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You know that pre-season burn-off is worth the investment, but if you are not conditioning your spray water first, are you just throwing money away?

Most producers in Western Canada are working with hard water from wells and dug-outs. Hard water, which is water with a dissolved mineral content of 100-200+ ppm, usually also has a high pH level (greater than 7).

When herbicides are mixed with hard water, they can become “tied-up,” meaning the negatively-charged herbicide molecules bind to the calcium and magnesium ions in the hard, high pH (alkaline) water. This can cause a moderate to severe decrease in herbicide efficacy, which can cost a farmer in a couple ways – not just from the initial cost of the product or weed control, but with lower yields down the road.

The Solution

You may have already noticed scaling or deposits around taps and pipes and suspected hard water but testing for hardness and pH is the best way to determine exactly what you’re working with. If tests confirm hard water and high pH levels, OMEX has a solution.

Used at pre-burn, pHix is an economical answer to your hard water woes. pHix is a water conditioner formulated with stabilized sulfur that can be added to spray water before mixing with herbicides. pHix will soften water to less than 50 ppm and lower the pH to 3, resulting in no herbicide tie-up. You’ll see improved uptake and herbicide performance, and a better, quicker burn.

Talk to your retailer or OMEX sales representative for more information on the right “pHix” for your hard water problem.