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Recommendation for natural herbicide

Sustainable Gardening & Food

Last Post by Toodles 4 weeks ago

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Mars

(@editor)

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Topic starter 09/09/2024 2:24 pm

We are organic, natural gardeners who avoid chemicals in our gardening practices. I’m looking for a natural herbicide to help control the grass and weeds that keep popping up on our driveway. In the summer, we’ve had success using a vinegar and salt mixture, but it really only works well in dry, hot weather. Does anyone have a suggestion for an effective natural herbicide that works in cooler or wetter conditions? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

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Majordennisbloodnok

(@majordennisbloodnok)

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09/09/2024 3:43 pm

Not entirely sure you're going to like my take on this, @editor, but the best control I've found - natural or otherwise - is a heavy duty membrane underneath the gravel. I saw on your "My Home Farm" site that you've recently gone through a process of renovating your driveway so if you haven't laid a membrane in the course of that then it'd probably be a pretty significant job to do now.

Worth bearing in mind, though, that your gravel doesn't mind being shifted about so a bit of judicious use of the hoe will work well and is surprisingly easy to do. Alternatively, and especially if you ever decide to get a battery and solar PV, you might want to think about an electric weed burner.

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Johnmo

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09/09/2024 3:52 pm

Posted by: @majordennisbloodnok

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is a heavy duty membrane underneath the gravel

We paid for this in a our last house, great for the first year, then blown debris and sand/soil made a great place for weeds to grow. Sorry would never bother again.

Natural herbicide no idea. Pull spend a few hours pulling the weeds!

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Mars

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Topic starter 09/09/2024 3:54 pm

Posted by: @johnmo

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Pull spend a few hours pulling the weeds!

We did that. It's ridiculously tiring because the driveway is about 30 metres long, and it doesn't end... they weeds come back relentlessly.

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Mars

(@editor)

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Topic starter 09/09/2024 3:57 pm

Posted by: @majordennisbloodnok

↑

you might want to think about an electric weed burner.

We’ve actually got one already! That’s not a bad idea. It’s a 2kW unit, so it can eat up some power, but on a sunny day when the PV is generating, it’s a great time to use it. I may take it out.

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Toodles

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09/09/2024 4:19 pm

@editor We have an electric weed scorcher; very cheap gadget from Mr. Lidl’s emporium a few years back, they feature every so often in spring and early summer. There is a very satisfying sound to weeds being scorched! Regards, Toodles.

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Toodles

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09/09/2024 4:21 pm

And having posted, there is now an advert that has appeared for a company carrying out weed kill spraying!😅 Toodles.

Toodles, 77 years young and hoping to see 100 and make some ROI on my renewable energy investment!

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Mars

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Topic starter 09/09/2024 5:39 pm

Posted by: @toodles

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And having posted, there is now an advert that has appeared for a company carrying out weed kill spraying!😅 Toodles.

🤣 The internet is always watching (and listening... and learning...) Yikes!

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Mars

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Topic starter 10/09/2024 8:31 am

Posted by: @toodles

↑

We have an electric weed scorcher; very cheap gadget from Mr. Lidl’s emporium a few years back, they feature every so often in spring and early summer. There is a very satisfying sound to weeds being scorched!

We've got this one (below). Is yours the same-ish?

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Toodles

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10/09/2024 9:33 am

Similarish- ish! Ours is badged as a Florabest Thermal Weed Killer Model FUV 2000 A1 (I’m sure the ‘A1’ makes it the best model! 😉) I hope you appreciate the background in the photo that I went out in the spitting rain to take a few minutes back. The short power lead is plugged into a beefy extension lead and there is a cable retainer moulded into the handle which I use to hold the extension lead thus avoiding the plug and socket trailing. As to powering…. err.. not today, the typical yield from the 21 panels grosses approx. 0.3 kW and has been doing so for a few days now.🥲 though I have seen bursts of 1.5 kW momentarily.) Our weed killer usually takes 7-10 seconds to complete the scorching of a weed - I don’t envy you Mars with 100 metres of driveway to weed! Regards, Toodles.

This post was modified 4 weeks ago 2 times by Toodles

Toodles, 77 years young and hoping to see 100 and make some ROI on my renewable energy investment!

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