I was at an invasive workshop today at Ft McCoy & they said the Monroe Co Hwy Dept is on the leading edge of a new technology. It involves treating the ditch w/ something early in the year that stunts the foliage. They then don't have to mow as much. I wish I knew more about it but a lot of info was covered today so they lacked time to go into detail on this.

There is a chemical we once sprayed on tobacco to prevent suckers. It was called MH30. It would halt the growth on many plants. Outlawed for use on tobacco. Last used in late 60s I think.

Research MH-30. May be what you need.

all kinds of growth retardants - used one in lawn care over 20 years ago mixed with broadleaf herbicides to reduce frequency of mowing

My yard is stunted this year but it's from lack of rain

Sounds like a great solution with tons of unintended negative consequences. Like killing pollinators and poisoning water ways for example. Don't worry it's been tested and proven safe as a covid shot.

I dont think it was mh-30 I used it on tobacco till the program went out in 2003.

One person was doing some wild foraging for food and figured out what the county did and was unhappy and complained to their County Board member.

It'll be interesting to see if other counties try this technique.

How much ditch mowing do they do?

When I had my applicators license we had to go to meetings every few years and in the late nineties they had a mowing aid herbicide that worked on grass but of course I can’t remember what it was or if it worked on forbes too. (So why mention it, right)

Not as much as they used to. I figured out my county is using two different herbicides- one for the broad leaves and one to suppress gass growth. The townships are behind on this, with hardly any doing it.

There are growth retardants for crops like wheat where producers don't want tall wheat stems as they go down easier. Around here we have such a market for the straw no one used it.

Bryce

I don't know if they spray it near water.

Fair concern, although it seems something needs to be done to keep noxious plants from spreading from Right Of Way to forests & other non ag property, so I give them credit for trying something.