With all the rains we've had this summer, no doubt weeds are rampant. If your autopilot is on when you go to buy herbicide, turn
it off and consider these alternatives instead.
Store bought cider vinegar is amazing stuff. Mix a squirt of
dish soap to a gallon of vinegar to help it stick to leaves. This is acid, and
will burn the leaves. You may have to spray difficult to kill weeds more than
once (like Bermuda grass). There is also a more potent vinegar available.
Horticultural Vinegar (at 20% acidity), available at Amazon.com. This usually
works with one spray, and will certainly save you money over buying expensive
and dangerous chemical herbicides. To apply, spray on small weeds (always best
to get ‘em really small no matter what you use). Avoid spraying vinegar where
you want plants to grow as it can alter the pH of the soil.
The Weed Dragon (brand name) works great on small GREEN weeds,
especially around sidewalks, driveways and patios. It is available online and
in some Ace Hardware stores. To kill weeds, you only need to run the flame over
the weed until it wilts. The intent is not to actually burn them, just to burst
the water in plant cells. The bonus is you will also kill weed seeds on the
ground!
And then there is the good old fashioned Hula-ho, which
works by slipping under the weed and minimally disturbing the soil. This hoe is
better than the standard hoe for this reason, since the more soil you disturb,
the more you bury weed seeds.
If you’ve got a particularly stubborn weed infested spot and
want to kill off everything, cover the area with heavy duty CLEAR 4 or 5 mil
plastic. Secure the edges and leave there for the entire summer. I guarantee
nothing will be left by the end of August, including soil borne diseases.
However, this will also kill beneficial insects, just so you know.
So before you buy chemical weed killer think about the cost
to the environment and your budget. Alternatives are actually less expensive,
and safer for you, your family, pets, and the planet.
