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Woody Weed Specialists™/  Using herbicides/  How to use Vigilant® II

How to use Vigilant® II

Herbicide

Vigilant® II Herbicide

Vigilant II is the new, convenient way of controlling noxious and environmental weeds. It has shown good activity on 49 weeds ranging from African boxthorn to wild tobacco tree. This ready-to-use gel can be used as a spot treatment for a wide range of troublesome woody, rhizomatous and herbaceous weeds.

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Vigilant II – overview

Product key features

  • Specialty herbicide for use as a spot treatment for a wide range of common troublesome woody, rhizomatous and herbaceous weeds.
  • A ready-to-use gel packed in an applicator pack that requires no preparation prior to use.
  • Provides targeted weed control with minimal off-target risk.
  • Particularly useful for rapid treatment of isolated weeds where access for foliar spray equipment is difficult or where foliar treatment may cause off-target spray drift and damage to desirable trees or crops.
  • Blue-coloured gel ensures users can clearly see which weeds have been treated.
  • Can be used whenever target weeds are actively growing.

Product description

Vigilant II is designed for those who wish to control noxious and woody weeds but do not have access to chemical spray equipment. It is available in an easy-to-manage 240 mL pack that can be refilled from a 5 L container via a handy pump. It is formulated as a gel, which is applied as a paste directly from the pack; no mixing, no dripping, no exposure. In fact the label requires no personal protective equipment, not even gloves – though it’s always a good idea to wear gloves in any situation when applying treatments.

Vigilant II controls more than 49 weeds, ranging from African boxthorn to wild tobacco tree – a wide range of woody and herbaceous weeds and rhizomatous plants.

With its degree of simplicity of use (particularly with regard to required paperwork) and efficacy, some councils and vegetation management companies are now only carrying Vigilant II.

Product specifications

  • Ingredients:

    4.47 g/L aminopyralid + 44.7 g/L picloram

  • Formulation:

    Gel

  • Pack sizes:

    240 mL (plus 5 L refill pack with pump)

Major weeds controlled

  • Blackberry control
  • Capeweed control
  • Docks control
  • Gorse control
  • Paterson’s curse control
  • Thistles control

Woody Weed Control Guide

 

Use the controls at the bottom of the page to get the most from this useful new tool from the Woody Weed Specialists.

Find out more

Vigilant II – application

Application methods

No preparation of Vigilant II is required. Simply spread the gel directly from the applicator pack on to the target weeds:

a) Herbaceous weeds, such as thistles

Apply Vigilant II gel directly onto the weed leaves by wiping the applicator pack in one direction along the length of leaf. Ensure half of the weed leaves are wiped.

b) Rhizomatous weeds, such as agapanthus

Cut back the leaves of the weed horizontally to just above the crown and apply a 3–5 mm coating of Vigilant II gel across the cut surfaces.

c) Woody weeds with stems less than 2 cm in diameter

Employ a ‘scrape and paint’ technique. Use a knife to scrape off the thin bark on at least half of the weed stems. Each exposed strip should be 20–30 cm in length. Immediately after exposing the sap tissue beneath the bark, apply Vigilant II gel by wiping the applicator in one direction along the exposed surface.

d) Woody weeds with stems greater than 2 cm in diameter

Cut the stems or trunk close to the ground (no higher than 10 cm) and immediately apply a 3–5 mm thick layer of Vigilant II gel to the cut surface.

Equipment required for application

  • No PPE specified on the label – however, as usual, protective gloves are recommended.

Application timing for best results

In general, smaller weeds are easier to control with Vigilant II than larger ones.

Vigilant II is most effective when applied to weeds that are not stressed due to lack of moisture, excessive heat, insect damage, etc. and are actively growing. Actively growing weeds will draw the chemical into the vascular system and transport it through the stems and down to the roots to ensure maximum efficacy.

A general guide to the best time of the year in which to treat common woody weeds can be found in this table.

Vigilant II gel needs to dry on the treated leaves and stems before any rainfall occurs or else there is a risk of it being washed off and becoming ineffective. Do not apply Vigilant II if there is a risk of rainfall within 12 hours of application. Similarly, avoid application to leaves if they are wet from rainfall or dew.

Once the weeds have been treated, leave them undisturbed so that the chemical is able to move throughout the leaves, stems and roots and provide complete kill. Disturbing the weeds by slashing, burning, mulching, etc. before the chemical is fully distributed will compromise the control achieved. We recommend that blackberries and other woody weeds not be disturbed for six months after treatment to maximise the performance of Vigilant II.

Application rate

Vigilant II is a spreadable gel, with application rates described above in Application Methods. It requires no preparation prior to use.

Correct mixing procedure

Vigilant II is a spreadable gel that requires no preparation prior to use.

Vigilant II – safety

Safe handling

The Vigilant II label carries the signal heading Caution and must be stored out of the reach of children.

During application, avoid contact with skin or eyes. As noted above, although no PPE is specified on the label, best practice is always to wear suitable protective gloves when applying the gel to the target weeds.

A copy of the Safety Data Sheet can be accessed here.

Safety to stock

Vigilant II poses little risk to stock and because of that and the method of use, there is no stock grazing withholding period. This means that stock can continue to graze in paddocks while weeds are being treated.

However, care does need to be taken because some treated weeds often become very palatable to stock, as there is an increase in the plant’s sugar content as it dies, and stock will preferentially graze on these over the pasture grasses. If naturally toxic weeds such as ragwort, variegated thistle and capeweed are being treated, stock should be kept from the paddocks until these weeds have died.

Environment

 

Impact of Vigilant II on the environment

Health and safety profile sheet

Many desirable crops and ornamentals are very sensitive to Vigilant II so care must be taken when applying the product to avoid getting the gel on any leaves or stems of desirable plants. Also ensure application does not take place within 12 hours of any rainfall, which could wash the gel from the treated weeds onto desirable, non-target plants. Plants susceptible to Vigilant II include (but are not limited to) fruit trees, grape vines, legumes (pea, beans, lucerne, etc.), potatoes, roses, shade trees and tomatoes.

Vigilant II is a very powerful herbicide. Recharge can occur when heavy rain allows for some of the herbicide to seep into neighbouring soil. Care therefore needs to be taken when planting new plants, trees or crops into areas where Vigilant II has been applied.