What Is a Strong Weed Killer?
What Is a Strong Weed Killer?. Commercial weed killers are available at many department, hardware and home improvement stores -- as well as nurseries and claim to kill every nuisance plant under the sun. Gardeners turn to these herbicides every season in an effort to rid their gardens of encroaching weeds, but do-it-yourselfers looking for a more...
Commercial weed killers are available at many department, hardware and home improvement stores -- as well as nurseries and claim to kill every nuisance plant under the sun. Gardeners turn to these herbicides every season in an effort to rid their gardens of encroaching weeds, but do-it-yourselfers looking for a more economical solution often make their weed killers using everyday products. These products are usually safer for use in the environment.
Salt
Salt has been used for centuries by gardeners to kill off unwanted weeds. Rock salt or table salt has been used to kill the weeds and prevent additional weeds from growing. The downside to using salt to kill weeds is that other plants will be affected as well, possibly killing wanted plants. The general consensus among gardeners is to mix 1 part salt to 2 parts boiling water; the higher salt content will increase the weed killing capability. Pour the water directly onto the plants once a day for a few days; the plants will start to wilt.
Dish Liquid
Although effective, salt can be harsh, which is why some gardeners turn to using dish liquid to choke off growing weeds. Like the saltwater mix, the soapier the water, the more effective it'll be. Realize the dish liquid ---which is mixed similarly to the saltwater --- still needs about 1/2 the amount of salt, as the detergent alone won't be as successful in killing off stubborn weeds. Apply the soapy salted water (it doesn't have to be boiling) directly onto weeds. This mix won't, however, eliminate weeds from seeding in areas where they aren't already growing.
Plastics
Sheets of black plastic are an alternative to using mixed solutions to kill weeds. The plastic can be cut to size to fit in or around flower beds or gardens or placed directly over areas where weeds grow rampant. The plastic must be black, which blocks sunlight. Since the color black absorbs rather than reflects sunlight, weeds are overheated during dry conditions and essentially "cooked" in place. Seeds that are subsoil are "baked" as well, as the plastic also heats up soil temperatures to well above favorable conditions and inhibits the seeds from growing.
Commerical Weed Killers
The old standbys of commercially bought weed killers are still popular. These are chemically based herbicides that must not come in contact with other growing flowers or vegetable plants -- or you'll run the risk of contamination. Always follow the directions on the chemicals' packaging, and never mix two separate herbicides.
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