Best Tool and Weed Killer?

[Edward12]

I got grass and weeds perennially growing between the gaps of my patio flags. Lately it has become quite an eyesore because I don't have the time and patience to weed them out one by one.

And boy, it's not a sight to behold especially now that summer is coming and staying outdoors is tops on my list.

I want to use an organic weed killer if you can suggest any, that would be great!

[mistermaster]

I don't know if you still want to use herbicides but that would be best then you would not need a tool to remove them one by one.

You can take your pick among the many herbicides in the market.

But be careful because herbicides have indiscriminate properties , if you spray any plant it kill the plant down to the roots.

[Luna]

Hmm, if you want an organic weed killer, try vinegar.

[vermigiant]

I used a glycophosphate weedkiller. It's available in packets and you can make a solution with one packet which you can spray on the gaps where the grasses are. When the weed or grasses die you can pull them out by hand or with the use of a gardening tool that has a hook on its end. You may apply the weed killer one week later.

Be sure to protect yourself from inhaling the mists. Wear gloves and a face mask. Remember this is a plant killer, so don't get any on plants which you have no plan of getting rid of.

[ladybug]

Try full pouring vinegar or boiling water on the grasses to kill them. When they do, then you can just pull the grasses up.

Roundup can also be used but will take several days for the grasses to wilt and eventually die.

[John S.]

You don't have to use insecticides if you are afraid of residues. Table Salt from your kitchen cupboard will do. Just sprinkle them on the grass and just wait for a couple of days. The grass will just shrivel and die.

[krissy]

pull with your hands after dousing the grasses with gasoline and setting fire to it. just be careful though because you might get burn. use gasoline minimally since this easily lights up fast and fierce.

[vermigiant]

I use sodium chlorate...it's the best for killing weeds on patios and flower beds and you can have results fast. But if you want an area to be planted immediately, don't pour sodium chlorate on it because an area is not recommended to be planted if newly applied with SC because it remains in the soil for more than 6 months.

Just put the SC in a can and mix with water and pour over the area. don't use the can for any other purpose. so you better label it properly.

[farmerbrie]

I use Roundup, but if you want to go green, then use vinegar, salt, or boiling water.

Once you have gotten rid of the weeds, treat the cracks and space between the gaps with pre-emergence weed killer to prevent their regrowth. Good luck!

[farmerpiper]

1. Dissolve a small package of salt in a gallon of boiling water and spray or pour the solution to areas where you want to get rid of wees.

2. Vinegar

3. Combine an ounce each of gin, liquid soap and vinegar and use it as spray

4. Boiling water

There are still more of these common natural weedkillers

[fireflies]

We have a graveled driveway and weeds seem to like the limestones. We used sodium chlorate a couple of months ago to destroy them and so far there are no more weeds in sight.

[farmerbrie]

Any good weedkiller will do, but it's not a permanent solution. I sometimes use Sodium Chlorate, because it's cheap, it's available in bulk and it works. It's best to use it on flower beds, pathways, and patios. But you will need to re-treat several times over the year. Sodium chlorate goes right down into the soil and stays right there for several months, so be careful about using it in your vegetable patches.

I used a flame-gun once but in some circumstances actually encourage germination of seeds, because it doesn't deal with the roots and if you're too enthusiastic you can crack your slabs.

Now, I just often use a home made knife which is actually a scraper. just use sodium chlorate if the weeds are really stubborn and I don't have the time to uproot them.

[Edward12]

Originally Posted by farmerpiper

1. Dissolve a small package of salt in a gallon of boiling water and spray or pour the solution to areas where you want to get rid of wees.

2. Vinegar

3. Combine an ounce each of gin, liquid soap and vinegar and use it as spray

4. Boiling water

There are still more of these common natural weedkillers

Tried vinegar --> quite effective but took me a week or so for the grasses to
die off and it was SMELLY as in vinegar was like an air
freshener gone sour.

[dumbledorf17]

When the weeds are really thick, the I Sodium Chlorate, Just follow directions. The effect can last up to 3 months.

[sakura]

Here's a recipe for a solution I found around the internet: Mix hree parts white vinegar to one part dishwashing liquid in a spray bottle. That should work in removing weeds, but note that it also works on any plant it comes in contact with. It's also noted that the solution works best on hot sunny days against young weeds. The older and hardier ones may be harder to get rid off.

[arianne]

I heard that smothering mulch works great in keeping weeds at bay. Layers of newspaper or cardboard with a few inches of partially finished compost can help weed seeds from germinating and helps feed the soil for your plants.

[fleurdelys]

Mulching is the way to go, or at least, as a preventive measure against weeds. Like any other plant, weeds need light to grow so covering them up with mulch can help keep them back. However, there are some weeds than can go through certain mulches or creep out on the sides. As previously mentioned, layer some newspaper over the soil before adding the mulch. Try installing edging as well to prevent the weeds from creeping out to the sides.

[farmerpiper]