Trimec & Trimec Plus Lawn Weed Killer

[LuvAPuppy]

Does anyone (Aaron) know anything about the safety of this chemical in sighthounds? I have an IG with rare seizures, potential IBD, microvasuclar dysplasia and a heart murmur. I have more clover than grass and am worried about us wading through bees to go potty. I need to know about this chemical and the MSDS sheet doesn't really help although it makes it sound deadly to everyone and everything. the lawn guy we consulted says it's safe after it dries because it's water based.

 

also, what about plants? will it kill only weeds or can it tell the difference between weeds and ground cover or shrubs, etc?

 

 

Link to MSDS sheet

 

 

eta: link to MSDS sheet

Edited June 28, 2009 by LuvAPuppy

[Guest Energy11]

I don't know about the product, but you could always call the manufacturer. We use Safer Brand products here. http://www.saferbrand.com/

 

Good Luck!

[Guest hvacman250]

Ortho Weed B Gone kills clovers AWESOME. It dries quick and the clovers brown, die, and disappear in days. I keep the 4 grye soff of it until it dries, them keep potty breaks short or the next day or so.

[ahicks51]

First ingredient: 2,4-D. Known carcinogen in dogs.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/1991/09/04/us/lawn-...k-for-dogs.html

 

Ortho Weed B Gon Max also uses 2,4-D.

 

http://www.afpmb.org/pubs/standardlists/ms...7-7110_msds.pdf

 

I'm very familiar with 2,4-D as it's used as a growth regulator in plant tissue culture; tiny quantities- smaller than are used to kill the plant- may be used to inspire certain forms of growth that are useful for propagation under certain conditions.

 

2,4-D is "weed-specific" in that just about everything that grows in your lawn that isn't grass will be killed. Well, every "broadleaf" weed, anyway. It causes uncontrolled growth in those affected plants, and that's the end of 'em. Very useful stuff, very toxic. "Agent Orange" was a mix of 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T; the latter was banned because it's REALLY bad. Agent Orange was made vastly more toxic to humans because the product was contaminated with dioxins, leading to horrible things for both American and Vietnamese for decades. Dioxin in synthesis of the compounds is no longer a problem, but they are extremely stable in the environment and will continue to cause problems for generations.

 

"Agent Blue" (they were named this way for the color markings on the drums) is available today as MSMA (monosodium methanearsonate). We passed laws to take arsenic in drinking water from 50 parts per BILLION down to 10, and then we spray it on the lawn so we can impregnate the carpet with it and inhale it as arsenic-laden dust for years afterwards. I saw this yesterday at the "pest and herbicide" store, and was appalled. Before that, it was available at the hardware store, made by a different manufacturer. The label was very "busy," and I couldn't quite make out the "arsen..." part of the name. I suspect it was designed that way because the chemical companies think people are stupid and might eventually catch on to the idea that they're spraying arsenic on their lawn.

 

Much safer: Roundup (glyphosate). A tiny squirt of the stuff, right in the crown of the plant where the dogs can't get it- let it dry before letting them back out.

 

Safer still: mechanical elimination, like "weed poppers" or a weed-digging tool.

 

ETA: Your weed control guy is a nitwit. 2,4-D is not a control for clover.

 

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7490.html

 

"Herbicide. Both established annual and perennial clovers can be controlled with postemergent herbicides. The best herbicide to use depends upon the species of turfgrass. Warm-season turfgrasses such as bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, and kikuyugrass will tolerate products containing mecoprop and dicamba but not triclopyr. Cool-season turfgrasses will tolerate all of the herbicides that control clover. The herbicide 2,4-D is not effective for clover control; it will injure the plant but does not control it."

 

Corn gluten meal does it with absolute safety, although it takes several years to finish the job.

 

http://www.wtopnews.com/?sid=529887&nid=47

Edited June 28, 2009 by ahicks51

[LuvAPuppy]

Thanks Aaron! I know you work or have worked in the chemistry business so I thought you were my best bet. Thanks everyone who offered up ideas though, I'll read about the Safer brand of products and about the corn gluten meal. I wish I could embrace the clover like one web site I read does...flowers for the honeybees, lush green, soft to walk on. but I don't want those lovely bees to sting me or Mousie or slip accidentally into the house for the cat to hunt and try and eat. My wild rabbits will miss my clover though...

 

Keep any ideas and most importantly, info, coming please

[Batmom]

We have a lot of clover. No mice, no problems with the bees. Also, when it starts to bloom you can mow it.