[Sponsored Content] Editor-in-Chief Scott Hollister visits PBI-Gordon Laboratories to meet with Dr. Dale Sansone, Senior Director of Formulation Development for Compliance Chemistry, to learn about Atrimmec® plant growth regulators.
SH: Hi everyone. My name is Scott Hollister and I work for Landscape Management Magazine. This morning we are just outside of downtown Kansas City, Missouri with our friends at PBI-Gordon and Dr. Dale Sansone. Dr. Dale, Senior Director of Formulation and Chemical Compliance at PBI-Gordon, gave us a tour of the lab today and a deep dive into several of the PBI-Gordon products on the market. In this video, we are going to talk about Atrimmec®, which is a plant growth regulator. I am familiar with plant growth regulators, primarily used in turfgrass, but this time the focus is a little bit different. Dr. Dale.
DS: Thanks Scott. Atrimmec® has been in our line for quite some time. For those of you who are not familiar with it, it is a plant growth regulator (PGR) used as an adjuvant in the ornamental market. After you trim, use Atrimmec® to extend the life of the trimmed plant so you don’t have to trim it again. This is a great recipe. It is a water based product. I have a viewing tube here if you can take a look at it. It has a unique blue-green color that mixes really well in the can, so it is a great addition to the can in terms of mixability. What’s unique about it compared to most PGRs is that it is odorless. It is a water based product, which is great for landscaping because you can put it around people, buildings, offices. You don’t get the bad odor that you get with PGRs and the formula is great. Besides the chemical extrusion effect I mentioned, it has several other benefits. It controls unwanted fruit, which is very important in landscape management. You can use it to wrap the bark of a tree. If you look at the label, you will see instructions on how to wrap the bark. Another benefit of this product, besides the bark coating, is that it is a systemic product, so it can penetrate the soil, get into the plants and still maintain its effective mechanism of action.
SH: Some of the challenges that you and your team encountered were related to the composition of this product. As you said, this product can be mixed with some insecticides, and we have a visual aid that we can show you here. Please tell us about that.
DS: Everybody loves the magic of a blender. So I thought this would be a good demonstration. The timing of Atrimmec® works well with the use of insecticides. So we want to help you mix Atrimmec® with insecticides correctly. You’ll see more and more non-synthetic pesticides on the market. They typically come in wettable powder form. So when you formulate a spray tank, you need to add the wettable powder first to ensure proper wetting if you want that. So I’ll measure out the right amount, I’ll add this insecticide in there, and you’ll see it mix. It mixes really well. It’s really important to add the wettable powder first so that it’s thoroughly mixed with the water and gets wet. You see, it takes a while, but after some mixing, it starts to come together. While we’re on that, I want to talk about the Weapons Safety Data Sheet (SDS), which is a very valuable document: Part IX. Understanding the physical and chemical properties of the ingredients will help you determine if the substance is compatible with aerosol sprays. Check the pH. If you and your aquarium mix partner have a pH difference of two units, the chances of success are high. Okay, we mixed it. It looks good. It’s nice and even. The next thing you need to do is add the Atrimmec®, so you’ll need to add the Atrimmec® and weigh it out in the right proportions. Like I said, look how easy it is. Your WP is moistened. It’s always even. After that, I want to talk about adding silicone surfactants, which give it a little more punch. For plant growth regulators, this really gives you that extra boost to get the properties you want. This is very important if you’re doing bark banding treatments to control pest fruit, and also that you have the right mixing tank. Your day is set for success.
SH: That’s very interesting. I think a lot of lawn care professionals might not consider this product. They might only consider direct use without the need for a mixing tank, but by doing that you’re killing two birds with one stone. What has the response been like for this product after it’s been on the market for a while? What feedback have you heard from lawn care professionals about this product? How have they integrated it into their operations?
DS: If you visit our website, one of the biggest benefits you will see is the savings on labor costs. There is a calculator on the website that will allow you to calculate how much you can save on labor costs depending on your plan. We all know that labor costs are high. The other thing, as I said, is the scent, the mixability, and the ease of use of the product. It is a water-based product. So overall it is a winner.
SH: That’s great. Of course, you can visit the PBI-Gordon website for more information. Dr. Dale, thank you for your time this morning. Thank you very much. Dr. Dale, it’s Scott. Thank you for watching Landscape Management TV.
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[Sponsored Content] Editor-in-Chief Scott Hollister visits PBI-Gordon Laboratories to meet with Dr. Dale Sanson, Senior Director of Formulation Development for Compliance Chemistry, to learn about Atrimmec® plant growth regulators. Continue reading
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Post time: Apr-08-2025