Ha, you may well be right @JennyJ, I was going on the premise that the much promoted "New Roundup" which pushes the fact it has no glyphosate was supposed to be as effective as the old version. I would certainly trust the RHS over the manufacturers. I confess I hadn't heard of the use for flower / fruit thinning sounds as bad as the use of herbicides to hasten the ripening of cereal crops. To go back to the OP's question, I think carefully used herbicide is better than random putting chemicals such as salt which can leach and do permanent damage to surrounding soil.
@bede For anyone who sees gardening as a battle perhaps they need to take up a new hobby. Gardening should make you feel happy not miserable. It is the 'battle' element that is killing the environment.
I use "battle" in the sense of sport. Like a MU vs MC local derby.
I will choose my own hobbies, thank you.
location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand. "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
The new weedkillers which contain no glysophate now are acetic acid, vinegar. It doesn’t work long term.
Taken from a simple google search:
"Shorter chain fatty acids (9-carbon chains or less) have herbicidal properties, so using materials containing short chain fatty acids can kill plants. For example, oleic acid — an 18-chain carbon-based fatty acid that is present in olive oil and other vegetable oils — is very effective as an insecticidal soap"
Correct -ish but a bit muddled logic.
Also from google:
Herbicide Attributes of Acetic Acid
First, acetic acid acts as a contact herbicide, meaning it impacts only the parts of the plant it touches. Acetic acid ruptures plant cells, causing fluids to leak and plant tissues to dry out. It does not translocate or move within the plant to the roots or other plant parts.
This explains why acetic acid (let's call it malt vinegar) is only short term, it doesn't kill the roots. Except by repeatedly killing the top growth that feeds the roots..
location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand. "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
Hmm. "controlling annual and perennial weeds " (not killing them) and "repeat as necessary" (they'll grow back). Not exactly lying, but clever weasel-words.
No, I meant they are lying about it being acetic acid. Someone said these type of weed killers are not acetic acid.
"Lying" is a strong word, you need to make sure you are right. If they say it is acetic acid, I would believe them, If pelargonic acid (or nonionic acid)I would believe them too.
location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand. "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
Dove is right to ask if we could have a photo--if you have bindweed from below, then it will require a different approach from weeds collecting in crevices. After a similar experience to yourself with glyphosate spray, which I now never use any more, I now try mechanical removal first of all--if you keep it up enough, it will keep the weeds less obtrusive. The implement recommended by Erics Mum is brilliant for other uses, or a garden knife (that you don't mind blunting) scraped hard into the crack. Catching them when they are seedlings is a very good technique. However, as I speak, I have Welsh poppies, dandelion and pellitory in my front path! And ant nests to go with them...
Sometimes people make a virtue out of necessity. You can let attractive plants like Erigeron karvinskianus, Campanula poscharskyana and other low plants infiltrate instead, for example by sprinkling seed once you've weeded the ones you don't want. I once had a terrace with cracks in which I grew a minute Sisyrinchium angustifolium and Sedum acre...
My patio is growing Knautica which seeded from the plants round the corner. I left them cos I'm hoping next year they'll blow further and reach the border on the left.
Posts
I confess I hadn't heard of the use for flower / fruit thinning sounds as bad as the use of herbicides to hasten the ripening of cereal crops.
To go back to the OP's question, I think carefully used herbicide is better than random putting chemicals such as salt which can leach and do permanent damage to surrounding soil.
I use "battle" in the sense of sport. Like a MU vs MC local derby.
I will choose my own hobbies, thank you.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
"Shorter chain fatty acids (9-carbon chains or less) have herbicidal properties, so using materials containing short chain fatty acids can kill plants. For example, oleic acid — an 18-chain carbon-based fatty acid that is present in olive oil and other vegetable oils — is very effective as an insecticidal soap"
Correct -ish but a bit muddled logic.
Also from google:
This explains why acetic acid (let's call it malt vinegar) is only short term, it doesn't kill the roots. Except by repeatedly killing the top growth that feeds the roots..
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
Online clothes shop. Travel agent. Fast food chain. Become more slovenly ... the list is endless.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
Sometimes people make a virtue out of necessity. You can let attractive plants like Erigeron karvinskianus, Campanula poscharskyana and other low plants infiltrate instead, for example by sprinkling seed once you've weeded the ones you don't want. I once had a terrace with cracks in which I grew a minute Sisyrinchium angustifolium and Sedum acre...