weedkillers

heirloom

julietaow59 wrote: »

Hi.... I have also used boiling salty water poured directly on weeds. My experience was that it worked well on the smaller less routed ones but the older more mature weeds came bouncing back. I would also say if pouring salty water onto your garden be very careful as it can contaminate the soil and make it toxic to all the plants that you do want to grow..........

I wouldn't use it on the garden, got a trowel for that, just for the cracks in patio and the odd dandelion that dares poke it head up. it certainly kills them. Salt dissipates naturally after a week or so with some rain and becomes harmless. Glysophate however doesn't and remains in the eco system finding its way into the water table and ultimately your water.

balustrada

It seems that those of us who recommended using glyphosate to control weeds in cracked concrete have unwittingly provoked a few hostile and highly questionable assertions against its use. I don't doubt the sincerity behind the views expressed but they seem to me to be seriously misleading in the context of the issue under discussion so I will address them.

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

Have you any proof whatsoever that it's 'biodegradable'?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodegradation

Yes, apart from the fact that it says so on the label, my proof is that for almost 20 years now I've used glyphosate to control unwanted plants growing in the cracks between paving stones and concrete. I spray them, they die, new ones replace them, I spray them, they die, new ones replace them - and so it goes on year after year. So, on the basis of that experience, I've formed the opinion that evidence of the global ecocatastrophe that I'm contributing towards is a bit thin on the ground (pun intended) and insignificant compared against just about every other kind of human activity. A glyphosate container of 350ml lasts me for about 5 years (=70ml per year - diluted with water at the ratio of 45ml per litre).

Thank you for the biodegradation link but it would have been helpful if you'd paraphrased that web page's content into plain English so that its relevance to your point was clearer.

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

This seems to disagree...

http://redgreenandblue.org/2011/06/08/its-official-monsantos-roundup-herbicide-causes-birth-defects/

That's not a particularly impartial website that you've selected. I suspect that you could substitute many words for glyphosate then follow it with "causes malformations in experimental animals at high doses." without having cause to doubt its credibility.

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

All weedkillers do over time is breed resistant weeds; as those that survive end up setting seed and hence, the next generation is also resistant.

Now I'm compelled to ask you whether you have any proof whatsoever that weedkillers have the identical effect on weeds as antibiotics do on bacteria?

heirloom wrote: »

Google Glysophate + Danger = 290.000 links

Here's 3 for your Consideration

Is Monsanto’s Glyphosate Destroying The Earth?

Glyphosate is the Agent Orange of our time

Monsanto’s Roundup Triggers Over 40 Plant Diseases and Endangers Human and Animal Health

Can't post links just paste into google search.


Think I'll stick with salt.

I'll respond to the points you've raised by adopting your rationale.

Google Salt + Danger = 30,700,000 links

Here's 3 for your consideration

Parents' guide to salt danger

The danger salt poses to your health

There's no doubt about the health dangers of salt

I can post links but it's too tiresome.


Think I'll stick with glyphosate.

heirloom wrote: »

Salt dissipates naturally after a week or so with some rain and becomes harmless. Glysophate however doesn't and remains in the eco system finding its way into the water table and ultimately your water.

Is that second sentence based on fact or speculation? If the former, I'd be interested to learn your source. Remember, as I stated above, I use approximately 70ml a year, it's applied to foliage and it biodegrades on contact with soil.

Finally, just to restore a sense of proportion about using glyphosate, the recommendations for its use were offered in the context of controlling weeds in the cracks in concrete. No-one was advocating the defoliation of vast tracts of land by aerial spraying.

EpsomOldie

I'm another one for Glyphosate (Roundup) on paths and paving. I recommend using a spray rather than a watering can, ideally one of those pump / pressure sprays with an adjustable nozzle. Not only does it go further, and therefore costs less, but you can aim it more precisely.

As others have said, it's safe to use with pets / children around provided you don't let them near the sprayed areas until it's dry - a matter of minutes on a hot day. You need to watch the weather though as if it rains within six hours of application you'll need to re-apply.

The results are good but don't expect the weeds to wither in front of your eyes! It'll take a good week or two before you see anything happening, but be patient and you'll be pleased with the the results.

cootambear

`plough their fields with salt`


the mantra of invading armies so their oppressed civilisations could not rise up against their invaders

you do know that salt is a chemical, dont you?

heirloom

Lol. Did I mention salt was cheaper too? and plus whatever you got left you can put on yer chips!! BTW those are the safety clothes being used by an indiviual handling Glysophate. Does he know something that maybe you don't?

WestonDave

I'm sure if you spend all day every day working with the stuff neat in a factory it probably is advisable to wear protective gear - its somewhat different if you use a dilute form of it a couple of times a year. Salt isn't without its downsides - it doesn't just disappear, and will take a long time to dilute away from the point its applied. If you keep adding salt onto your path, eventually the land downstream (i.e. where the rain washes it either over or under ground) will end up contaminated with salt and unable to support most plant life.

Whatever you use, use it as sparingly as you can. I've used glyphosate for years and haven't seen any signs of longer term issues once the plants have died back. Its also far better than a lot of the old weedkillers that you can no longer get - although I do wonder whether the fact that you now can't get some of these (which often had a long lasting ground effect for places like drives) means more glyphosate is used because of the need to repeat treat.

valk_scot

Choose a nice sunny day when the kids are at school/nursery, go out first thing and spray it with glyphosate. Keep the dog in for a few hours. It will be safe to go out once the kids are back from school. Yes glyphosate is a toxic chemical but as long as you're just using it on a now and again basis and follow the safety guidelines on the pack, it's within acceptable standards. (I've got kids too, cats, an allotment and a garden plus a bottle of Roundup for my paths.) The weeds will yellow off and wilt over the next few days and you can scrape them out with an old knife. After that the boiling water trick is very effective on minor regrowth, thus reducing the need for more glyphosate later on.

chelms38

I have sometimes poured cheap bottles of vinegar over the weeds in my garden and it seems to work ok.

melanzana

I posted early in the thread about boiling water for the weeds.. Yes just boiling water, no salt. U might need a couple of goes at it, but it is fab for patio and driveway cracks.

I do this because it only costs me the price of a kettle of water.

I pull up the rest of the weeds by hand or with the hoe. It keeps me fit! But the back complains with a few creaks now and then.

If you wish to use glyphosate, go right ahead. I was an avid user in the past, but it is expensive, and boiled water is not.

Happy weeding folks!

shelley_crow

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

There's patches of shallow rooted dandelions and grass, will use boiling water and salt on those.

There are other thick stemmed weeds that are about 2 feet tall at the moment, a very strange looking weed. I will try and get a picture before I use roundup on it.

Thanks for all the suggestions, it's very appreciated.