Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants Use of Surfactant with Herbicide - Aquatic Plants

I frequently pull up the herbicide label when I read threads giving out good advice for herbicide treatments of aquatic plants.

Many times, the label recommends adding a surfactant to increase the efficacy of the herbicide treatment. However, I don't recall seeing advice on any of those types of threads saying, "Be sure you add the recommended surfactant!"

I use a surfactant where recommended with my herbicide treatments of terrestrial plants. I haven't done a side-by-side comparison, but I am pretty sure that adding surfactant makes a big difference when I am spraying plants with waxy leaves, such a poison ivy.

Any of the experts have any guidance on the use of surfactants when performing aquatic treatments?

(The aquatic herbicides themselves are sometimes quite expensive, and the Forum also gets lots of questions from people that want to limit the chemicals in their ponds as much as possible. The surfactants are usually pretty inexpensive in my experience (on land). A better control rate of undesirable aquatic plants, plus saving some money seems like a good deal to me.)

1 fl. oz per gallon of tank mix. I use it all the time. For instance, I am pretty sure Cutrine Ultra is just Cutrine Plus with surfactant in it already.

I think a surfactant makes a big difference on land and in water. However, the herbicide manufacturer rarely mentions adding a surfactant to their product. Is this a scheme to get you to buy more herbicide for repeat applications? Maybe.

Pond Guy recommends adding their "Booster Plus" surfactant to their products. It is pricey, though. A gallon of Cygnet Plus or Alligare 90 is more economical.

I buy the Cygnet Plus (because there is a Cygnet dealer local to me) by the 2.5 gallon container and I also use it when I spray any terrestrial plants.

Thanks everyone.

I always use it (where recommended) when spraying terrestrial plants.

I may add a note about surfactants to the threads when newbies post questions about aquatic treatments.