DIY Land Management

Information for Do-It-Yourself Land Managers

​Herbicide and Biological Control Sales

The Archuleta County Weed and Pest Department sells both herbicide and biological controls. To purchase herbicides please either call ahead or stop by the office in the Road and Bridge Building. If you are unsure of which product to use or which weed species you are encountering, you can bring samples, schedule a property inspection, or email pictures of said plant species and a recommendation can be made.

Biological controls are offered on a seasonal basis and are only collected once per season and the amount collected depends on environmental factors. Please call and place an order for which biological control agent you are seeking in order to be added to the list. Not every order can be fulfilled every year. Currently the only biological control agents offered through this department are the Canada thistle rust fungus and the field bindweed gall mite. We are working on creating nursery sites for the musk thistle crown weevil, the leafy spurge flea beetle, and the Russian knapweed gall wasp (stingless). If you think your property would be suitable as a nursery site, please call the office to coordinate.

Licensed Private Applicators

Definition of a private applicator pulled from the Colorado Department of Ag website:
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​ “A person who uses or supervises the use of a restricted-use-pesticide for the purpose of producing an agricultural commodity on property owned or leased by the applicator or the applicator’s employer or, if the pesticide is applied without compensation other than trading of personal services between producers of agricultural commodities, on the property of another person must be a licensed private applicator.”
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​ For more information on the licensing process visit the state website. 
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​Application Records
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​ Restricted-use-pesticide application records must be maintained for a minimum of three years. It is a good practice to keep records for all herbicide applications whether or not they are restricted use. A template of an application record is available here.  
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​Calibration
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​Always make sure to calibrate your spray equipment before applying herbicides. This will ensure that you are using the label rate. The label is the law and deviating from these requirements is a violation of federal law! Here are instructions for calibrating a backpack or handgun sprayer and boom or atv sprayers.
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​Other inquiries and further information
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​Further questions regarding licensing, application records, calibration, herbicide recommendations, and alternative methods of control can be directed to the Weed and Pest Supervisor by either email or phone.