Weedkiller that actually works?
Discussion
I have a patch of what was once hardcore/hard standing, that's now filled with & overtaken by weeds, long grass, moss etc. I just want to spray something on it & have everything green die & ideally not grow back for a while but nothing I use seems to work - does anyone have any recommendations?
jfdi said:
Yep, a bottle of this may seem expensive but when diluted as per instructions I don't expect to have to buy anymore weed killer for the next 20 years. Takes a week or 2 to take effect in but boy does kill everything. Even the bramble.
FYI most chemicals will deteriorate over time even when stored correctly, so you might not get much effect in even a few years time.jfdi said:
Yep, a bottle of this may seem expensive but when diluted as per instructions I don't expect to have to buy anymore weed killer for the next 20 years. Takes a week or 2 to take effect in but boy does kill everything. Even the bramble.
That's what I've got. I use one of those pressurised pump sprayers to dilute and apply it. Main problem i have is that I use so little of it (as it gets diluted something like 40-to-1), the bottle must be nearly 10 years old now and I worry that it isn't as effective as it was. Still seems to kill the weeds off though.boyse7en said:
jfdi said:
Yep, a bottle of this may seem expensive but when diluted as per instructions I don't expect to have to buy anymore weed killer for the next 20 years. Takes a week or 2 to take effect in but boy does kill everything. Even the bramble.
That's what I've got. I use one of those pressurised pump sprayers to dilute and apply it. Main problem i have is that I use so little of it (as it gets diluted something like 40-to-1), the bottle must be nearly 10 years old now and I worry that it isn't as effective as it was. Still seems to kill the weeds off though.Nothing you can buy in a garden centre or DIY barn (all proudly glyphosate-free) is worth a s
t. They contain pelargonic acid or acetic acid (yes, strong vinegar) and they do nothing except scorch the foliage you spray them directly onto. Does nothing more than picking the leaves or hitting them with a weed burner would do.

otolith said:
Nothing you can buy in a garden centre or DIY barn (all proudly glyphosate-free) is worth a s
t.
So they've finally got rid of the last active ingredient in the garden market that actually did something have they, in the mistaken belief it kills bees...? Damn shame. Well done hippies.
Simpo Two said:
So they've finally got rid of the last active ingredient in the garden market that actually did something have they, in the mistaken belief it kills bees...? Damn shame. Well done hippies.

I think it is largely down to a somewhat dubious decision in a US lawsuit alleging it gave someone cancer which has put the wind up the retailers.
Simpo Two said:
otolith said:
Nothing you can buy in a garden centre or DIY barn (all proudly glyphosate-free) is worth a s
t.
So they've finally got rid of the last active ingredient in the garden market that actually did something have they, in the mistaken belief it kills bees...? Damn shame. Well done hippies.
mikey_b said:
Glyphosate doesn't kill bees - it's just carcinogenic (in large quantities). You can buy it on Amazon easily enough - Roundup is the brand.
Indirectly, glyphosate does most likely kill bees.https://animalmicrobiome.biomedcentral.com/article...
I too (following PH advice) have spilled some Ammonium Sulphamate accidentally and it does indeed kill the weeds.
However, the most cost effective and easiest solution I've found, was doubling up on 'tree and stump killer' from roundup.
£18 from wilko's is much easier than Ammonium Sulphamate - although you feel naughtier with the latter!
However, the most cost effective and easiest solution I've found, was doubling up on 'tree and stump killer' from roundup.
£18 from wilko's is much easier than Ammonium Sulphamate - although you feel naughtier with the latter!
mikey_b said:
Glyphosate doesn't kill bees - it's just carcinogenic (in large quantities).
It's the usual thing - if you go swimming in neat glyphosate it may indeed kill you eventually. But in the amounts used to kill weeds, no.NB the bee reference was due to a person I knew getting it confused with neonicotinoids. As an active social media campaigner with no science, any long word was treated with suspicion.
Simpo Two said:
NB the bee reference was due to a person I knew getting it confused with neonicotinoids. As an active social media campaigner with no science, any long word was treated with suspicion.
Neonicotinoids are intended to kill bees, but there is evidence that glyphosate impacts bees and their digestion.Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff