weedkiller

[newbiee]

OK, I give in!  Although I garden organically I am beaten by weeds and nettles in certain areas on my land and have now decided to resort to weedkiller.

Can anybody recommend a brand which kills the weed it is directly applied to please?

Thanks

[Pierre ZFP]

Agent Orange?

I've sometimes been tempted to resort to that, but resisted so far.  What I use is a systemic herbicide which can be applied sparingly and targeted at the offending plants thus reducing (not entirely eliminating) the environmental impact that a broad indiscriminate spraying might have.  Look for anything containing Glycolphosphate. Not completely safe but will break down eventually in contact with the soil.  Not perfect I know but I do sympathise with your problem.

I get mine from Point Vert who have some good 'no name' stuff in this line which is cheaper/stronger than the Weedol that is usually on offer.

[buckdendave]

Yes that's the stuff - actually its "Glyphosate".  Commercial brands in the UK include "Roundup" and many others.  It's a systemic and in my experince can be used to spot weed if you are careful. 

Chlorate weedkiller works differently and should only be used on paths and in places where nothing else in the vicinity is expected to grow. 

[Patf]

We get our chicken feed from the Silos in Mirande, and they sell a huge range of agricutural/garden products. eg assorted weedkillers, grass seed, disinfectant powder for animal housing etc. Tends to be in large amounts, but cheaper than in the shops. I expect most market towns have a silo.

[Cat]

As you garden organically, you might not be too keen on using Roundup for ethical reasons. 

http://www.orpheusweb.co.uk/john.rose/round.html

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/monsanto_movie080307

 

[Jonzjob]

Blimey at, that makes you think doesn't it?

I phoned Monsanto in the U.K. about 18 months ago to ask a couple of questions. The woman I spoke to was very pleasent and helpful and full of bull!!

I have always been under the impression that GM foods is a Pandora's Box that we can't afford to open no matter how much the profit is!!

Back on track, if you can cut the nettles, let them dry for a few days then burn them on the spot that should get rid of that lot for a fair while. The problem is that the seeds will get back there and they will growagain unless you really leep the area tidy.

Nettles and wild garlic make a lovely soup [:D]...

[Cat]

The joke about agent orange really wasn't that far from the truth in Monsanto's case, scary.

[Pierre ZFP]

True and those articles have given me food for thought.  Perhaps I will stick to digging weeds out with my spoon (I dream of being able to upgrade to a trowel)

[Higgy]

We have used Sodium Chlorate in the powder form to try to keep the unwanted weeds from the

driveway and underneath the caravan but all to no avail.  Roundup did the job.  Got it from our

local Allotment Clubhouse shop.

[chris pp]

The World According to Monsanto - documentary. First shown on ARTE recently, English version on the link or from the main page of planetepassion.com

http://video.google.fr/videoplay?docid=-842180934463681887

Chris

 

[inkflo]

Try borrowing & tethering someone's goat for a few days.