# Weeds



## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Have had some new paving laid and the remainder looks nice alongside, but it does need some weeds to be dealt with, what is recommended.We have no animals to worry about.Needs to be a spray or liquid based for ease of use.

cabby


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

WE use the stuff in red bottles from Aldi. I chuck one bottle into a 10 litre spray and it works well!


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

We just used two days ago Cabby, stuff from Sainsbury's. A couple of tubes a time into a 10 ltr watering can did the trick on our front driveway. Took three goes to cover not a very big area. Sorry mate, can't think what it was called though.:frown2:

Steve


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Groundclear: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bayer-Gard...470899489&sr=8-3&keywords=residual+weedkiller

contains glyphosate (same stuff as Roundup) and some imazapyr. Glyphosate will kill pretty much any green tissue showing on your paving and imazapyr has some residual action, which means that it stays on the ground and will help prevent new seeds germinating while it slowly degrades over a few months.

http://www.invasive.org/gist/products/handbook/17.imazapyr.pdf

These days most of the powerful residual weedkillers have been banned as the ingredients, mainly simazine which was quite effective at preventing germination, was making it's way into water courses due mainly to bad farming practices. So a useful chemical was banned because farmers abused it.

Your weed killing need is shared by every council everywhere and at the minute there seems to be no environmentally safe answer to it. Mild acids are being trialled, even vinegar but it's not going down well with the public because it stinks. Good story http://www.itv.com/news/west/2016-04-25/vinegar-weed-killer-kicking-up-a-stink/


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

most weedkillers (and insecticides/fungicides) are toxic in some form or fashion and as a result, there are fewer and fewer ones available for domestic use.

even glyphosate is under review as it has been shown to be carcinogenic, but so far it's still available - and about the only weedkiller that is of any use.

an alternative for hard surface weeds is to get a flamethrower and burn them off - much more satisfying than spraying anyway! 


***wonder if napalm is still available??***


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

Gallup 360 is another glyphosate weedkiller that I've found very effective. You can buy larger quantities which are much more cost effective if you think you need that much.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/GLYPHOSATE...TF8&qid=1470902337&sr=8-3&keywords=gallup+360


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

The glysophate argument is an interesting one. It's under review and may be banned because it "probably causes cancer". https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/mar/21/roundup-cancer-who-glyphosate-

I make no comment on that but as you say it's pretty much the only effective weedkiller we're left with.

I've recently compared flame guns to weed spraying and found spraying much easier, many times faster and less expensive. BTW because I was a landscape contractor for many years and so have an interest in the topic I was curious as to how people would manage as their armoury slowly disappeared. I've been out of landscaping only 8 years and most of the weedkillers we used then have gone.

For those who are interested, you should always spray a contact or systemic weed killer on and not apply it with a watering can. Using a watering can you will get run off due because even the smallest volume you can apply is too great to avoid it. With a well atomised spray applied sparingly (don't soak) the droplets will stay on the leaves and be absorbed.

If that's too detailed for some please ignore it. It's posted in the hope that it will be informative or helpful to those who want to know. There's a lot more to it but I'll spare you it unless somebody asks.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

peribro said:


> Gallup 360 is another glyphosate weedkiller that I've found very effective. You can buy larger quantities which are much more cost effective if you think you need that much.
> 
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/GLYPHOSATE...TF8&qid=1470902337&sr=8-3&keywords=gallup+360


That's the right stuff if you don't want or need any residual effect, in other words it will only kill what's green now and can't prevent new seeds germinating.

I'd buy and use the Gallup but I might need to apply it twice or maybe three times a year, which is quick and easy with a sprayer if done correctly, but most people want something long lasting, a residual action.


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

erneboy said:


> That's the right stuff if you don't want or need any residual effect, in other words it will only kill what's green now and can't prevent new seeds germinating.
> 
> I'd buy and use the Gallup but I might need to apply it twice or maybe three times a year, which is quick and easy with a sprayer if done correctly, *but most people want something long lasting, a residual action.*


I agree there but the availability of something effective that fits is zero. but even in the old days I never really found residual weedkillers to be that good as seeds are always blowing in from somewhere. I have a large gravel drive which is old so has a lot of soil build up from the years, and weeds love it. a combination of glyphosate spray and manual weeding keeps it in check most of the time. and then there are the weeds that are so bloody difficult to get rid of that it's a constant battle - bindweed, ground elder etc - but those aren't in my gravel but amongst the rest of the garden where it's tough to spray so we resort to manual weeding for them.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Try just shooting the difficult ones with whatever you can get with 2,4D in it. Although glysophate based weedkillers will claim to be effective on most things there is quite a wide range of broad leaved weeds it's not at all good on. Ground elder and dandelions / docks being examples where it won't do much and it is practically useless against well established nettles and brambles.

Many products sold as selective lawn weedkillers contain 2,4D and will get most of the weeds glyphosate doesn't. Obviously it's no substitute for glyphosate on the weeds it is effective against.

Always mist spray on, don't soak, it'll run off. That the single best tip I can give for effective spraying. The nozzle needs to be in good condition, buy a new one if it isn't atomising the spray and a watering can is not at all good for applying contact or systemic products.


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## dovtrams (Aug 18, 2009)

Roundup for me; I buy a 5 litre spray can in March, spray about 3 times during the year and that keeps the paving and surrounding areas weed free. Easy to use and takes about 10 minutes each time. Great feeling using the spray gun; Marshall Dillon is a pussy compared to me and my gun!!

Dave


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

I know all that but I'd prefer not to spray amongst our mature plants just to get at a few weeds - hence our preference to hand weed the more invasive ones. this has worked well against ground elder and brambles (assuming you can dig the deep root out) but - as usual - bindweed is the biggest problem especially when it is coming from under hard surfaces where you cant get at the roots. the only way here is management by clearing any growth and starving the root of nutrients from photosynthesis - it takes a long time but does gradually weaken the plant. thankfully I don't have huge amounts of bindweed to start with. 

SBK Tough Weedkiller is good for any tree growth - certainly eliminated a eucalyptus when (after being chainsawed down) I drilled into the base and poured neat SBK into the holes. also worked on buddleia, ash and sycamore seedlings that had started to develop trunks.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

You could paint it on to the growing tips. That's what we did in among plants. Just a small quantity diluted around 50/50 and brush it on sparingly with a half inch or inch brush. It works well and is easy and quick.

There used to be a product called a weed wiper for doing it. That just a wick (various sizes and shapes) at the end of a hollow handle. There's also a weed glove which has a sponge on the palm or fingers and a small reservoir. I'll have a look and see if I can find them.


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

I've tried various "paint on" methods - found them a PITA to do with limited success to be honest. a bit of hand weeding is by far the most effective - once you have controlled most, it then becomes maintenance rather than hard work.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Yes getting it under control is the answer, then it's easy.

I'm a sucker for trying the toys. Here's a type of weed wiper I haven't tried https://www.progreen.co.uk/equipment/handheld-applicators/hand-held-weedstick I may buy one and give it a go.

I also bought a flame gun recently, not having used one for years, and found it very slow and inconvenient compared to spraying.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Diesel............................ kills anything and cheap. I do mix it with the Glycol something.

Ray.


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

raynipper said:


> Diesel............................ kills anything and cheap. I do mix it with the Glycol something.
> 
> Ray.


combined with a flamegun and .......WHOOOOMP!! nfire:


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Petrol would be better Ray. Don't forget to video it when you light it.


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

erneboy said:


> I also bought a flame gun recently, not having used one for years, and found it very slow and inconvenient compared to spraying.


Likewise - I experimented with a lance type flame thrower recently and the results were very disappointing - singed weeds that then started growing again so looked even worse. Possibly I wasn't cremating them enough but a painfully slow process compared to spraying.


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