Effective home made weedkiller

[0121modeller]

Hi, I was'nt sure where to post this, Off topic discussion maybe ? But for those who have a model railway around their garden may find this useful.

We've dense & thick brambly weeds in our back garden, about time I done something about them !... giving them a dose of Roundup may be sufficient for a small area, but I've quite a few of these weeds the 30ft length 1 side & rear of my back garden so I'd have to spend a lot of money on brandname weedkillers !

So searched on line > Home made weedkiller < & the following recipy came up ; 1 litre x white vinegar , cup of salt , tea-spoon of washing up liquid.
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source ... WPizUOl6MQ
Using large saucepan, boil white vinegar, salt & W.U.L , transfer to watering can & sprinkle over area of weeds.

Result from applying earlier today,


Above photo; I done these thursday, see those wilting leaves ? gone brown dead .

Just off now to get a few more bottles of white vinegar , at around 60p for a 550ml bottle of white vinegar & 60p for a tub of salt , I reckon I can do my whole garden for under £10 , Of course I'll have to pull the weeds out too, & maybe apply another dose to soil as to lessen the chance of them returning.

Dave.

[poliss]

There's an easier way. Treat them as your most prized plants that you want to grow really well and they'll be dead within a week.

[Essex2Visuvesi]

There's an easier way. Treat them as your most prized plants that you want to grow really well and they'll be dead within a week.

I know that feeling. I will give your recipe a go on our decking tho and report back

Another good weedkiller altho not as eco friendly is Antifreeze, several years ago my car (Fiat) deposited the contents of its cooling system all over my parents driveway. The weeds still haven't returned

NOT RECOMMENDED AS IT IS ACTUALLY ILLEGAL but useful and accidents do happen

[Bufferstop]

Dave, next time you need to treat that fence, just look for a wood treatment that doesn't claim to be plant friendly, and lay it on good and thick! The spot where they pre treated the timber for our garden cabin is still weed free four years on.

John W.

[Dad-1]

My Crazy Paving side paths & patio area are kepy clear by using boiling water ......
Every time you make a cup of tea or whatever you drink, there's some water remaining in the kettle.
Pour it along growth in the joins ..... no polution, no cost as you'd boiled it anyway.
Yes it needs repeating often, but 3-4 drinks a day usually gives enough to keep me weed free !!
Not much good for well established deep rooted weeds though.

Geoff T.

[0121modeller]

Thanks for replies,
Couple of drawbacks with solution in my opening post,

1. When heating up solution on cooker, the kitchen atmosphere is quite strong from vapourized vinegar fumes "cough cough", & the smell lingers for quite some time, so use extractor fan if fitted.

2. My wife was'nt very happy with me, as I used the last drop of washing up liquid we had !..., & to make situation worse, I'd forgot to get some W.U.L. yesterday when I went shopping I always seem to miss something on the shoping list she gives me, trust my luck W.U.L was the only item I'd forgot

Todays shopping trip out : More bottles of white vinegar, washing up liquid, & I'll pop in B&Q to get a gardening tool I've seen ( 4 prong claw), as I'll need to loosen over soil & dig out as many deep roots as possible.

Spocky - Yes thanks, thats correct, like many brand-name weedkillers & the said solution kills virtually all plants, weeds & grass & make the soil virtually un-usable for any growth for a long time, but, maybe a remedy would be; - after a few months replacing vinegar/salt soution treated soil with fresh soil/peat ?

Area I'm doing is all weeds & thorny brambles 18" wide from path to neighbours fence, x 30ft length, & a dense bramble growth across rear 14ft (width of garden) .
I'm certainly not much of a flower/gardening enthusiast, so my knowledge of weeds, flowers etc is very basic, however I aim for a positive result in eradicating those horrible brambles.

Bufferstop John, Yes thanks, that fence does look in need of a coating of wood preserver, so I'll see what's sold in B&Q & do what it says on the tin (where have I heard that before ?? ), keeping what you said in mind

Poliss, E2V , dad1 , thanks guys , I'll also keep in mind those factors / tips you've said

Dave.

[0121modeller]

Another assault on the weeds today, At 48p each I purchased 14 bottles in all, I've now these 5 left for another salvo tomorrow on the rear end of garden


Heres the ingredients crew,


Dead !,
I Just need to dig those roots out in a few days.


Below, the rear end of my garden which I'll start on tommorow.

Dave.