Rain and Snow Don’t Mix with RM43 

Precipitation is a must for many lawn and garden tasks. It helps moisturize a dry lawn, gets plants growing fast, is necessary to activate many fertilizers and come winter, provides insulation for dormant plants. But when it comes to applying herbicides like RM43, rain and snow won’t do the application any favors. 

Dry Weather is Essential for Spraying RM43 

RM43 is a powerful herbicide made of 43% Glyphosate that offers total vegetation control on bare ground or for spot control on brush, vines and more than 150 weeds. But for the product to work, it not only needs to be applied to dry foliage and soil, but it needs at least two hours to dry thoroughly. RM43 contains a surfactant that allows it to adhere to where you spray; when it’s wet, that surfactant loses that ability. That means the product may be ineffective, not providing the 12 months of continuous control is promises. Even if you apply RM43 during a brief dry spell, winter can bring heavy rains in some areas which may require re-treatment in six to eight months. 

More Water Equals More Runoff 

One of the biggest cautions when spraying RM43 is to avoid areas where runoff could affect other plants or spill into waterways. Just like spraying on a windy day could cause a drift that contaminates desirable plants, the more rain or snow your area sees, the more probability that runoff of RM43 could seep into plants and vegetation you want to keep, especially if the plants sprayed are on a slope. You don’t want to ruin a pasture, landscaping plants or lawns because soil from the area you sprayed rolled downhill.  

Because it could potentially pose an environmental hazard, RM43 should also never be applied directly to or near bodies of water including fish pools, ponds, lakes or streams. It should also not be applied to areas where surface water is present. 

Apply RM43 According to Directions 

RM43 is a great product that delivers results by eliminating hard-to-kill and invasive species like kudzu, honeysuckle, clover, thistle and poison ivy. Reading the label and following the directions are essential to both safely using the product and making it as effective as possible. Spray RM43 on a sunny day when temperatures are above 60 degrees and only to areas where no vegetation is desired for up to a year. Apply on a calm day when wind speeds are less than 10 mph. Use a hand-held sprayer or an ATV/tractor-mounted sprayer to apply. RM43 is rainfast in two hours, but wait until the product is completely dry before allowing people, pets or livestock back in the area. 

As with any product, inform yourself on how to safely apply it to achieve the best results. You can also find answers about RM43 by reading the Frequently Asked Questions on our website.