[esoxhunter]

I was wondering if anyone out there has any input/advice on the use of herbicides. My front yard does not have grass. It has a heavy fabric laid down and covered with a colored stone. My problem is that I vacate the property from mid-May until mid- September. Upon return I find a lot of unwanted and unsightly weeds have found there way through the fabric. I have tried to apply a treatment of Roundup, before I leave for the summer. That didn't help. Anyone know of a "heavy duty" product that can be applied that will kill all vegetation in this area? Those weeds seem to appear even though I sprayed a good amount of Roundup over the entire area. Thanks. Ed

 

[Catpower]

Pramitol will sterilize the soil for a few years, and most weeds won't grow, there are a few that have become resistant, but not very many. It is usually a controlled chemical, you will need a license or have someone with a license get it for you.

Make sure you are very careful where you apply it as it was explained to me the chemical will sterilize the soil, some how, but nothing, and I mean nothing will grow where it has been applied. Also water it in good, so it gets into the soil.

 

[TigerMyrtle]

Pramitol is a good product but there are many others. Farmers use sodium chlorate and monobor chlorate. Spike is used for railroads and utility companies for vegetation control. Source out your local farm center or co-op. Tell them what you are wanting to do. Be VERY careful there are no trees nearby. NOTICE: You can and will kill trees with soil sterilants! I owned a commercial pesticide application company and speak from experience. A small area will take a very tiny amount. All these materials are rate dependent. More material applied the longer the residual effect. Three years depending on your climate and rain fall can be expected.
Tigermyrtle
Eric Schmidt

 

[bayrat]

If you want to use something that is efficient, cheap and all natural/organic, then vinegar and orange oil will do the trick. Be sure you get STRONG vinegar, stronger than what is normally available as pickling vinegar in the local grocery store. Some groceries do carry a stronger vinegar so look for it there first. 1 to 2 ounces of the orange oil to a gallon of the vinegar is the proper mix. You will see results very quickly. It is NOT a soil sterilizer and it will kill any leafy green plants you get it on, so be careful with overspray. You can apply it directly to the offending weed or you can use a pump sprayer and do the whole yard. It's every bit as effective as Roundup, much quicker and MUCH cheaper. I use it on the sand burrs down here.

Erol Tucker
The Bayrat
POC, TX

 

[XT Bill]

Roundup has to be absorbed through the leaves of the plant to kill it. It is totally inactive once it hits the soil.

You are trying to prevent weeds that aren't even there yet, Pramitol, or other bare ground type would be the way to go.

Bill

 

[BDodd]

Ed, Roundup works by spraying on green vegetation not on clear ground. You must wait till you see a few weeds and then go out and spray them. I've used Roundup for some 30 years on 1/2 acre portions of my homes with great success. BUT look in Wal*mart and maybe other outlets for "Eliminator" weed spray and you'll see that it's basically the same chemical and for considerably less than Roundup. Look at the data on a Roundup container and compare with other weed sprays at places. Obviously Roundup's lock on the chemical expired and now it's found in other products.

My method? You need a garden sprayer that you pump up the pressure and then mix the Roundup or Eliminator per the instructions (Don't fall for the pre-mixed expensive rip offs) and then wet the plants you no longer want on that part of your yard. You may have to use it once in the early summer for the spring weeds and again later after the fall crop. Usually once a year when the winter/spring crop appears is adequate after a while. Give the sprayed weeds a week or more to expire.

If you want to use a pre-emergent instead, spread "SnapShot" in the area you want weeds to not appear about February and again in September before the spring and fall weeds germinate and that will control quite well too. This product prevents weeds from germinating and you must get the product down before weeds start to appear. SnapShot will be likely found at the farm outlets and it tends to sterilize with multiple uses over a couple of years where you can accidentally miss a time without having a major weed problem.

Bob Dodd

 

[esoxhunter]

I briefly talked to a gentleman who runs a co-op here in Arkansas. His suggestion was to spray a certain chemical on the area that would inhibit the weeds that have not come up yet and to use a Roundup type chemical on weeds that are already present. He did state that Roundup only affects weeds that are present and will not control weeds that have yet to germinate. I will have to see what these chemicals are. I have no access to someone who can get me a more potent herbicide; so I have to be satisfied with a product that is available to the general public. I should add that I have 3 trees in this area that I would not want to harm. Ed

 

[Doc!]

esochunter (Ed) - I don’t know where you live, - I am very knowledgeable about herbicides and modes of action of herbicides and soil sterilants and potential movement in the soil of these products. You don’t want to use a material that will move when it rains and cause your neighbor problems. - I have very simple advice - Look up the phone number of your local County Extension office - can be found under county office listing usually. - Tell them what you need and ask if they can have someone look at your lawn and make a recommendation - They should do that - If not call the Director of your Land Grant University Extension Service and let him know - They should have someone that could look at your lawn and make a recommendation of a material that is labeled for that use and is safe to use in that instance -

 

[comp 1]

One thing to check--sometimes the weeds are NOT COMING THRU THE FABRIC;they are growing on top of it in dirt that is blown onto the surface.

 

[WesleyB]

PhdTrap is sooooooo correct.

 

[deercreek]

I use Pramitol for total kill, it takes a little more than one application for a years worth of non growing. Glyphyosate (Roundup and any other name) only works when things are green. You can spray roundup today and plant grass or a garden in a fer days and it will grow.

My guess is hit it hard with Pramitol this spring (you do not have to wait till it grows)and you will only need one application per year thereafter.

 

[Robb]

Hy-Var is another one. Careful, It WILL leach some when it rains. Kills dirt for seven yrs. or so they claim.

 

[esoxhunter]

Like I mentioned previously; I just want to be sure that I do not hurt the trees and bushes that are in that immediate area. I appreciate all of the valuable input. Ed

 

[Robb]

The Extension Agent advice is good although some of them are not so good. A local farm supply that does custom spraying for farmers might be a better idea. Those guys work with chemicals every day.

 

[Doc!]

esoxhunter - your last post above is why you need to seek the advice from a pro - either a qualified extension agent or qualified farm supply dealer - if you want to protect your trees and shrubs - you better be careful what you apply, where you apply it and how you apply it. But better still, have someone look at it for you- A soil applied residual may or may not be for you - you may need to just make multiple applications of a non selective foliar spray like one of the glyphosate poroducts etc....but have a pro look and advise....

 

[esoxhunter]

I just had a thought about getting some input to my problem. I live in a retirement community that contains 9 golf courses. I would think that talking to the head greens keeper might be a help. You would think they work with these types of chemicals all the time. Ed

 

[Doc!]

Ed - that is a great idea - in fact if you are nice he may even treat it foryou -

 

[Haskins Bill]

Skipping to the last of the posts. Yes Roundup/glyphosate is for growing vegetation with no residual effect on weeds. We won't discuss the residual effect on microbes and earthworms and such. Weed Be Gone/ 2-4-D only works on living plants also. Don't know anything about prymitol? However if you want a solution to your problem of weeds/grasses coming up in your gravel yard and want an organic answer to the problem then look into corn gluten! Yes corn gluten, Preem Organic is just plain corn gluten, the orgianl Preem is Trifluran and not at all 'organic'.The Corn Gluten creates a barrier to seed germination. You can buy it in bulk at most greenhouse supply houses and then you won't have to worry about poisoning the enviroment like the good old USA did in Nam with their agent orange! I don't know how exactly corn gluten works but I use it in my vegetable garden after seedlings are established or seeds from veggies are up and the weeds just do not appear. Bill