Food Dye when using the Back Pack

[RSM-Gazza]

I have researched this Pesticide and Fertiliser forum re the subject use.

But it seems that when the question has been asked. Folks say use this and that and mate you can get it from the Nursery and at 5 times the price of food dye.

So why not just use say a few drops of blue food dye.

I've a large total lawn coverage spray to do and I bought the Hudson Commerciall 15ltr bottom end priced back pack sprayer from the red apron store.

So I don't want to spend say another $17 on fancey dye colors.

Food dye is cheap and totally safe, so is there anything wrong with using it to just give the operator a slight colored ting to see where his been or not been.

Thanks,

[NLALM]

Gary I used to muck around with dyes but really they are not worth it if you are not confident that you will spray it all try the food dye, but this is what I do, add a couple of good squirts of cheap washing up liquid to your sprayer not to much, this helps the chemical stick to the leaf but not only that it makes the leaves shine a bit so you can tell where you have been. What chemical are you using? Good luck

[South East Mowing]

Yep I would be interested to know also. Have been buying the red stuff from bunnings and use it quite dilute, cant remember how much but its only a small bottle - not cheap from memory.
The few drops of dishwashing liquid does work well for helping to penetrate the leaf!

[Mick]

Ive tried the food dye but found I needed to use a lot to make it effective. You definitely need to use more than a few drops.

[Redeye]

I used to work as a contract weedkiller/bush regen for council. We used red dye (blue I dont think would stand out ) & a commercial surfactant- cant remember which,synertrol or something like that. If using detergent were told at hort school to use sunlight soap flakes for best effectiveness. The dye was exxy.

[RSM-Gazza]

Thanks guys,

Re the dye I'm not sold on using it totally and I'm confident in not using it at all. But thought I would see what some are doing in the field.
I was going to do the wash up det trick too.

This lawn is covered in Bindii head to tail and has clovered sections.Whilst ideallly Bindii should have been treated last month, late Sept is still Ok before it flowers.
It's a kikuyu lawn and is quite big in size to a quality home, approx 450sq meter I have measured requiring to be sprayed. It's an uncomplicated lawn garden set up that has little low hanging scrub leaf foilage to be alert to damaging. Mainly just a front lawn on a cnr block.
Just will need to wait for a clear forecast with low winds and good Delta tempertures.

Should get approx 400sq mtr out done one 250 m bottle and will have to break into a second bottle a bit I expect.

Good to know about the Sunlight soap flakes.

Mark, the one below.

[RSM-Gazza]

Mark, or others here.

I understand the reasoning why manu's give this varied mixing rate due to mist spray 'v' harder droplet apllicating rate, as I've done my Chemcert Farm Chem Course.
I was going to use a 30 ml to approx 7 ltr mix rate and my fan nozzle which will not be set to mist, as it will be a more firmer bladed water faned outflow.

On the contaiiner it reads
Mixing rate
Sprayer 30ml per 5-10ltr per m2

Watering can
30ml per 10-20ltr per m2

Do you reck 30ml to 7ltr is about on the money.

Thanks,

[Redeye]

yep, not the kind of chem used with a mister, I'd be inclined to go 8-9

[RSM-Gazza]

Thanks Redeye,

Will head the advice, always good to get other opinions.

[ian]

and don't add detergent to a broadleaf weed killer as it can cause some chemicals to react with the grass

and i add food dye to my spray packs but only as it makes it easier to see how full they are in the opaque bottles otherwise as others have said you have to use to muchfor it to show i also found the stuff from bunnings next to useless at the recommended rate

[Redeye]

If there is a rural co-op nearby, try them for dye. Bunnings are a glorified supermarket, not a proper hardware, let alone an agricultural supplier

[RSM-Gazza]

If there is a rural co-op nearby, try them for dye. Bunnings are a glorified supermarket, not a proper hardware, let alone an agricultural supplier

Redeye,

In Albury/Wodonga region, there are more rural suppliers than maca's, hungry jacks and kfc put together.
Time I went into those places, although I do visit one of them as they sell metal, tools, fencing/chemicals along with farm and horsie stuff. I go there as they cut metal to my needs.
I might give the food dye a trial at home as the color on the grass needs only to be slight. But then I may not use dye at all at the clients house, just seeing what the collective do in their own circumstances here and feed off advice or opinions.

[GreenHaven]

i use herbicide dye sometimes on the turf spraying jobs if i need to see where ive been but 95% of the time i dont, think it was 500ml for 10 or 15 dollars not sure ive had it for a while got from a wholesale chemical place where i get my chemicals. The herbicide dye they sell at bunnings costs more, you need to mix twice as much and lumpy bits form when it gets old and clogs your sprayer so yeh stay away from theres imo.

[DavidS]

Gary,

Most watering cans are 9 litres so 30 ml would be fine. If you are worried about mixing soap as a sticking agent just add, 15ml of canola or vegetable oil to the mix, no conflict with any chemical and won't wash off. Can use this mix with Gylsophate, as long as you spray an hour and half before rain it sticks. I use it with broadleaf weeders to help stick the chemical to the weed.

[RSM-Gazza]

Feedback,


Used 10ml to 3ltr or 30ml to 9ltr as per discussion, as suggested here.

Went back to the properties days and it worked perfecto, bindii almost dead, clover smashed and capeweed looking sad. Whilst Kiyukiki looking good.
With a 6 litre mix today, I touched up few areas in the 450sqm area on house number 1 and told the owner, no need for further treatment after today.

Used the Hudson 15ltr Backpack with the yellow spray hose nozzle. Think my shoulders are still sore after 750sqm coverage between the two houses last week.
Thanks guys for the mix ratio advise as the Product instructions leave you a wide berth to follow per ltr.