Nigel really wanted to be in this month’s photo
and what a good stink eye he's giving!
Wild Weed Showdown
Howdy,
30 years ago, I hired a gardener to help me with my yard chores. My job was to plant, fertilize and oversee the weeds, his job was to mow- blow-and-go.
I’ll admit, I’d get behind on the weeds and this would distress him to the point that he’d begin giving an evil eye to myself AND the weeds.
As the weeds grew each week, I’d watch him scan my yard with disgust, his right eye and fingers twitching to reach for his sprayer of herbicides like a gunslinger at high noon. I knew he’d reached the breaking point, and it was time to make my move. So, the crazy, organic, horse lady (me) would stroll out of the house holding a pink spray bottle, ready for a weed killing showdown with my gardener.
Ahh those were days! Today, we both co-exist with respect for each other’s weed killing practices and don’t feel the need for a monthly face-off in the garden. Especially since he knows that I’ll eventually get to those pesky weeds and trusts that my nontoxic herbicide choices REALLY work.
TIP
#1
Safety Precautions – Couple of things to know before applying
-
Don’t spray in your vegetable garden unless you want to kill your veg!
-
Don’t’ spray if your dog loves to eat weird things like salt, vinegar and soap!
-
Don’t wear open toe shoes unless you want to burn your toes! If you get it anywhere on your skin rinse off immediately with cool water!
-
Don’t get it in your eyes! If you get it on your eye rinse immediately with cool water!
-
Don’t’ spray on colored unsealed concreate, do a small surface test on your walk paths before you use.
TIP
#2
Mixing and Storing Instructions
Mix this recipe together in a recycled plastic beverage container, (I like to use my OJ or lemonade bottles that have been properly rinsed out). Using a funnel, poor solution into your sprayer (do this in your sink) careful not to get on your hands. This recipe will last 1 week if you store it in a cool dark place (not the refer).
TIP
#3
The Sun Is Your Best Friend
The best time to apply this spray is in the morning right before the sun becomes hot and intense. Spray directly onto the leaves and stems making sure you completely cover the entire plant. Only minutes after you have sprayed you’ll begin to notice the weeds burning to a crisp!
I’m not gonna lie I get a personal satisfaction watching them dry up and shrivel back into the cracks without using toxic chemicals!
TIP
#5
Repeat, Repeat, Repeat
Last by not least, keep trying because nature is tenacious and sometimes once is just not enough.
TIP
#6
Click on Photo For Weed Killer Recipe
TIP
#4
Walk Paths and Driveways
This recipe works best for driveways and walk paths where weeds pop up in-between the cracks. This recipe doesn’t work very good on crabgrass or nutgrass however, do try because sometimes depending on how deep the root are it could kill them.