Weed Control

Jjjjjjjjbarry

Hello,

Sorry if this is asked every week!

I need to do some spaying for weed control.

Usually I buy the roundup or whatever Woodies have.

Is there anything safe that actually works ?

macraignil

I don't trust any of the chemical sprays so do my weed control with a trowel and by hand. Simply dig the weeds up and leave then with the roots out of the ground where they can dry out and wither before making compost for the plants you want to have growing.

If the weeds are a bit bigger a loppers or clippers can be used to reduce them in size and a garden fork then used to dig up the roots.

If you are targeting weeds growing on a surface where you can't dig there is also the option of a flame gun that can be held on the weed for a second to boil it and kill it. My parents use this method on their drive way but be careful to avoid actually trying to incinerate things as it could be a fire hazard and a waste of fuel.

SCOL

Round Up all the way, sometimes I even put a pair of gloves on !!!

About three times a year keep everything under control.

Jjjjjjjjbarry

macraignil wrote: »

I don't trust any of the chemical sprays so do my weed control with a trowel and by hand. Simply dig the weeds up and leave then with the roots out of the ground where they can dry out and wither before making compost for the plants you want to have growing.

If the weeds are a bit bigger a loppers or clippers can be used to reduce them in size and a garden fork then used to dig up the roots.

If you are targeting weeds growing on a surface where you can't dig there is also the option of a flame gun that can be held on the weed for a second to boil it and kill it. My parents use this method on their drive way but be careful to avoid actually trying to incinerate things as it could be a fire hazard and a waste of fuel.

I’d love to do it that way if I had the time. Maybe when I’m retired!

Jjjjjjjjbarry

SCOL wrote: »

Round Up all the way, sometimes I even put a pair of gloves on !!!

About three times a year keep everything under control.

Sarcasm kills!

s7ryf3925pivug

I thought roundup was going to be banned because it's annihilating bees.

I use a hoe. If there's too much maintenance in an area I pin down weedproof membrane and put woodchips on it.

I find a hoe is more efficient than other hand tools. Especially if you sharpen it with a metal file.

Jjjjjjjjbarry

It’s more so for a pebble drive way so can’t go around hoeing up the place. If it was a flower bed or veg patch I could do that and take more attentive care.

I say ‘round up’ as a generic term for the chemical stuff! I know some people have their own mixes that don’t affect wild life or endanger the sprayer? I’m sort of looking to be steered in that direction.... although it’d be nice to buy a good mix of something rather than sourcing all the ingredient myself! Killing bees is not something I want to do.

Fleetwoodmac

Jjjjjjjjbarry wrote: »

It’s more so for a pebble drive way so can’t go around hoeing up the place. If it was a flower bed or veg patch I could do that and take more attentive care.

I say ‘round up’ as a generic term for the chemical stuff! I know some people have their own mixes that don’t affect wild life or endanger the sprayer? I’m sort of looking to be steered in that direction.... although it’d be nice to buy a good mix of something rather than sourcing all the ingredient myself! Killing bees is not something I want to do.

Depends on big the drive is but we cut the huge canvas bags that mulch come in ( suppose membrane would do the same) and recovered with gravel... took a bit of work but we keep bees so spraying is not an option. Haven't needed to weed it since. Really eliminated a huge amount of work.

Vinegar or salt or boiling water are alternatives though vary in effectiveness..

Lumen

Hunter Late Viewpoint wrote: »

I thought roundup was going to be banned because it's annihilating bees.

It is almost certainly not annihilating bees. It may be disturbing their gut flora a little.

Pesticides, on the other hand....

Hocus Focus

Can't see how a gravel driveway would be attractive to bees. I have a large expanse of gravel and I found, after first trying manual methods, that two applications of Roundup annually was the only solution. It's perfectly safe to use if adequate precautions are taken.

Fleetwoodmac

Hocus Focus wrote: »

Can't see how a gravel driveway would be attractive to bees. I have a large expanse of gravel and I found, after first trying manual methods, that two applications of Roundup annually was the only solution. It's perfectly safe to use if adequate precautions are taken.

We've just chosen to go completely organic, nothing sprayed for our pets safety and risk of runoff. Our gravel driveway includes a variety of plants in shale planting.

Hocus Focus

I would be organic, as far as food plants are concerned, but with time being in short supply would be somewhat pragmatic about the maintenance of paved areas, spraying the gravel while avoiding any overspray getting onto ornamental plantings.

Fleetwoodmac

Hocus Focus wrote: »

I would be organic, as far as food plants are concerned, but with time being in short supply would be somewhat pragmatic about the maintenance of paved areas, spraying the gravel while avoiding any overspray getting onto ornamental plantings.

I know.. you could spend all your time weeding and little else... balance important too.

BoxerX

You need glyphosate as it's systemic. Cheap weedkillers kill the leaves, glyphosate kills the root, but you have to leave it to work, it can take 2 weeks to reach the roots. If you wait for the leaves to wither and pull the weed, the glyphosate may not have yet reached the root, and it will come back.
Glyphosate is the only weedkiller that will kill Japanese Knotweed, but only if its left to work!

nthclare

An oscillating hoe and a rake, wheel barrow, bucket, kneeling pad and good gloves.

I hoe gravel paths, herbaceous borders and shrubberies and rake them up etc with a springbok rake.

Keep one fit and better than any chemicals.

Fckn round up is horrendous.

kala85

What would you recommend for weeds coming up in the tarmac driveway