Archive Tip of the Week
TIP OF THE WEEK
5/15/09
The War on Weeds
Recent rains have resulted in rampant growth, and I’m not just talking about my lawn and ornamentals. I’m talking about weeds, which have taken over every bed on my property. During the past couple of weeks, I removed the bulk of them either by hand or with a scuffle hoe, but within days more began to appear in the same areas. That’s because the scuffle hoe, though effective, disturbs the soil and causes weed seeds that are laying in wait to germinate to reach the soil surface and receive the sunlight they need to grow.
So rather than use the hoe again, I decided to try an all-natural herbicide called Burn Out. Its active ingredients are clove oil and sodium lauryl sulfate (soap), but it also includes vinegar, lecithin, citric acid, and mineral oil.
To be honest, I had my doubts about how effective it would be on really tough weeds such as dandelions and perennial grasses. But let me tell you, this stuff really works. I sprayed every kind of weed imaginable, and within hours many of them were dead. And the dandelions and grasses were goners by the following day. In fact, here’s a shot of a dandelion just 24 hours after being sprayed.
Keep in mind that Burn Out is a non-selective herbicide, which means it’ll kill anything green, so be careful how and where you apply it. Use a piece of cardboard or other material to shield plants you don’t want it to come in contact with.
Burn Out is available from Gardener’s Supply Company (www.gardeners.com). A 24-ounce spray bottle sells for $13.95.
WEEDS!!!!!!
DEAD WEED!!!!!
