Looking for the easiest solution for long term weed control in garden beds, I have used Prolan 500 as a pre-emergent on lawn areas and it seems to do a good job - but it's an extremely viscous liquid and difficult to mix in the knapsack. It is an extremely versatile product though as it's registered for use on turf, gardens, etc.
Thought I'd ask and see what everyone else is using?
Barricade seems to be a popular option, and it's also registered for use in garden beds which is handy. I need something that can be sprayed around plants without risk of damage, which Barricade can do. I know it's supposed to be applied to the soil under mulch, but that's not really an option... Does anyone use it? Barricade mix rate seems to be the same as Prolan 500 - is it a less viscous liquid?
Otherwise any tips for even mixing in a knapsack?? It's almost like I need a paint mixer on a cordless drill sitting in there so the product doesn't sink straight to the bottom and clog up around the outlet.
What about Simazine? A better option? (Trying to reduce the number of different chemicals I need, but if it's better for garden areas I would go for it.) Curiously Prolan 500 lists Simazine for tank mix compatibility... why would you do that?
On the subject of weed control, but for gravel/stone areas where you definitely don't want anything to grow - I've been doing a bit of searching and found Trimac GR. A granular product that you simply spread on the area and get up to 9 months control!
Cheers for any advice!