# Mixing Rates for Weed Killer Question



## Killsocket (Mar 16, 2018)

I maybe over thinking this or maybe I just am stupid.

My bottle of Ortho Weed B Gon Max w/ Crabrass Control label states 2.5 ounces per 1 gallon of water treats 450 sq ft.

Now, from all the videos I saw and what I have read here, generally 1 gallon of "mix" of something will treat 1000 sq ft, particularly with the Chapin 20v.

So either I am missing something completely and am purely ignorant or what?

For example: The Chapin is 4 gallons. 2.5 ounces for 4 gallons is 10 ounces per the label. But that only will treat 1800 sq ft per the label, not 4000 sq ft.

LAST YEAR: I used a 2 gallon pump sprayer with the same product using 2.5 ounces X 2. I pretty much treated a 4000-5000 sq ft section of front yard and loved the results.

I am paranoid I am doing something wrong or just got lucky?


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## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

@Killsocket you are doing it right. The label is suggesting a little over two gallons per 1000sf and what would be approx 5.5 oz of product.


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## ryeguy (Sep 28, 2017)

You have the right idea, but you should really figure out how much liquid you personally use per 1k instead of using a common figure from other people. Walk speed, lawn layout, and how high you hold the wand all affect how much liquid you'll use per 1k.

As you figured out, you can generally just ignore the amount of water labels tell you to use and instead just focus on the product/1k rate. The exception to this is if the label states a minimum amount of water per 1k, but I don't think homeowner-grade products typically do this.


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## Killsocket (Mar 16, 2018)

ryeguy said:


> You have the right idea, but you should really figure out how much liquid you personally use per 1k instead of using a common figure from other people. Walk speed, lawn layout, and how high you hold the wand all affect how much liquid you'll use per 1k.
> 
> As you figured out, you can generally just ignore the amount of water labels tell you to use and instead just focus on the product/1k rate. The exception to this is if the label states a minimum amount of water per 1k, but I don't think homeowner-grade products typically do this.


I hear what you are saying. I was watching an LCN video about calibrating yourself TO the sprayer (I think Jake TLK does this method too, of course).

So, I did 2.5 oz per gallon. Label states 2.5 for 450 sq ft. So theoretically if I walk 1K sq ft per gallon, I should be putting in just a shade more than 5 ounces per gallon?

However, it's been a few days and dandilions are shriveling. So maybe being exact, for this application, isn't that important. But worry if I get into other apps that need to be precise.


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## Killsocket (Mar 16, 2018)

Spammage said:


> @Killsocket you are doing it right. The label is suggesting a little over two gallons per 1000sf and what would be approx 5.5 oz of product.


I read this a thousand times (it is me not you) and finally get this. Hahahaha

2.5 oz per 1 gallon per 450 sq ft. 
5.0 oz per 2 gallon per 900 sq ft.

The problem is walking THAT slow. Is that what is really takes?


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## Suburban Jungle Life (Mar 1, 2018)

Killsocket said:


> Spammage said:
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> 
> > @Killsocket you are doing it right. The label is suggesting a little over two gallons per 1000sf and what would be approx 5.5 oz of product.
> ...


You don't have to use that much liquid. Most people don't, including professionals. What matters is the quantity of your product. So, for 1000 sq ft, you need 5.56oz of product. Practice with water and walk a normal pace to spray 1000 sq ft. If that ends up being 0.5 gal, that's fine. Try it a few times to make sure you are consistent with that quantity of water for 1000 sq ft. It can be any quantity but if you are getting down to .25 gal, that might be pushing it a bit. Add the 5.56 oz of product and fill with water to get your tested quantity, for example, .5 gal. Then spray at your normal walking pace. The less water you have, the finer the mist you need and the more accurate you have to be. If you use too much water, you may have too much run off and not enough product on the leaf to be most effective. Also, using surfactants can help increase the efficacy of your sprays. Hope that helps. The problem is, everyone is different. Walking speeds and wand height and different sprayers and tips. For me with my current setup, I spray .75 gal/M. So I make sure with my product, NIS, dye, and anything else, I add enough water to make .75 gal. The hard thing is walking a consistent speed while pausing peridically to pump.


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## Killsocket (Mar 16, 2018)

Suburban Jungle Life said:


> Killsocket said:
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> 
> > Spammage said:
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So... using your example and putting it into my own words, let's say I spray 1000 sq ft with .5 gallon consistently. Would I then be pouring 5.56oz of product into every .5 gallon in a sprayer? Which then means, if I have a 4 gallon backpack sprayer, that backpack sprayer can spray 8,000 sq ft of product?

I think basically, my question is, does the ratio of the water and ounces of product to treat sq ft even matter on a label? Just do the math of ounces to treat sq ft as long as that math comes out to your gallons sprayed per 1000sq ft (using 1000 sq ft as the standard measure for liquid output). Ryeguy earlier in this thread basically said as much. And if that's true, these labels keep screwing with my head and perpetually doubt myself because I don't want to hurt my lawn or do something horrible for the environment.


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## Suburban Jungle Life (Mar 1, 2018)

Killsocket said:


> Suburban Jungle Life said:
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> 
> > Killsocket said:
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I would say no. It doesn't matter. Even coverage matters. Their recommendation in the labels are to help with even coverage. Matt Martin, I think he said in one of his videos, sprays everything from his permagreen at .25 gal per M. Pete Denning also sprays at low volume. His videos direct you to spray low volume also. They both run their businesses successfully doing this.

I don't feel comfortable spraying so little so I go for .5 or more gal per M. I pick my walking pace and buy a tip which flows more than .5 at my walking pace and use that quantity of liquid per M. So, if you use a 3 way at 8oz, another chem at 3oz and humic at 9oz, put it all in your sprayer and fill with water until the total is at .5 gal if that is your measured quantity and go spray. Even coverage is key so using dye helps or do 2 laps in a grid pattern if you really want. I don't since that's too much work but practice with water to make sure your walking speed is consistent.


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## Suburban Jungle Life (Mar 1, 2018)

Pete sells his sprayer and tip which he sprays 4 gal for 12000 sqft. That is definitely low volume. I would recommend using surfactants and maybe a spreader sticker or even an organosilicone if you are concerned. Do your research before using organosilicones...


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