Re: Organic weed killers
perennials@hort.net
  • Subject: Re: Organic weed killers
  • From: C* I* <1*@rewrite.hort.net>
  • Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2014 10:40:28 -0400
I often add a tiny tiny bit of mild soap when watering things that soil has 
dried out (containers). It breaks up the water tension and helps soak the 
soil faster
C
On Jun 30, 2014, at 10:14 AM, Christopher P. Lindsey <1002@rewrite.hort.net> 
wrote:

> ----- Original Message -----
>> I’ve had some luck with vinegar. I have a friend that swore by
>> boiling water.
> 
> I second Cheryl's vinegar solution, although a stronger vinegar solution
> is best.  Thistle is especially vulnerable to vinegar, but many other
> plants will be unfazed by the ~5% strength stuff that you can buy
> in the store.
> 
> 20% concentration is much more effective, and it's actually available
> online from many different suppliers.  You could pay $25 for a gallon
> with shipping through Amazon, but local farm supply companies might
> have it for less.
> 
> Whether you go with 5% or 20% vinegar, adding a little dishwashing
> soap to the solution will help it stick to leaves and break down
> any oils the plant might use as a defense. Just mix it all up,
> put it in a sprayer, and spray the leaves of whatever you want
> to kill.  Whatever it touches will be damaged or killed, although
> you might have to respray later if new growth comes up from the
> base.
> 
> I've seen some online recipes that involve salt, but I won't use
> it because it could affect the soil and many of my plants have salt
> sensitivity.
> 
> Here's an older article about it:
> 
>   http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2002/020515.htm
> 
> For sidewalk cracks I've also used a blowtorch (mostly because it's
> fun burning weeds).  It didn't work very well in the garden.
> 
> And, of course, there's the old Borax trick for removing creeping
> charlie:
> 
>    http://www.extension.umn.edu/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/h519borax.html
> 
> Just make sure that you don't do it too often or else everything will die 
> from boron
> toxicity.
> 
> I hope that helps!
> 
> Chris
> 
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