Mega strong weed killer?

coolagarry wrote:

............... I just haven't got the hang of this 'granny state' mentality.
(Still can't quite work out how me killing weeds on my drive and creosoting my fence caused problems to my drinking water - something to do with saving whales I suppose)

I live in Wiltshire and 75% of our water supply comes from underground sources rather than reservoirs.

Hence the sense in reducing the use of strong chemicals on the ground, which can permeate into the underground sources of water.

Plus consider the harm it can do to wildlife

Sodium Chlorate was very good untill they removed the chemical that made it very usefull for bomb making as it was a favorite of the bad people.

ive always found roundup very good, if its on your brick drive have you tryed one of those blow torch things, it wont kill the little fishys or give you smelly water.

coolagarry wrote:

I'm sure you're right gromituk. I just haven't got the hang of this 'granny state' mentality.
(Still can't quite work out how me killing weeds on my drive and creosoting my fence caused problems to my drinking water - something to do with saving whales I suppose)

Well when you're next in your local DIY store look at all those chemicals on the shelves, then imagine how many other shops in the country sell those products too, imagine how much they sell each year, and think where it all goes.

If you have your blood tested you wil find those chemicals are already in you. Through your food and water.

To the OP, if you cut them off with a knife it doesn't matter if they are in between bricks, cut them off and they are gone for a few weeks keep cutting them off and they will eventually die depending how regularly you cut them off.

Knotweed is one of the worst but so is horsetail and glyphosate has no permanent effect on horsetail, it kills off the current foiliage but it will always comeback. I have horsetails under carpets and black polythene in my garden, the carpets have been there for over 4 - 5 years no light gets through and I change the carpets for new ones when required. The only thing that lives under those carpets with no light is horsetail ready to come back to full life when the carpet is removed. I tried glyphosate in a strong solution, I even injected neat glyphosate3000 into the horse tail using a needle and syringe THey have a hollow construction, it has no effect.

Nowadays I don't use weed killer, just carpets, and I know they are questioned for their greenness now but I believe them to be the "most green" method for large areas, well black poly would be maybe the most green but it's not cheap and carpets are free, and black poly eventually cracks and splits.

tee_pee wrote: »

glyphosate- it is very strong I believe- it is reccommended to help eliminate japanese Knotweed, and that is one tough cookie to get rid of.

Yes I agree this chemical is very effective. Trouble is it kills all the grass so now I have to start all over again. Does anyone know how long it will take to replant grass?