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Round-up ready Dandelions?

10K views 21 replies 16 participants last post by  Nature Coast beek 
#1 ·
I was talking to a row farmer yesterday. I was asking if he had noticed any plants showing resistance to Round-up and he mentioned Dandelions. I hadn't put two and two together until he mentioned this, but last year I had a surplus of Dandelion honey and sold it. I had been noticing the dandelions coming up in the crop fields, but hadn't thought much of it. Is anyone else noticing Dandelions in abundance? If this is a trend we could end up with bigger Dandelion flows in the future.
 
#4 ·
I don't have any bees just yet (studying up and wondering if I can keep them at my parent's house since I'm not sure I can have them at my duplex), but there have been a ton of dandelions popping up in the yard and the bees are all over them. Saw what looked like an all black bee on one too, either that or a massive fly..
 
#8 ·
Around my area's horse farms many spray their fence lines with the Glysophates(round up etc) and are seeing just about everything becoming resistant. Some are already discussing having to switch to something else. Problem is the 2,4-D (original base for Agent Orange) is not something they want around the horses in any quantity.

The bigger row crop farms also in this area have had a tough time getting field workers due to the immigration mess to hand pull fields. Over the last several years migrants have become more and more scarce, even affecting the horse farms. Quite a few of the discussions at the farm trade shows have included both subjects.

Everyone is agreed that we are losing the chemical war with weeds. Pigweed in FL and GA has been adapting within a year and half. Other weeds within 2.5 years. Some newer methods like propane torch units are starting to get tested. Other ideas are getting ramped up too.

Not sure there are any easy answers beyond good old fashioned hard work and pulling them by hand at this point.
 
#9 ·
Roundup does not work well on perenials when it is sprayed on the lengthening days. All of the sap movement is up out of the roots. Sprayed after the first of July the sap movement is down to build root reserves for winter. I have been told numerous times that roundup will not kill Dandelions. Sprayed in the late summer it will kill almost everyone with one application of 1 1/2% solution. Perenial grasses are the same way. It will do a real number on fall Canada thistle rosettes too. It is all in the timing.
Dave
 
#13 ·
Just passing along a home remedy I personally haven't tried. But it came from a source I'd trust. 1/2 gallon apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup of table salt, 1/2 tsp Dawn dish liquid. Mix it up and put it in a spray bottle (or sprayer) and spray weeds thoroughly. The Dawn strips the protective oil coating and lets the vinegar/salt go to work. May be worth a try.
 
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