Can you recommend a weed killer?

dexters_mum_2

It's that time of year when we get out in the garden and tackle the weeds.

Last year we didn't have too much of a problem but this year the weeds between the patio slabs have taken on a whole new problem and I doubt whether our typical focus sachets added to water will have much impact but I don't want to waste lot of money buying several products, so if anyone could recommend decent weedkiller and any advice on how to tackle them would be really appreciated.

We have a Focus and B&Q near us, which is where I buy our bits and bobs (sadly no local garden centre )

DM xx

davetrousers

I bought a spray gun one in Wilko's last weekend for £1.50

A._Badger

It's not very fashionable in these 'Green' days, but if it's only a path, I would use sodium chlorate, which you can get in Wilkinsons and most other places. Don't be taken-in by brand names, by the way. The only thing that matters with weedkiller is the active ingredient and its dilution (this has to be stated by law).

Read the small print and be assured that chemical X at Y % strength will be exactly the same whoever's brand name is on the bottle. There can be a big difference in prices, by the way, so do try to shop around.

Hope that's some help

Davesnave

I'd use sodium chlorate too for patio cracks. B&Q do it in a mini bucket for about a tenner.

chatta

I really hate using chemicals and would prefer to hand pull them out hopefully with the roots as well. Try and get them before they seed themselves, failing that a kettle of boiling water usually will work.

Nomad25

Got flamed by the ecos last time I mentioned this, but I use Roundup and a 15L backpack!! You can get smaller bottles.

It's great to be eco-friendly with a small patch, but we have two paddocks surrounded by fields and the weeds keep on coming and self sowing.

Works for me.

blue-kat

as per another similar thread, we're using a parasene weed wand to heat and exhaust profuse weeds in our patio and cobbled yard.
no chemicals and finally we're winning the weed jungle war !

Davesnave

chatta wrote: »

I really hate using chemicals and would prefer to hand pull them out hopefully with the roots as well. Try and get them before they seed themselves, failing that a kettle of boiling water usually will work.

Targeted sodium chlorate (working on the cracks in the paving, not the entire area) may not be enviromentally holy, but there is an environmental cost (and a real money one too!) in boiling up kettles full of water, unless one has an Aga and one's own woodland. Then, with appropriate re-planting it could be carbon neutral.

KAAT_LADY

I use a pressure washer on mine and that saves using weedkillers of any description as it just blows them out :j