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Tips for spraying for cactus
By Randy Buhler Colorado The past several years were frustrating for those spraying for cactus control. Drought reduced bloom and slowed the plant physiology producing slower response to herbicide application. This year holds promise for better results for those who wish to control prickly pear cactus on their rangeland pastures. Prickly pear is well protected from herbicide application. The leaves are transformed into sharp, needle-like spines. The stems appear as flattened pads. The stems have storage cells for water. Pads are covered with a thick, nearly impervious waxy layer. The roots are shallow and widespread from the crown. A natural disease of prickly pear occurs during cool, wet spring seasons. Look for a white mass growing on the pads near the base of the plant. This mold invades the stem tissue and kills the plant. Affected plants appear black near their base and look dried up. The natural disease is common, but I have yet to see it clean up a thick stand of cactus. The best herbicide to use on prickly pear cactus is Tordon 22K. A rate of 1 pint of Tordon plus 1 pt of non-ionic surfactant per acre will do a good job of controlling our prickly pear. I have also had good luck using MSO (methylated seed oil) as the surfactant during hot and dry weather. For those with just a small patch of cactus, use a 1 percent solution of Tordon plus 1 percent surfactant. For one gallon of mix, that would be 1.25 fluid ounces of each in a gallon of water. Tordon works best when applied at new-growth to bloom stage by entering the plant through parts not protected by a thick wax coating. Tordon can move through the soil and be absorbed by the root system of the cactus. This works better in years like this one, when we get light showers rather frequently. The cost to control prickly pear will be about 20 dollars per acre with application. Pastures invaded with prickly pear can have the grass stand restored in two to three years. It usually takes two years for the cactus to die and dry out. During this time, cattle may still avoid the cactus plants and the grass growing close by. Thickly infested prickly pear cactus pastures can easily lose one-third to one-half their grazing potential. On the hard land pastures of buffalo and blue grama grass, that can be 200 pounds of dry weight forage per acre. You can calculate your return based on your pasture lease cost, or the cost of replacement forage fed. For those whose finances will not allow for spraying an entire pasture, try treating blocks of pasture. Cactus does not spread so fast that it would reinfest the treated blocks before you could complete treating the remaining blocks. Figure dividing the pasture into four or five blocks to spread cost over time. Using boom sprayers proves difficult on rangeland pastures. Boomless nozzle, ground application equipment can work. Aerial application has proven the most feasible and timely method for cactus control work in our area. Using Tordon and having some patience can produce a clean pasture with grazing capacity restored after the prickly pear is controlled. This practice is a lot easier and with better returns than the other great nemesis of rangeland pastures, namely prairie dogs. For prairie dogs, the best product to use during the summer season is aluminum phosphide fumigant tablets. Brands include Fumitoxin, Gastoxin, and Phostoxin. Be sure to follow label instructions when using this product. The prairie dog bait products are not legal to use at this time. Date: 6/18/07
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