Posts Tagged ‘weed killer’

Some Green Alternatives to Chemical Weedkillers

Many people love their gardens and the environment, but unfortunately there seems to be a trade off between a lovely weed free garden and using toxic but effective chemical weed killers.  However don’t worry, there is a way to keep your garden in good repair without having to use these chemicals.  It’s simple, just find out which of the Green and environmentally friendly weed killers is most effective for you.

It is perfectly possible to look after a garden organically, and is actually not as difficult as you might imagine.After all their have been beautiful gardens for centuries, in fact long before chemicals and weed killers have existed.These gardens of the past must have used environmentally friendly methods of weed control, so you can too.

But first before zooming on to the green weed killers, you should think for a minute about the apparent effectiveness of these chemicals everyone seems to use.

They are expensive, harmful to many plants as well as pets and even children.There are bigger risks too, potentially they can end up seeping into our water systems.For example rain can carry these chemicals whcih have been recently applied into the water through drainage systems and storm drains.Also seeping into the soil, and then to streams, rivers, ponds and wells.

In fact there’s so many risks of using these chemicals – it really doesn’t seem worth it.So this is all very well, but are there any alternatives. Well fortunately there are many ways of dealing with weeds without all these nasty chemicals.

Ordinary Salt

Mixed with water and then appied directly on to the offending weeds.This definitely is effective but you need to be careful where you use it. Salt water on the soil will sterilise for all plants too.

Vinegar

This is a very, very effective weed killer, all you need to do is to pour it directly on the roots of any weed.If you mix it up with washing up liquid or detergent, then spay the misture onto weeds also works well.You can also use lemon juice, but unfortunately this can be expensive. However if you have access to lemons it’s a fantasticly effective green weed killer.

Water

Yes even humble water, if boiled first can be used to scald and destroy weeds.It’s obviously a very cheap option, but of course don’t get it on your other plants as they will also be affected.

Tabasco Sauce

Another heat based approach, surprisingly many very successful gardeners use this spicy sauce to control weeds.

As well as using some or all of these tips, in some cases manual intervention will do the trick  .Leave whatever weed killers you have used for a day or two, then remove the dying ones to finish them off.  It’s important here to get all the roots of the weed rather than just a few leaves or the stem.  If you leave the root in then there is a very good chance that the weed will resprout.

For those of use who’s back has seen better days, then getting at roots can be difficult – try using a gardening hoe to hack the roots out.  It’s certain that some deep rooted weeds may even survive.  You’ll then need a hand rake or a cultivator so that you can dig them out completely.

Powerful Weed Killer – War on Dandelions?

Getting rid of those pesky weeds in your front yard can be a real headache, there’s a huge temptation to buying a really powerful weed killer. You pull them over and over again but they just keep coming back. My young son makes some handy cash by clearing my lawn of dandelions by pulling them up, of course the next day they’re back all over my lawn again again! It can also be very frustrating to buy a product that is supposed to obliterate the weeds but the little devils just seem to be invincible. There are a few tips that homeowners should know before they spend a fortune on weed killers that just do not do the job.

One mistake that some people make is that they believe granular weed killers will work better than liquid products. In fact, liquid weed killers can cover an area more thoroughly than the granular forms. You can also more effectively do spot treatments of lawn weeds with liquid products. It is important to note that putting a heavier dose of the weed killer on your weeds is not going to be more effective at killing the weeds. It is just going to be effective at killing your pocketbook.

Another mistake some homeowners make is that they do not read the labels of the weed killers they buy. Some products may start to work in a few hours and some may not work for a few days. Many weed killers need to stay on the weed for 24 hours without rain or irrigation. The label should also clarify what exactly the product will kill. You don’t want to spray your lawn with weed killer and then wake up the next morning to find you have no lawn at all. If you have pets, then you also need to especially look out for weed killers that may be harmful to them.

Many homeowners do not realize that weed killers that can be classified as “pre-emergence herbicides” and “post-emergent herbicides.” Pre-emergence herbicides work well on crabgrass and can be applied a few weeks before weeds are expected. Post-emergence herbicides are used for perennial broadleaf weeds and are used after the weeds have emerged.

Timing is very important when it comes to the application of pre-emergence herbicides. If these weed killers are applied too early, then weather will dilute them and weeds will go ahead and grow anyway. Timing is also important when it comes to using post-emergence herbicides. If you procrastinate with your weeds, then they will just become more of a problem and spread throughout your lawn.

In addition to buying chemicals and powerful weed killers that can wipe out weeds, homeowners should also look into products that will help their lawns flourish. A thick lawn can actually shade out weeds. It is recommended that you keep your lawn mowed at about three inches to shade the weeds. Weak spots in a lawn can be places where weeds will thrive. Nourishing your lawn with a good fertilizer can help your beautiful grass battle back the weeds.

Homeowners should not let weeds frustrate them. They are just a part of landscaping and gardening. With a little research, and perhaps a little patience, homeowners can get to the root of their weed problems and find the right solution.