using Round-up

There have been studies recently where Roundup (Glyphosphate) was shown to be not as "non-residual" as thought with significant traces of it found in soils 12 months after use. There is also this article  which suggests some of the components in roundup are less safe than the active ingredient. I do use it in our garden (such that it is) but I am careful where I spray it and considering what might come into contact with it - in iffy situations I'll hand weed which is a safer option.  Most of the weeding I have done as part of friends groups has been hand weeding as targetting of the weed is more specific than weed killers are and we don't want to kill those plants we are trying to allow regenerate.

Hi Araminta,

I use Round-up around the garden edges, dog kennels and paths (gravel surfaces) but only when the weeds are in leaf stage and have not flowered nor seeded. If the weeds are at seeding stage, Round-up will not do much - it really should be used before flowering.

I'm with Woko - l'm sure that the birds know (smell it?) what is sprayed and what is not.

When these products came out there was a wand like contraption that meant you could direct the Glyphosphate where you wanted a bit better than the spray - I don't know of that is available still - but that (or something similar) could be used to direct the weedkiller away from something a bird or other animal might consider food. Woko may be correct as far as the bird/animal knowing better but at least that is another option. Best wishes, M-L.

Salt is really good for getting rid of weeds, as well as boiling water. Both methods take a bit longer but it does kill the weeds and is not harmful.  I use to use it on a long gravel driveway we had and it worked wonders.

Hullo everyone, my name is David, I am new.

I found this forum on the using Round-up interesting.

Glyphosate is one of the ‘safest to use’ herbicides available in comparison to other herbicides on the market but it is a non-selective herbicide which means it will affect any plant like organism and therefore affects any organism that feeds or lives on such. Perhaps directly or indirectly.

Generally a surfactant or penetrant is added to glyphosate, which will increase the volume of chemical to enter the plant, making the chemical more efficient. These surfactants are far more toxic to general organisms including people. ‘Ready to use, pre-mixed trigger packs’ will contain a surfactant of sorts. Without a surfactant less than a third of the glyphosate will be absorbed into the plant tissue.

A safer alternative is to add a little bio-degradable detergent to glyphosate this will change the water tension similar to a surfactant.

Marker dies are great when spraying less overlap but avoid dyes containing Rhodamine.

Also some weeds are resistant to glyphosate like fleabane.

I have used glyphosate for 3 years, spot spraying weeds but after seeing wetter seasons and regeneration, I know agree with Alison ‘gyn55’ and her methods of hand weeding and targeting problematic weed plants.

But in Arminta’s case the situation is different it is a driveway. Weeds will always grow in ‘upset’ soil situations they ‘the weeds’ are just making the best of a bad situation. Changing that situation may help, adding fresh soil or fertiliser perhaps using mulch, turf or planting hedges or native alternatives may reduce the weeds. As to the birds ‘god love em’ is there an area in your garden which you could ‘let go’ and actively encourage these weeds ‘grasses I assume’ to grow and set seed, slashing the area back sporadically if its gets out of control.

You don't have to buy from monsanto, their patent ran out long ago. You can buy much cheaper brands of glyphosate (the active ingredient) but look for the 360g/L concentration, it doesn't have the surfactant (which is mainly harmful to frogs).

50mL/100L doesn't sound right, I think you mean 50mL/10L.