The Best Brush Killers In 2023

Top 5 Best Brush Killers 2023:

1. Bonide (BND331) – Poison Ivy and Brush Killer
2. Preen 2464083 Garden Weed Preventer
3. Roundup Ready-to-Use Poison Ivy Plus
4. Southern Ag CROSSBOW32 Weed & Brush Killer
5. Ortho MAX Poison Ivy & Tough Brush Killer Concentrate

There are few people in this world who don’t enjoy a tidy backyard graced with a neat, well-maintained lawn. Seriously, what’s not to like? The world around is becoming hastier with each passing day – we all need some safe retreat where we can spend a couple of pleasant hours with friends and family.

Now, these peaceful images are great. Everyone who has ever owned a backyard or even a small lawn knows that creating a small paradise like that requires a lot of patience and hard work.

One of the biggest obstacles – definitely the overgrown weed and brush that just seem poised to undermine all of your efforts. Well, the good news that your problem actually has a very efficient solution in the form of widely available brush killer products.

So, let’s take a brief look at a couple of most popular options on the market and try to see which one of them is the best brush killer the money can currently buy.

See Also: The Best Mosquito Killer

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5 Best Brush Killers In 2023: Detailed Reviews

1. Bonide (BND331) – Poison Ivy and Brush Killer – Best Brush Killer Overall

Some people say you can’t put a price on a pretty and well-maintained lawn. Well, we are here to say that these people are wrong. The people from Bonide have managed to do that, and you know what? The price is pretty affordable.

We are, of course, exaggerating things a bit. There was never such a thing as an ideal product that will magically solve all of your lawn problems. But, Bonide BND331 comes pretty damn close.

Let us start with the fact that this bad boy can effectively eliminate over 240 tough, common backyard weeds. Some of the most notable mentions are poison ivy, poison oak, wild blackberries, clover, thistle, dandelion, and many more.

But, that’s not all – BND331 can be just as effectively used for stump removal. You just need to pour down the undiluted liquid, and you will be able to cut the wood with ease and grace. Keep in mind, though, that using the product like this will considerably cut its life-span. 

Still, that doesn’t change the fact that we are talking about one excellent product that is incredibly effective at dealing with backyard weeds without causing damage to the grass.

The only real issue is that effect, as good as they are, often take some time to show. But, patience is a virtue.

2. Preen 2464083 Garden Weed Preventer – Best Premium Brush Killer

This product certainly stands out from the rest of the bunch. Namely, while all other formulas here are designed to kill existing weeds and brush, Preen Garden Weed Preventer, as the name suggests is produced to make a preemptive strike.

Because of that, comparing it head to head with other killers wouldn’t be entirely fair. However, the outcome you get at the end is pretty much the same, so we will do our best to do exactly that.

As a matter of fact, when you put things on the paper and do the math, we can even say that Preen has a slight advantage. Once the product is applied, you get good three months of weed-free lawns and tidy backyards. And you don’t even have to move one finger during that time.

Also, we are incredibly satisfied with the value proposition on display here. The package you get contains enough weed preventer to cover sweet 5,000 square feet of the ground. If you own a smaller backyard, this bundle will last forever.

The list of covered weeds is pretty extensive (200+ mentions), so you really have nothing to worry about. Of course, only as long as you don’t have any existing weeds already plaguing your garden.

In that case, Preen’s contender will prove to be of very little value.

3. Roundup Ready-to-Use Poison Ivy Plus – Best Affordable Brush Killer

If you are looking for a perfect product that will eliminate all of your ivies in a matter of days, we have to break the bad news – this brush killer is not one of them. However, if you want an affordable way to keep the weeds around your garden under control, the price this package carries will definitely put a smile on your face.

So yeah, this compound is not that efficient. The results are visible, but you will have to wait for them and probably do a couple of rounds of pouring before you finally put an end to the weeds. At least for the time being.

This lower efficiency somewhat takes a bite out of the overall value proposition, but when you do the math and draw the bottom line, you are still getting a terrific run for the money.

And you know what – in spite of some slight drawbacks, the formula has its share of advantages. The liquid becomes fully waterproof within half an hour, and the list of the weeds the product can deal with covers all standard varieties you can find in an average garden.

Also, the package comes with a bonus sprayer, which is a pretty nice inclusion.

4. Southern Ag CROSSBOW32 Weed & Brush Killer – The Most Potent Brush Killer on the Market

Some people will probably say that Southern Ag Crossbow32 is a bit of overkill for an average garden. These people are most definitely right. You see, this package contains a formula that is maybe too tough for your lawn or even a backyard.

However, with a bit of good management, you will be able to get a real kick out of this ample 32-oz jug. The  very first thing you will have to do is to dilute the herbicide with a bit more water than usual. Once you see how the formula performs, you can make optional adjustments.

The second thing you have to keep in mind is that the compound is extremely volatile during the hot summer months. We suggest that you keep it for autumn when the temperatures are not that high and the air so dry.

If you follow these clear guidelines, you will discover that the people from Southern Ag have actually managed to roll out one incredibly satisfying herbicide that will have no problem obliterating even the most stubborn weeds and roots you can imagine.

The price that hangs from the jug is not that bad either. Taking into consideration that you are probably going to dilute the liquid with more water than usual, you will be able to squeeze a lot of mileage out of the package.

5. Ortho MAX Poison Ivy & Tough Brush Killer Concentrate – Best Brush Killer for Beginners

Ortho Max Killer Concentrate is a product with a couple of serious flaws. But, it’s affordable, easy to use, and gives you very little chance to make some serious mistakes. That makes it perfect for all landscaping enthusiasts that are still making their first gardening steps.

So, what’s wrong with the product?

Nothing too serious. But, unlike the previous herbicide whose formula was probably not potent enough, this formula feels like it can’t really throw a serious punch. The list of weeds you are supposed to fight with it is suspiciously short (the manufacturer lists only 60 varieties), and you need to wait sweet to hours before the product becomes fully waterproof.

So, do your best to schedule your gardening work at least a couple of hours before the rain (if you can, of course).

But, surprisingly enough, this compromised performance has a couple of advantages. As we already mentioned above, even if you are not that experienced as a gardener, there is very little chance you’ll be able to damage your plants with this formula.

Also, the results, although they take some time to show, are definitely visible.

We say give it a try. With so little money on the table, you can lose very little. The experience you are going to use, on the other hand, is priceless.

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A Couple Of Things To Consider To Find The Best Brush Killer

Ok, these were the top five contenders for the title of the best brush killer on the market. Now when we’ve taken a close look at all of them, it is time to set some criteria we will use to sort them out.

Why is this so important?

Well, as you can probably guess, the brush killer market is as varied as it is large. And believe us – it’s enormous. With dozens upon dozens of products you can find on the shelves, it is very safe to assume that a huge portion of this lineup are cheap knockoffs that fight the brush with the subtlety of an atomic bomb.

Or don’t provide any results whatsoever.

You have to stay away from such products as much as possible. But, how do you know which brush killer is actually worth your attention? This is what we are going to find out here. So, here are the top X considerations you will have to make to find the best brush killer available.

1. Brand

This may feel a bit on the nose, but popular and well-established brands are popular and well-established for a good reason. Sure, these industry giants often make some missteps, and ambitious contenders very often put out killer alternatives with excellent price-value ratio.

But, keeping that in mind, the famous brands are, in most cases, still preferable and safer options, even if they cost a couple of dollars more. Sure, you are paying for the name, but this package comes with a bit of added reliability.

2. Form Of The Brush Killer

All of the brush killers you can find in the stores come in three primary forms. These three forms all have their slight advantages and disadvantages. The performance you are going to squeeze out may as well depend on these nuances, no matter how minor they are. Let’s take a quick look at them.

• Concentrate – As the name suggests, concentrate brush killers need to be diluted with water before they are ready for use. This simple fact gives you the far better value per ounce then you get with the ready-to-use products. However, you need to provide your own sprayer, invest a bit more work into the whole affair, and there is always a chance that your end product may end up too diluted.
• Ready to use – This product type is all about the convenience. The sprayer comes at the top of the bottle, and the concentrate is already diluted and good to go. Also, ready-to-use brush killers give more freedom to manufacturers to experiment with different formulas, so these products are usually a bit more efficient. However, this added convenience comes with a slightly heftier price tag.
• Powder and granular – This type is a bit specific. Namely, powder and granular brush killers also include fertilizers, and they do not compete head-to-head with the rest of the products. However, they do kill brush, so they do count.

3. Water Resistance

No matter how efficient they are, none of the commercially available brush killers has an immediate effect. That means you should look for a variety that will be able to linger on the weed long enough to produce satisfying results.

In other words, you should always choose the product that features at least a certain degree of water resistance. Fortunately, this feature is not that uncommon these days, so you shouldn’t have a problem finding the product that meets these criteria.

This information is always clearly visible on the product label.

4. Efficiency

The efficiency of the brush killers is probably their single most important feature. However, determining one product’s effectiveness without spending money and giving it a test run is harder than it looks. That being said, although the list of ingredients on the bottle is often wishful thinking it does give you a clear idea of how well the product performs in a real-life scenario.

5. Safety

Last but not least, you need to be aware that brush killers are very potent poisons that can harm both your plants and your family if not used properly. Because of that, you should always pick the ones that have visible instructions on proper use and the type of plants that the concentrate works on.

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Final Thoughts And Recommendations

And finally, we have come to the very end. That means that you are soon going to find out what is the best brush killer you can currently find in the stores.

We have to make a short disclaimer here – we had only a couple of weeks to give these products a run. Long term effects were mostly gathered from the experience of long-term users. Also, different gardeners have different needs. In other words, some products will suit you better than others, even though they don’t pack the best overall value.

Keeping these two things in mind, here are the top three products that are, in our honest opinion, worth your attention.

Best Brush Killer Overall: Bonide (BND331) – Poison Ivy and Brush Killer

• Proclaiming the winner of this roundup was not an easy job – all of the products we have reviewed had a couple of things working in their favor, even when they were accidental. The reason why we decided to give the Bonide BND331 the first spot is because its list of drawbacks is, by far, the shortest. Excellent performance, reasonable price, great mileage… Really, what’s not to like?

Best Premium Product: Preen 2464083 Garden Weed Preventer

• Preen Garden Weed Preventer competes in its own league, so comparing it to other products from the list was admittedly hard. But, when all is said and done, we can’t deny that this product managed to keep weed on a safe distance from our gardens, and that’s what matters the most. Even if we take into account the price that probably isn’t for everyone’s pocket.

Budget Pick: Roundup Ready-to-Use Poison Ivy Plus

• This neat product is far from perfect. But, at this price point, it really does not need to come any closer. And to be quite honest, its performance, although a slow burner, is not that bad at all. So, if you are not that willing to spend a small fortune to eliminate brush, this is definitely a package for you.