Adjuvants

Adjuvants are chemical compounds that can be mixed into liquid pesticide or fertilizer applications.

There are a number of different adjuvants with different purposes.

Buffering Agents adjust the water’s pH level to prevent alkaline hydrolysis in certain insecticide solutions.

Drift Control Agents make a solution slightly thicker so it produces larger spray particles and reduces wind drift.

Marking Dyes add color to your solution so you know what spots you’ve treated.

Foaming Agents cause a solution to foam, while antifoaming agents prevent or reduce foam.

Pigments color-treated turf green to give it a healthier appearance.

Plant Penetrants break down a plant’s waxy cuticle, allowing herbicides to be more easily absorbed into the leaf’s tissue.

Soil Penetrants allow water to penetrate deeper into the soil to improve water usage or transport pesticides to plant roots.

Stabilizing Agents ensure a tank mix of different chemicals does not separate or reduce the rate at which chemicals degrade in sunlight.

Surfactants reduce the solution's surface tension, allowing it to coat a leaf’s surface fully instead of beading and leaving spots untreated.

Shop our top recommended adjuvants on this page. If you need help in selecting the right adjuvant for your application or would like more information on how to mix adjuvants with a pesticide properly, our experienced pest control specialists will be more than happy to help you.

Recommendations

Nanotek Surfactant - is a non-ionic low-foam surfactant that enhances various types of pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides. When applied, it helps the active products spread evenly and improves sticking so the active ingredient remains on surface areas for maximum results.

Alligare MSO 1 - is an oil-based adjuvant formulated for use with pesticides or herbicides that may require an oil adjuvant to get best results out of the product. MSO does a great job of penetrating the thick waxy coating of certain weeds and is able to penetrate weeds that are under stress.

Alligare Super Marking Dye - is a high-strength blue marking dye that is a colorant used to monitor spray applications. The dye helps during the spraying process by making it easy to indicate where you have sprayed to prevent overspraying and drift into unwanted areas.

These expert-recommended adjuvants can be mixed with any weed killer to help enhance your spray application and make it easier to perform treatments.

In some herbicide formulations, adjuvants are already included in the formula while others are sold separately and recommended to be added to a herbicide solution before applying it to the targeted plantlife.

It is very important to read the instructional label on the herbicide for any information in regards to whether adjuvants can be added to the product or any other important details when mixing a recommended adjuvant.

View our categories on the left to locate the specific adjuvant that could help you in your treatment applications.

Tools Needed

• Selected Herbicide Product
• Selected Adjuvant Product
• Handheld or Backpack Sprayer

PPE

• Chemical Resistant Gloves
• Dust / Mist Mask
• Safety Glasses

Benefits of Adjuvants

Adjuvants increase the efficacy of your pesticide or fertilizer applications by improving various aspects of your chemical products.

Better applications often mean a more efficient and economical use of active products.

Drawbacks

Adjuvants lack pesticidal active ingredients, so they cannot control pests on their own.

Some pesticides may be incompatible with different adjuvants, so read each product’s label for any conflicts.

What to Expect

Before handling any product, put on your proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to avoid direct contact with any pesticide.

When using pesticides, your mileage may vary. Insecticides will control insect pests. Herbicides will eliminate weeds.

How to Use Adjuvant

Step 1: Mix up the Pesticide Concentrate

Make sure that you always read and follow the label instructions for proper mix and usage rates. Fill the sprayer halfway with water, and then add the appropriate amount of product for your application. Fill the sprayer the rest of the way with water and agitate the sprayer until the solution is well mixed.

Step 2: Add And Mix The Adjuvant

To spray your selected adjuvant, read the product label to determine how much of the product you need. After that, you simply fill the sprayer with the required amount of water and then measure the amount of adjuvant needed, pour it into a sprayer, and agitate your sprayer gently to ensure it is thoroughly mixed.

Step 3: Apply the Spray and Adjuvant Mixture To The Target Area

Begin applying the adjuvant/herbicide mixture you created in the target area needing to be treated.

Key Takeaways

• Adjuvants are essentially a sort of enhancement chemical that will improve the effectiveness of a herbicide chemical, making it kill more undesirable weeds more efficiently and quickly.
• To use adjuvants, all you need is a selected pesticide, an adjuvant such as a plant penetrant or surfactant like Nanotek, and a handheld sprayer.
• The adjuvants we carry give you the most value for the price. You won’t find them at big box stores as they are specialty items.