Weedkiller

Murphybear

im looking for some effective weedkiller for general use, nothing nasty nasty like mares tails etc.  There’s so much available I’m not sure what to buy.  I have looked at reviews and they vary so much, s9me brands have both 1* and 5*

Helpful suggestions please.  There’s no cats or dogs anywhere near our little patch if that helps.

Woolsery

There really isn't much need for a 'brand' if you buy 360g/litre glyphosate and mix it yourself, rather than buying ready-mixed. That way it will be fresh, not sitting on a shelf in dilute form. The undiluted product keeps for years. However, if you don't want a lot, something like this will be far too much:

https://www.pitchcare.com/shop/rosate-360-tf-1l-glyphosate-weed-killer.html

If you buy from a pro supplier like that you may also need to look up the mixing instructions. From memory, I find 100ml does 5 litres in my sprayer. Five litres goes a long way in that. Wa watering can is wasteful.

Some branded 'Super dooper advanced' weedkillers may contain a lot less active substance, so when you mix you dilute less and so get less.

A lot of criticism of weedkillers in reviews is from twits who don't have any patience. It takes a long time for glyphosate to act as it works by starving the plant, not poisoning soil, like sodium chlorate. Unlike that, you won't see results next day or even next week if the plants arent photosynthesising much. Also there is a lot of nonsense about a link to cancer; it's about the same risk as eating barbecued meat (or, for the veggies, corn on the cob!) Unless you buy organic in the shops, it's kinda irrelevant anyway.

I'm presuming by 'general' you want to kill everything the weedkiller touches. For lawns you'd nee a specialised lawn product not unlike the ones I use in my fields where I don't want to hurt the grasses.

Unfortunately, all weedkillers and fertilizers have gone up markedly in price in 2022.  I bought 5 years worth last year when the supplies interrupted by you-know-what eased a bit and the suppliers began to hint. One tip I can safely give you; they won't be coming down again any time soon!

twopenny

What are you hoping to use it on?

Different ideas for different plants or locations.

Murphybear

twopenny said:

What are you hoping to use it on?

Different ideas for different plants or locations.

A bit of bindweed, we have cleared an area for planting raspberries once it’s safe to do so.  Dandelions and some unidentifiable weeds plus a big communal patio that has lots of grass between the stones.

Murphybear

Woolsery said:

There really isn't much need for a 'brand' if you buy 360g/litre glyphosate and mix it yourself, rather than buying ready-mixed. That way it will be fresh, not sitting on a shelf in dilute form. The undiluted product keeps for years. However, if you don't want a lot, something like this will be far too much:

https://www.pitchcare.com/shop/rosate-360-tf-1l-glyphosate-weed-killer.html

If you buy from a pro supplier like that you may also need to look up the mixing instructions. From memory, I find 100ml does 5 litres in my sprayer. Five litres goes a long way in that. Wa watering can is wasteful.

Some branded 'Super dooper advanced' weedkillers may contain a lot less active substance, so when you mix you dilute less and so get less.

A lot of criticism of weedkillers in reviews is from twits who don't have any patience. It takes a long time for glyphosate to act as it works by starving the plant, not poisoning soil, like sodium chlorate. Unlike that, you won't see results next day or even next week if the plants arent photosynthesising much. Also there is a lot of nonsense about a link to cancer; it's about the same risk as eating barbecued meat (or, for the veggies, corn on the cob!) Unless you buy organic in the shops, it's kinda irrelevant anyway.

I'm presuming by 'general' you want to kill everything the weedkiller touches. For lawns you'd nee a specialised lawn product not unlike the ones I use in my fields where I don't want to hurt the grasses.

Unfortunately, all weedkillers and fertilizers have gone up markedly in price in 2022.  I bought 5 years worth last year when the supplies interrupted by you-know-what eased a bit and the suppliers began to hint. One tip I can safely give you; they won't be coming down again any time soon!

Thanks Woolsery, that’s one of the most useful posts I’ve seen on MSE in a long time 

Ive seen adverts on the shopping channels for expensive weedkiller that appears to work almost immediately but when you look at reviews it’s not so good.  Your answer explains it perfectly.  There’s a lot of truth in the saying “patience is a virtue”. 

Do you live in Devon, your username sounds like you?

25_Years_On

Murphybear said:

Ive seen adverts on the shopping channels for expensive weedkiller that appears to work almost immediately but when you look at reviews it’s not so good. 

I could be wrong but I think the ones that look like they are working immediately have a second ingredient that burns the leaves so it looks like they are working but really as described by Woolsery the active weedkilling ingredients take longer to act. I find it's about between one and two weeks.

elsien

Yes, the “24 hour” ones from, avoid like the plague. Kills the top leaves overnight so looks like it’s working but then they sprout again. Slow working ones are more effective in the long run. 

clive0510

best to look on amazon. plenty to choose from on there.like many have said go for a good quality slow working one.

Woolsery

Murphybear said:

Woolsery said:

There really isn't much need for a 'brand' if you buy 360g/litre glyphosate and mix it yourself, rather than buying ready-mixed. That way it will be fresh, not sitting on a shelf in dilute form. The undiluted product keeps for years. However, if you don't want a lot, something like this will be far too much:

https://www.pitchcare.com/shop/rosate-360-tf-1l-glyphosate-weed-killer.html

If you buy from a pro supplier like that you may also need to look up the mixing instructions. From memory, I find 100ml does 5 litres in my sprayer. Five litres goes a long way in that. Wa watering can is wasteful.

Some branded 'Super dooper advanced' weedkillers may contain a lot less active substance, so when you mix you dilute less and so get less.

A lot of criticism of weedkillers in reviews is from twits who don't have any patience. It takes a long time for glyphosate to act as it works by starving the plant, not poisoning soil, like sodium chlorate. Unlike that, you won't see results next day or even next week if the plants arent photosynthesising much. Also there is a lot of nonsense about a link to cancer; it's about the same risk as eating barbecued meat (or, for the veggies, corn on the cob!) Unless you buy organic in the shops, it's kinda irrelevant anyway.

I'm presuming by 'general' you want to kill everything the weedkiller touches. For lawns you'd nee a specialised lawn product not unlike the ones I use in my fields where I don't want to hurt the grasses.

Unfortunately, all weedkillers and fertilizers have gone up markedly in price in 2022.  I bought 5 years worth last year when the supplies interrupted by you-know-what eased a bit and the suppliers began to hint. One tip I can safely give you; they won't be coming down again any time soon!

Do you live in Devon, your username sounds like you?

There are two Woolfardisworthys in Devon (Woolsery for short.) It's not giving too much away to say I live reasonably close to one of them, though I wouldn't want to walk there! I also have a sort of part time job in looking after sheep in the cooler months.

Murphybear

Woolsery said:

Murphybear said:

Woolsery said:

There really isn't much need for a 'brand' if you buy 360g/litre glyphosate and mix it yourself, rather than buying ready-mixed. That way it will be fresh, not sitting on a shelf in dilute form. The undiluted product keeps for years. However, if you don't want a lot, something like this will be far too much:

https://www.pitchcare.com/shop/rosate-360-tf-1l-glyphosate-weed-killer.html

If you buy from a pro supplier like that you may also need to look up the mixing instructions. From memory, I find 100ml does 5 litres in my sprayer. Five litres goes a long way in that. Wa watering can is wasteful.

Some branded 'Super dooper advanced' weedkillers may contain a lot less active substance, so when you mix you dilute less and so get less.

A lot of criticism of weedkillers in reviews is from twits who don't have any patience. It takes a long time for glyphosate to act as it works by starving the plant, not poisoning soil, like sodium chlorate. Unlike that, you won't see results next day or even next week if the plants arent photosynthesising much. Also there is a lot of nonsense about a link to cancer; it's about the same risk as eating barbecued meat (or, for the veggies, corn on the cob!) Unless you buy organic in the shops, it's kinda irrelevant anyway.

I'm presuming by 'general' you want to kill everything the weedkiller touches. For lawns you'd nee a specialised lawn product not unlike the ones I use in my fields where I don't want to hurt the grasses.

Unfortunately, all weedkillers and fertilizers have gone up markedly in price in 2022.  I bought 5 years worth last year when the supplies interrupted by you-know-what eased a bit and the suppliers began to hint. One tip I can safely give you; they won't be coming down again any time soon!

Do you live in Devon, your username sounds like you?

There are two Woolfardisworthys in Devon (Woolsery for short.) It's not giving too much away to say I live reasonably close to one of them, though I wouldn't want to walk there! I also have a sort of part time job in looking after sheep in the cooler months.

I lived about 13 miles from one of them for 9 years 

Woolsery

Murphybear said:

Woolsery said:

Murphybear said:

Woolsery said:

There really isn't much need for a 'brand' if you buy 360g/litre glyphosate and mix it yourself, rather than buying ready-mixed. That way it will be fresh, not sitting on a shelf in dilute form. The undiluted product keeps for years. However, if you don't want a lot, something like this will be far too much:

https://www.pitchcare.com/shop/rosate-360-tf-1l-glyphosate-weed-killer.html

If you buy from a pro supplier like that you may also need to look up the mixing instructions. From memory, I find 100ml does 5 litres in my sprayer. Five litres goes a long way in that. Wa watering can is wasteful.

Some branded 'Super dooper advanced' weedkillers may contain a lot less active substance, so when you mix you dilute less and so get less.

A lot of criticism of weedkillers in reviews is from twits who don't have any patience. It takes a long time for glyphosate to act as it works by starving the plant, not poisoning soil, like sodium chlorate. Unlike that, you won't see results next day or even next week if the plants arent photosynthesising much. Also there is a lot of nonsense about a link to cancer; it's about the same risk as eating barbecued meat (or, for the veggies, corn on the cob!) Unless you buy organic in the shops, it's kinda irrelevant anyway.

I'm presuming by 'general' you want to kill everything the weedkiller touches. For lawns you'd nee a specialised lawn product not unlike the ones I use in my fields where I don't want to hurt the grasses.

Unfortunately, all weedkillers and fertilizers have gone up markedly in price in 2022.  I bought 5 years worth last year when the supplies interrupted by you-know-what eased a bit and the suppliers began to hint. One tip I can safely give you; they won't be coming down again any time soon!

Do you live in Devon, your username sounds like you?

There are two Woolfardisworthys in Devon (Woolsery for short.) It's not giving too much away to say I live reasonably close to one of them, though I wouldn't want to walk there! I also have a sort of part time job in looking after sheep in the cooler months.

I lived about 13 miles from one of them for 9 years 

Yes, I remember.