Calling his product the “holy grail” of natural selective weed control, the chief technical officer of Neudorff is positively ebullient about the reception of “Fiesta” in Canada.
“The launch of Fiesta in Canada has been a great success,” says Cam Wilson, Neudorff’s chief technical officer in North America. Neudorff North America manufactures Fiesta, which is sold as Ortho “EcoSense” weed killer in the United States under an exclusive licensing agreement.
“Demand for the newest approved weed killer is much higher than forecasted, causing slight delays in shipments,” according to the leading Canadian horticultural trade journal.
Pam Charbonneau, a leading Canadian turf specialist, has confirmed what many SafeLawns followers have already observed: the product works well on many so-called weeds, especially dandelions.
“The results are still very promising considering there are very few alternatives that provide this level of weed control,” wrote Charbonneau. Her entire report can be found in the May issue of Horticulture Review.
http://issuu.com/landscape_ontario/docs/may_hr_2010_for_web/25?showEmbed=true
For more information, you can reach her by phone or email at (519-824-4120 x 52597) or by email at pamela.charbonneau@ontario.ca.
MEANWHILE IN THE U.S.
The Scotts Miracle Gro company is still not shouting to the rafters about the new weed killer, which is manufactured from a naturally occurring iron. A check of the company’s web site this morning, June 16, shows that the product is still not available in New York and California. Given that these are the two largest markets in the nation, that would explain part of the reluctance in advertising.
The company reportedly has its own proprietary weed-killing product due on the market within 24 months, if not sooner, and that is seen by many as the real reason Scotts is dragging its feet on Neudorff’s new discovery. The Scotts web site also has some less-than-favorable reviews of Ortho EcoSense: http://www.scotts.com/smg/catalog/productTemplate.jsp?proId=prod10410002&itemId=cat10110004, with an average of three stars out of a possible five.
That flies in the face of most of the reviews we are receiving. Just yesterday a professional landscape contractor from Washington state told us he was happy with the results, as did another from Texas.
“The price of the product needs to come down before we can use this stuff everywhere,” he said. “But for really troubled areas and spot applications, it’s a great tool.”
At least a few of our SafeLawns followers are taking exception to us embracing a weed killer in the first place.
“Shouldn’t the focus of your campaign be on teaching people to accept ‘weeds’ as necessary plants in the ecosystem?” wrote Pat Cummings of Fresno, Ca. “By promoting a weed killer, even a natural one, you’re just perpetuating a problem of perception.”
And I agree with Pat, to a point. The fact is that we can’t entirely change people’s perceptions overnight. If we can get people to treat their lawns with organic fertilizers and use a limited amount of a natural weed killer, that’s a big step forward from where we are today.
June 16th, 2010 at 12:53 pm
While I agree with the need to change perceptions, I welcome this stuff. I am eager to buy some and see if it works. I am a commercial grounds manager commited to an organic program. My job is to keep the grounds beautiful and I can only explain away my weeds to a point. I understand that eventually my soils and turf will be strong enough to combat the weeds but in the meantime I need help.
For many, myself included, a lawn riddled with weeds (or freedom lawn) is unsightly, and a sign of neglect. There is no shame is wanting a weed free lawn. It’s a crop like any other. Instead of feeding our belly, it feeds our well being. And like other crops which need to be grown in a pest-free environment, it can be acheived organically.
June 17th, 2010 at 12:36 pm
Gardens Alive also has an iron based weed killer.
http://www.gardensalive.com/product.asp?pn=3721&ss=iron%20x
June 17th, 2010 at 1:35 pm
Beuna,
Yes, the Iron-X sold by GardensAlive is exactly the same formulation as the Fiesta sold in Canada or Ortho Eco-Sense. GardensAlive is the licensee for mail-order companies.
June 28th, 2010 at 1:17 pm
Paul,
Do you think that Fiesta is currently viable for use for Chem Lawn Companies as a safe alternative to 2,4-D and the other weedkillers? Does Fiesta act fine for broadleaf weeds, not just dandelions?
April 15th, 2011 at 5:10 pm
I see the active ingredient is on 1.5%. The fact it’s rainfast makes me worry as I know the “other” ingredients can be also dangerous. Do you know what the “other” ingredients are?
April 16th, 2011 at 8:33 am
The two “other ingredients” in Fiesta are sodium nitrate and nitriltriacetic acid.
Sodium nitrate is most commonly used a preservative in processed meats in order to retard spoilage. Popular meats such as hot dogs, pepperoni, salami and bacon contain minimal amounts of this ingredient. It is also used to combat botulism, food poisoning many times found in improperly canned or preserved food.
It can be naturally found in vegetables and fruit such as: root vegetables such as carrots, leafy greens such as spinach and/or grain. Essentially, if the veggie can be grown in the ground, chances are that sodium nitrate will be uprooted with it.
The other “other” component in Fiesta is Nitrilotriacetic Acid, an organic chemical (technically speaking – a chelating agent) that stabilizes certain metals in compounds. In case it stabilizes iron, making it “available” for use as a weed control (with a side nutritional benefit to grass). Chelating agents have other uses,in manufacturing and pharmaceuticals, as well.
July 10th, 2011 at 8:24 am
I am lawn care operator in New York and use organic methods on many of my customers lawns. I am determined as well as my organic customers to see weed free lawns or close to it. Lush grasses that dominate the prairies are beautiful. I love a natural grass monoculture. No freedom lawn lover here.