I had a huge english ivy plant growing on the wall of a home that I purchased. It grew from a narrow strip of soil between the house and a concrete patio. It was reaching up 2 stories heading into the roof flashing. It Had to go... There seemed to be one thicker portion of vine. I got out my trusty drill fitted with 1/4 or 3/8 inch bit and drilled down at a steep angle to what I supposed was the center of this very large stem. Placed a small funnel in the hole and slowly poured Roundup in the funnel. It just kept going in!! I was amazed!!! Probably fed between an third and a whole cup into the plant. It died and I let it over winter and pulled the dead remains easily off the wall the following spring. I have no clue if I used just enough or way too much roundup, but I was happy to not have to spray near other plantings that I wanted to keep.
Thank you for sharing! This seems like an effective way of killing off an invasive species, safely.
I would like to have a recipe for a homemade weed killer.
One good natural weed killer involves boiling water. Simply boil water and pour it directly onto weeds. The high temperature will damage the cell structure of the plants, effectively killing them. This method is best suited for areas where you want to prevent any vegetation growth, as it doesn't discriminate between weeds and desired plants, however this is my preferred method.
Here are some more tips:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/weeds/safer-alternatives-to-roundup.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/weeds/using-organic-herbicides.htm
I removed all shrubs in beds this fall and covered beds with pine straw/ lots of weeds growing through pine straw/ I want to plant shrubs this spring. What should I do to the weeds growing in the beds?
The best way will be to pull what you can, and kill the rest with boiling water. This will leave your mulch and soil intact with no toxic residue. Another thing that you can try is smothering the area with cardboard. I don't prefer this as much, but it is still a safe bet.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/weeds/boiling-water-and-plants.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/organic/reusing-cardboard-in-gardens.htm
I have existing perennials in my flower beds and have a terrible time getting rid of existing grass. Seems like I never get the roots of the grass and some may have \"attached\" to some roots of my flowers. What a pain! I have 1 area that has only Hybiscus (huge) and many daffodils and the grass has clups growing in between and then at the base of the Hybiscus. Want to save the huge Hybiscus as they are from my Mom and are 20+ years old and gorgeous. Please help....Thank You! Carole
The preferred method for most will be to place cardboard on the weedy areas and wet it. Leave it until everything under it is killed off. Then you can remove and have something else established in its place.
Another option is selective chemical herbicides.
Selective herbicides such as fluazifop-p-butyl, clethodim, and sethoxydim are commonly used to control grasses while sparing broadleaf plants in various settings like lawns and gardens. They selectively target and manage unwanted grassy growth, preserving the desired vegetation.
this article will offer more information:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/weeds/grass-growing-in-flower-bed.htm
I use bags of expensive compost every year and have noticed my garden is now covered in one type of weed which I don’t recognise but it is everywhere. I had a bag left over from last year and where the bag was torn these weeds were growing from the holes. My question is can bought compost contain weed seeds?
It can, but typically a properly turned and heated compost won't contain any seeds. You can use boiling water to kill them off without harming the soil, though.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/basics/heating-up-compost-pile.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/basics/storing-compost.htm
I have quite a few Amaryllis plants in my gardens beds and they are being over run by nut grass. I have read you can treat nut grass naturally with sugar and i was wondering if this will hurt my Amaryllis plants.
Unfortunately, getting rid of these pests is not easy. Hand pulling will be your best bet using natural methods. It takes persistence. There are selective herbicides that will only target the nut grass, and leave the amaryllis alone. This requires knowing the species. They are also synthetic, however.
Another option will be to dig them all up when they are resting after flowering. This can be a slowdown in growth, or dieback of leaves. Once they are dug up, you can treat the area, or boil water and treat the area daily until nothing grows. Once all weeds are killed off, you can plant again. This is the method that I recommend for true weed control. Continuous boiling water will destroy the weeds, while keeping the soil intact and without contamination.