A spray-guard system for applying non-selective herbicides around young trees.  P. C. Fagg and G. J. Cameron.  December 1985.  12 pp. (unpubl.)

SUMMARY

In recent years, several manually-operated systems incorporating shields, have been produced for applying non-selective herbicides around young trees. Although these systems are no longer commercially available, a requirement still exists for a cheap, easy-to-use, spray-guard.

The spray-guard system described in this report is relatively cheap ($97), light (1.7 kg), easy to assemble, and is considered to be superior to a South African-designed system upon which it is based.

Extensive field testing (using the herbicides glyphosate and amitrole atrazine) has shown the spray-guard to be easy-to-use, durable, and effective in controlling pasture-type weeds competing with young eucalypt (Eucalyptus spp.) and radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) trees. Treated weeds should be less than half tree height to avoid the problem of herbicide-wetted foliage damaging the trees after the guard is removed.

The spray-guard should have wide application where post-planting weed control is required, particularly for eucalypts and other native trees planted on farms, in parklands and in forest plantations.