventually take over the entire plot. This will require replanting earlier than anticipated, which can be quite expensive. There is not only the cost of the seed but also the lime, fertilizer, fuel and time involved in replanting.
No doubt, weeds and grasses can be costly, frustrating and depressing. Mowing can often rectify the problem, but other times that is not enough. So what can a land manager do? Until now, few options were available. But the Whitetail Institute, in its relentless pursuit to improve the food plot experience, has developed a solution. It is proud to introduce herbicides developed specifically for food plots: Arrest Grass Control Herbicide and Slay Broadleaf Weed Herbicide.
Arrest herbicide was developed by the Whitetail Institute to help control all grasses found in a food plot. Grasses come in many forms, both perennial and annual. Fescue, Johnson grass and foxtail are just a few that commonly plague food plots. These grasses produce lots of seeds and are very aggressive, taking incredible amounts of moisture and nutrients away from desired forages. If not dealt with in fairly short order, they can damage or even destroy the plot. Applying Arrest before the grasses get out of control can clear virtually all of the grass out of the plot without damaging the stands of Imperial Whitetail Clover, Alfa-Rack Plus, Extreme or PowerPlant.
Slay herbicide was developed by the Whitetail Institute to help control all broadleaf weeds. Like grasses, broadleaf weeds come in many shapes and forms both perennial and annuals. Thistles, dock weed and ragweed are examples of broadleaf weeds that can damage or even destroy food plots. Broadleaf weeds, like grasses, can spread quickly and take valuable moisture and nutrients from the soil. They can also damage food plots by shading out the desired forages. This is especially true when the plantings are young. Slay herbicide effectively controls broadleaf weeds while not harming Imperial Whitetail Clover and many other food plot plantings.
Arrest and Slay herbicides are both safe and easy to use. Application is not difficult and can be done in various ways. A common method is to use a 4-wheeler sprayer as it is an economical piece of equipment and allows effective spraying of small food plots. Tractor sprayers can also be used and for small areas or spot spraying, a hand sprayer is sufficient. Arrest and Slay are most effective if the application is done when grasses and broadleaf weeds are 12 inches tall or less. Application directions can be found on the packages.
If broadleaf weeds and grasses are causing problems in food plots there is no reason to despair. Not only can Arrest and Slay help create picture perfect food plots, they can also provide healthier and more productive food plots. At the same time they can help save money by preventing premature replanting. Arrest and Slay are the only herbicides labeled and developed specifically for food plots. They are available exclusively from the leader in food plot innovation – the Whitetail Institute.