Summer is in full swing and along with long days and hot temperatures comes weeds. Those annoying buggers popping up in the cracks on your driveway, sidewalk or patio pavers. You want to get rid of them, but pulling them is a pain and your back hurts. But most of all you don’t want to use traditional weed killers because the news coming out about their ingredients is just plain scary.
Meet Avenger Weed Killer and the NEW Avenger AG Optima. This weed killer is near and dear to our hearts.
DID YOU KNOW?
When traditional weed killers, containing glyphosate, are sprayed on your lawns, gardens, driveways, etc., there are some dangerous and long term consequences that happen:
Children and pets come in contact with these chemicals when they play in any of the areas sprayed
Dogs, cats and other animals can absorb these chemicals through their feet
Glyphosate is now being exposed as a cancer causing and genetic mutating agent
Glyphosate has been found in the ground for as long as 29 years
These chemicals get in the ground water, which then flows into rivers, streams and reservoirs used for drinking water
SO WHAT DO YOU DO?
You find an organic weed killer that is safe for your family, pets AND the environment. There are several “organic” weed killers on the market and some work better than others. So what works and what doesn’t? What is safe to use and what isn’t. Here’s the low down.
Most organic and natural weed killers contain the same components, particularly vinegar (acetic acid) in commercial strength. The problem with this is, commercial grade vinegar can be very dangerous to apply if you are not wearing the proper gear. It can burn and sting the eyes, nose and mouth as well as your skin.
Used as a post-emergent herbicide, vinegar products are applied after weed seedlings emerge. Natural vinegar contains only 6-8% acetic acid. Other products on the market are much more concentrated acetic acid (as high as 30%).
These high concentrations can not be naturally obtained; they are produced via a cheap, chemical process. Since these products are made with synthetic acetic acid they cannot be “organic.” Because these formulas contain such highly concentrated acid, it can be dangerous to uniformed consumers.
A company’s MSDS on acetic acid reads as follows:
“Health Hazards: Contains acetic acid and is flammable and extremely corrosive.
Contact with this product will result in severe eye irritation and possible permanent
damage. Contact with this product will cause severe skin irritation and/or chemical
burns. Breathing vapors will cause significant respiratory irritation, and pulmonary
edema if prolonged. Ingestion of this product could cause burns and destroy tissue
in the mouth, throat, and digestive tract.”
Also, acetic acid products tend to have a strong, rancid odor. Avenger has a fresh citrus aroma.
Michigan State conducted side by side trials with acetic acid herbicides and Avenger, with Avenger clearly being the superior herbicide.
SO, YOU DON’T WANT TO USE VINEGAR, NOW WHAT?
Well we have a great alternative. Meet Avenger Weed Killer and Avenger AG Optima. This weed killer is near and dear to our hearts. Created by the owner of a lawn care company, Avenger has been the little organic weed killer trying to make its way in the world among the “big boys” like “Roundup®”.
The active ingredient in Avenger® Weed Killer is an emulsified d-LImonene (citrus oil), which acts as a natural degreaser. d-LImonene is found in more than 300 fruits, vegetable, herbs and spices.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies d-limonene as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) - essentially no measurable toxicity for certain uses. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that •d-Limonene is practically non-toxic to birds, fish and mammals and is highly biodegradable.- d-Limonene is an excellent degreasing agent and is commonly used in soaps, foods, lotions, mouthwash and perfumes.
Avenger products DO NOT contain the following Ingredients: Glyphosate, 2,4-0, Dimethylamine Salt, Corn Gluten, Clove Oil/Essential Oils, Grain Vinegar/20% Acetic Acid, Potassium Salts of Fatty Acids and Pelargonic Salts or Acids.
d-Limonene is the major component of the oil extracted from citrus rind. After the juicing process is completed, the citrus peels are conveyed to a steam extractor - this extracts more of the oil from the peel. When the steam is condensed, a layer of oil floats on the surface of the condensed water, creating technical grade d-Limonene -which is the active ingredient in Avenger herbicides. The inactive ingredients are a proprietary of a non-toxic blend of surfactants that to help dissolve and suspend the d-Limonene in water.
HOW DOES AVENGER AND AVENGER AG OPTIMA WORK?
The d-Lomonene in Avenger naturally strips away the waxy plant cuticle, causing it to dehydrate and die…very quickly. University and independent testing results have proven that Avenger Weed Killer is as effective, but faster acting when compared against leading synthetic herbicides. When tested against non-organic 'natural' herbicides that contain vinegar (acetic acid), citric acid, clove oil or fatty acids (soap), it is more effective and with quicker results.
What’s awesome is you see visible results in less than 2 hours. Avenger products are highly biodegradable and dissipate quickly and won’t translocate into the soil. It even works in cool, cloudy conditions as low as 40ºF.
It doesn’t stain brick, concert or pavement and with its emulsion technology, you can actually see where you sprayed. And because it’s made from citrus fruit, mainly oranges, it has a pleasant citrus aroma.
AND THERE’S MORE…
Avenger has a patented formula, so there aren’t any knock offs on the market. It’s made here in the good ol’ U.S. of A. It’s EPA registered, and Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) listed product, approved for Use in Organic Gardening by the USDA's National Organic Program (NOP) Rule and it even won a Green Thumb Award.
WHAT WEEDS DOES AVENGER GET RID OF?
Avenger controls and suppresses various weeds, grasses and broadleaves including: Spurge, Sowthistle, Redroot Pigweed, Tumbling Pigweed, Annual Bluegrass, Shepherd's Purse, Common Purselane, Common Chickweed, Clover, Hairy Fleabane, Crabgrass, Smooth Crabgrass, Dandelion, Whitestem Filaree, Bermuda Grass, Bindweed, Shepherds Purse, Prickly Lettuce, Lambsquarters and Little Mallow.
Avenger is great for use in and around: Gardens, Lawns, Shrubs, Flower Beds, Greenhouses, Fencerows, Foundations, Buildings, Animal Enclosures, Driveways, Sidewalks, Patios, Borders, Outside Walls, Mulch Beds and more …
AVENGER WON’T BREAK YOUR BUDGET
The cool thing about Avenger and New Avenger AG Optima is that you get more bang for your buck. While there is a Ready-to-Use 24 oz. and gallon spray, the concentrate is where you save big bucks. The original Avenger Concentrate mixes 1 part Avenger to 6 parts water - that means you get 6 gallons of product from 1 gallon of concentrate. Cost wise that breaks down to $14.99 per gallon.
The super saver and new formula is Avenger AG Optima. This is a new advanced formula made for farmers, but is also available for you to use around your home and business. AG Optima mixes 1 gallon of AG Optima to 16 Gallons of water. That is 17 gallons of product which works out to $5.99 per gallon. No other product can match that price and quality.
If you are looking for an organic and environmentally friendly weed killer that works and won’t break your budget, Avenger products are the answer. Happy weeding!
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