Complete Devastation…RM43 Total Vegetation Control and Brush Killer
Have a brush problem? Tired of fighting grass and trees under electric fence lines? Ya, so were we.
This is the second year using the RM43 Total Vegetation Control herbicide, here are our results.
What is RM43? What makes it a good fence line brush killer?
RM43 is a combination or two herbicides and surfactant sold by Ragan and Massey. One of the main ingredients is Glyphosate (same stuff in Round Up) with a concentration of 43.68%.
What is Glyphosate?
Glyphosate is a herbicide that is used to kill plants and grass. Typically applied by spraying the plant leaves during the growth season (early Spring).
Entering the plant through the leaves Glyphosate then blocks the shikimic acid pathway preventing the plant from making a vital protein.
Note, this is not a quick process. From our results it can sometimes take up to a week before you notice any change to the plant.
Why is RM43 good for use in fence lines?
One of the biggest reasons to use this product is that it is advertised to work on a variety of brush, vines and over 150 weeds. (kudzu, poision ivey and poison oak).
Not only does it kill the current growth, they say it should prevent new growth for up to one year!
Anyone who has worked on fences knows how quick they can become overgrown with grass, brush, vines, and berry bushes…to name a few. Extra care also has to be taken with Electric Fence lines as grass and brush will limit their effectiveness.
RM43 Fence Line Brush killer, Application (backpack sprayer)
In this example we used a 4 gallon backpack type sprayer. For a very large area this may not be ideal but for a hard to maneuver fence line this worked very well.
Larger tank sprayers are also available for ATVs, great for long fence lines with minimal obstructions.
RM43 Mixture for Total Vegetation Control (bare ground)
Per the Ragan & Massey website they call for a mixture of: 7.4 fl. oz. to produce 1 to 10 gallons of solution. For spot control of Brush, Vines and weeds they recommend 6 oz per 1 gallon.
For our test we used a rough mixture of 5oz RM43 for the 4 gallon backpack sprayer.
Product Video by Ragan & Massey:
RM43 Fence Line Brush Killer (Results)
A picture is worth a thousand words.
Here is a photo of a fence line treated after applying the RM43 brush killer.
The above photo was taken about one year after the first application. A second application was applied about 2 weeks before the photo.
As you can see not only did the recent application completely kill all new growth. But, the application from a year ago did a great job of preventing brush, vines and trees from sprouting.
Recent Results after first application on fence line
Here is a photo of a different section of fence line where the application was applied about 2 weeks earlier. First time application in this area.
Again, even with the first time application is it very apparent where the spray was applied and where it wasn’t.
Only time will tell how long it will prevent new growth but from our tests last year I expect it to last throughout the season.
Where to buy RM43 Total Vegetation Control and Backpack Sprayers
Depending on where you live it may be very hard to find this product. No worries, it can be purchased directly online and shipped direct to your house.
See the link above for size options and read other reviews.
Best places to use, RM43 applications
• Fence lines to prevent brush, grass, vines
• Roadside grass killer, brush preventative ground sterilizer
• Sidewalks, driveways and parking areas to prevent grass growth
• Around farm buildings and farm yards
**Do not use on feed or food crops, keep people and pets out of the area during application**
When is the best time to apply weed/brush killers?
The best time of year to apply this type of brush killer is in the Spring.
Since the method of absorption is through the leaves, you have to wait for grass and brush to “wakeup” from the winter slumber. Usually this is right around when the grass starts to turn green and the brush begins to sprout leaves.
Reasons that make Spring the best time to spray weed/brush killers:
- Mild temperatures
- Kill grass/brush while small to stop large overgrowth
- Typically less bugs to fight off
- RM43 Prevents growth for up to 1 year, lasts all summer
How long does it take to work once applied?
From our experience it takes around 2-3 days before you start to see any change to the sprayed area and about 1 week before it really kicks in.
Apply on a sunny day when the temperatures are over 60 degrees and rain is not expected in the immediate future. Per the company they state “RM43 is rainfast as soon as it is dry, generally within 2 hours”.
How long does it last? Will it permanently kill weeds forever?
The bottle states that this product “Kills weeds and prevents weeds for up to 1 year”
So no, unfortunately this product is not designed to kill weeds forever. But at 1 year that is one of the longest weed preventative products sold in stores and should beat most homemade weed killer solutions. To my knowledge there is no way to permanently kill weeds and grass….(safely). If anyone has method that lasts longer we would love to hear about it in the comment section below.
At the rate of which grass and brush can grow if left untreated, one year will provide a good amount of time to keep a large area manageable. Reapplying a spray-on brush killer once a year is much easier than having to cut out trees and trim tall grass on a monthly basis. Future applications should only increase the effectiveness as a ground sterilizer.
Is RM43 safe? What about livestock, pets and kids
Per the Ragan and Massey website. “To safely apply, keep people and pets out of the area during application and until the product dries, generally two hours. There are no entry restrictions to sprayed areas once the product has dried.”
Is RM43 safe to use around fencerows on pastures that are being grazed?
Again, per Ragan and Massey “You can use RM43 to spray fencerows in grazed pastures, but remove livestock before spraying and do not turn them back into the pasture until the product is thoroughly dried on the sprayed area, generally 2 hours.”
Places where you should not spray: “Do not apply RM43 on loose soils that may wash into bodies of water, including fish pools, ponds, lakes and streams.”
Per our needs we have only used it as a fence line brush killer and on gravel driveways to prevent grass and brush growth. No dead animals or side effects to report.
Final thoughts on RM32 as a ground sterilizer and brush control spray
Grass and hard to kill brush can be a real pain around the farm. Cutting it down can be a temporary fix but in a few weeks it is sure to pop back up again. Huge waste of time.
So far I am very happy with how RM32 performed.
Not only did it kill the existing grass and brush but it did a good job as a ground sterilizer to prevent re-growth. We will keep up with yearly applications and share the results on this page. Overall I would give this a shot if you are looking for a strong fence line brush killer.
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Can I use ths spray on the fence row immediately behind my established pine trees?
From my research and own experience with this product, Glyphosate enters through the leaves. It kills the plant by blocking the shikimic acid pathway preventing it from making a vital protein. This means you have to actually spray the product directly onto the green/leafy vegetation for it to take effect. As you can see in my photos there is a very clear line about 1-2ft wide directly under the fence where the product was sprayed and everything outside of that area actually grew quite well.
If you use this product be careful not to spray on a windy day to avoid it from blowing on nearby plants and have patience. It takes a few days to see ANY change to the plant before it completely dries out and dies. Once it takes hold, it is very effective.
Round up never seems to work for me so I tried this. It started to kill all of the weeds and grass but we have gotten so much rain that the ground did not stay clear. I am on my 3rd round of spraying.
Rate: 6oz/1gal.
Even my sidewalk cracks have refilled with grasses/weeds.
Chuck, I have seen similar results during seasons with alot of rain where the grass will grow back faster. While it is frustrating, this is still the best product I have used to kill grass/weeds.