The weeds are winning...

[MagicMarker]

Ok.. first year in the house and the weeds are winning.. they can grow anywhere. Can anyone tell me how to deal with all of these growing in my patio?? I'm at a loss. Home remedies would be great as they are cheaper and I have a dog.

 

[WhiffySpark]

The only home remedy that works is picking them by hand. Or use a trimmer and cut them out every week

Quick pro round up is what I'd use

 

[CNGsaves]

Yard looks like fescue so you have it easy.

- - pull as many weeds, crabgrass, etc by hand as possible to remove seeds
- - spray with weed killer when you have lots of small ones too cumbersome to pull (have multiple choices and even spray that will just kill Bermuda that is in your fescue)

Areas with wholesale weeds (ie hopeless) . . NUKE the whole area with Round-Up and start over with re-seeding, after you roto-til and improve the soil.
= = = = = =
Now compare to Zoysia yard I'm trying to keep "pure" Zoysia (very slow growing warm season grass). I've found at least 2 varieties of Bermuda that I either dig very deep to remove roots, or kill with RoundUp and also kill some of my Zoysia (not good as hard to grow). All neighbors around have bastardized variety of grabgrass, bermuda and fescue (ie whatever will grow). They don't water much if any, and I've got sprinkler system and water often. All those unwanted seeds end up growing in my yard.

Only prevention for all those blowing seeds from neighbors is very healthy thick lawn that doesn't leave any "open dirt" for those ******* seeds to grow !!

Good luck . . . you'll NEVER win the War with Weeds !!

 

[txvwnut]

Horticultural vinegar(available at Lowes around me) and roundup will keep them at bay, you will have to reapply every so often but it will work instantly. After awhile Ive been told that the vinegar will pretty much sterilze the area under the pavers.

 

[WhiffySpark]

Wait you're talking about the yard as well?

 

[NJ Marty]

Euphorbia Maculata or spotted spurge is what you have, a hot weather weed that will grow anywhere. Just get a premix spray bottle of round up and give it a go. Be careful not to spray on a windy day and don't walk through it then through the lawn as you will leave ghost food prints. Once its dry which won't take lawn, dog is good to go. This will be the best way.

 

[JCQuick]

I use the pro grade roundup I have lots of pavers and my yard is all weeds so I spray often

 

[bullnerd]

Dig them out and re-"grout" the pavers. Keep them topped off so the seeds cant get between the pavers.

 

[Super Mech]

For the stuff in the pavers, Roundup is your friend. For the lawn Ortho crabgrass and weed killer foe lawns works well for me. Sometimes causes a slight yellowing of the surrounding area but kills weeds dead.

 

[tehach]

I had that same exact weed coming up through our driveway pavers. Remuda Full Strength killed it, so I think any 41% glyphosate would get the job done. Quick and easy, just need a sprayer.

 

[n9lah]

Not to hijack the thread too much but...CNGsaves if I remember back to my horticulture training, doesn't Zoysia spread my rhizomes or "creeping"? If so can't you use a pre-emergent like Preen or Halts on your lawn to keep unwanted grasses from growing?

MagicMarker, when you get the weeds from the patio you can get some "polymeric sand" and spread it over the blocks and sweep it into the joints to help prevent weeds from growing there. There that puts it back on topic!

 

[theoldwizard1]

Cheapest, quickest solution for weed in cracks is boiling water. Expect to do it every 1-2 weeks.

Don't buy Roundup. You are paying for the advertising. There are generic equivalents at most stores.

If you want a perfect lawn, hire TrueGreen. Get the standard 4 or 5 treatment program, but they will come out every 2 week if you *****.

 

[stihlntime]

Pramitol or Mojave both are ground sterilants. Spray once a year and your done.

 

[TonkaJoe]

If sprays aren't your kind of thing you can always purchase ( unless you have one already) a BBQ tank and a simple tiger torch attachment which I'm sure your local farm supply would sell, to burn them. Results are instant and its effective. They do this a lot on organic vegetable farms.

 

[ssentt]

This

 

[Falcon67]

Bah, Roundup, fire, Berryman's B-12, gasoline. Call me when you get nutgrass - that stuff will grow up through 1" of asphalt and puncture pool bottoms.

 

[James-W]

I would suggest using Roundup on the pavers. If your lawn is mostly weeds, I would remove the sod from the lawn and have the ground tested. After the test results come back, apply whatever fertilizer is needed, then plant the grass seed of your choice that is recommended for your area.

 

[CNGsaves]

Not to hijack the thread too much but...CNGsaves if I remember back to my horticulture training, doesn't Zoysia spread my rhizomes or "creeping"? If so can't you use a pre-emergent like Preen or Halts on your lawn to keep unwanted grasses from growing?

MagicMarker, when you get the weeds from the patio you can get some "polymeric sand" and spread it over the blocks and sweep it into the joints to help prevent weeds from growing there. There that puts it back on topic!

^ ^ Yes, to the runners (both below ground and on top) are how Zoysia spreads. My fine-blade variety is very slow growing so I've paid the price in any areas where I "nuked" the unwanted bermuda with RoundUp or generic versions. Too cheap to put down Preen or Halts as majority of yard is thick Zoysia that does prevent most undesirables. Most unwanted seeds sprouting up are at wet edge of yard or bad spots where I had to nuke bermuda.

With recent 100 degree temps, the Zoysia is taking off and I'm been keeping open wet soil for the runners and putting in plugs of Zoysia to speed up runners in bare areas.

Now back yard is mostly shade so Fescue back there which is lot easier.

 

[drivesitfar]

ALL: i use salt for areas like gravel parking areas and areas next to block walls that are just weeds and not plants or grass i want to keep. here's a thread i started that seems to get a lot of views and i know others have success.

i bought a torch for a tank just before i figured out the salt trick and have it still new in the box. I've used Round up plenty and other commercial weed killers and salt is comparing with them.

here's the link to the salt kills weeds thread and feel free to post your wisdom or results on it if you try it.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=277402&highlight=salt+kills

 

[arielnh56]

Salt is old school and a bit permanent. The Romans salted the fields of Carthage after the third Punic war.

Sent from my SCH-I435 using Tapatalk

 

[coleman10]

Cheapest, quickest solution for weed in cracks is boiling water. Expect to do it every 1-2 weeks.



Don't buy Roundup. You are paying for the advertising. There are generic equivalents at most stores.



If you want a perfect lawn, hire TrueGreen. Get the standard 4 or 5 treatment program, but they will come out every 2 week if you *****.

I've found TruGreen to be nothing but thieves in a truck spraying water on my lawn. After a few months with them I cancelled. Waste of money.

For the yard and pavers, I've found the best method is to be vigilant and make sure you pull the weeds before they seed. If they have seeds, pull them carefully and put them immediately into a plastic bag so as not to spread the seeds. It takes some time and effort, but the results are worth it. Over time you'll pull fewer and fewer weeds.

 

[gnpenning]

Pramitol or Mojave both are ground sterilants. Spray once a year and your done.

This will work well on the pavers but not on the lawn as it will kill everything.

Glyphosate is the chemical name for Round-up. It is sold under other brands much cheaper and just as effective.

If you do us a spray killer, find out what the PH of your water is. It can greatly reduce the effectiveness of what ever you use. You can buy surfactants with a Ph adjust for your area. The surfactant will make the water wetter and easier for the plant to absorb.

If you want something to spray on your lawn to just kill weeds. You have many options. 2-4D Amine, Weedmaster, Curtail (has a residual and will stay in the ground). These are some example, you have many more choices. Check the labels to see if it kills your target weeds.

More is not better. Make sure your mix levels are correct.

DO NOT mix more than you will spray that day as some killers will lose effectiveness when left mixed. Also store out of the sun.

Like everything there are trade offs. Salt has some long term negative effects on the soil if that matters.

Remember to wear PPE. I went to an auction this summer for an estate of someone that sprayed for a living. He died from not being cautious and wearing PPE.

 

[Bear]

++ on any 41% glyphosate would get the job done

Be careful w/ Pramitol or Mojave both are ground sterilants. if you have a well in the area. You could contaminate your own drinking water.

 

[JonnyMac]

Not tried it myself and im not suggesting that its a good thing. But ive heard that diesel will killl anything green. Ive just laid some pavers and ill be trying diesel at the first sign of a break through.

 

[Lippyp]

For the pavers you want something more persistent, I use a product called Pathclear that kills whats already growing and will stop further seeds germinating, use once or twice a year. Just be careful of over applying incase it runs off into the lawn. Glyphosate will work but won't stop new stuff growing.

 

[Dog Garage]

I've had better results using baking soda than salt.

I believe they call it roundup because, as soon as you turn around, the weeds are popping up out of the ground.

 

[BillK]

Roundup extended control for the pavers. Its about a once a year deal.

Start cutting your lawn grass higher, 3 inches if possible. That will help with a lot of the weeds in the grass itself.

 

[tuner4life]

This

This!!! I do this with all of my paver walkways and the cracks in the driveway. Works like a charm. These torches are around $30 at Harbor Freight. I like to follow up after with an application of "Killzall".

 

[shepherd]

Just used this on my driveway and steps...Gallon of vinegar + 2 cups epsom salt +1/2 cup dawn dishwashing detergent...waaay cheaper than round up. Soap helps it stick to the leaves, kills everything within a 6 inch radius if you saturate a spot of soil....in other words, don't use it as a spot treatment on a lawn. Ask me how I leaned this...

 

[Gunnert]

I use 5 products in a sprayer for weed control:
1. Pronto: spray where you want NOTHING to grow. Usually will last 4-6 months
2. Dimension: Pre-emergent for crabgrass sprayed in the spring
3. Lesco 3-way: Weed killer that is safe for most lawn type grasses
4. Lesco Spreader-thicker: surfactant for herbicides to "stick" to the weeds
5. Drive XLR8: Post crabgrass (kills crabgrass that is growing)

Dimension and Drive are expensive, about $65 per acre. Choice is yours, stop the crabgrass before it starts, or treat for it "after" it takes over your lawn...

 

[RobSmith]

I can imagine Roundup and many other poisons are now made less potent in the USA now. The same is happening here in Australia..Our Roundup is still a potent product but very expensive ! We've got another product that is very effective called "Zero" it does the same job...it kills the roots.

 

[djjsr]

Just used this on my driveway and steps...Gallon of vinegar + 2 cups epsom salt +1/2 cup dawn dishwashing detergent....

Just got the ingredients to try this. My wife has told me to stop using Roundup since I "accidentally" sprayed it on one of her plants. In my defense, it was ugly and I thought it was a weed.

 

[Falcon67]

Not tried it myself and im not suggesting that its a good thing. But ive heard that diesel will killl anything green. Ive just laid some pavers and ill be trying diesel at the first sign of a break through.

Diesel is what we use to control Mesquite sprouts. But not in the lawn, only next to the street or somewhere you don't care if anything grows. But it's about the only thing that will tame a Mesquite tree/stump.

 

[CNGsaves]

^ ^ ^ Same for mulberry trees or other volunteer trees that seem to pop up and grow through ivy I've got growing next to house. I just pour a little in can, and with paintbrush I "paint" the leaves of unwanted tree. Dead in no time.

 

[Git]

That looks like "spotted spurge" **** we get in S Cal. Here is some more info:
http://www.scotts.com/smg/goART2/contentArticle/how-to-kill-spotted-spurge/34500014

 

[Kin Creed]

I have found that Roundup 360 does seem to last quite a bit a longer than just regular Roundup. You don't need that much to kill weeds on a patio, walkway or sidewalk, so I don't worry about finding the cheapest generic. The main thing for me is ease of application and the comfort wand gallon size is super easy. No pump, just pull the trigger and the weeds are dead. Works fast too.

For large areas like a gravel driveway you would want a larger pressure sprayer.

For lawn weeds I have found that the broadleaf weed killer 24D (Ortho or whatever) works but you need a LOT more of it than you do Roundup for pavement weeds. I use the stuff with crabgrass killer and it actually works pretty well but I always end up needing to fill up a 3 gallon pressure sprayer and really soaking the weeds. Especially clover, that stuff is tough. If I put enough down the weeds are toast and the yard looks great. If I go too light the weeds just laugh it off and start to take over.

 

[pollockjon68]

Tractor supply has a product similar to weed b gone max but is several $ cheeper. It kills broadleaf weeds and crabgrass. I have used it several times and it does a number to crabgrass and about every other weed I have put it on.

 

[bullnerd]

Roundup is a poison?

I thought it made the plant grow so fast the roots couldn't keep up, killing it? Or something like that.

 

[Shootingblanks]

Use professional grade roundup, 98-99 percent glysopht, not the bs you buy at big box stores for your pavers. Don't use on weeds in areas with good grass as it will kill everything in that area. Also be sure not to walk in the stuff after you sprayed it because if you do and walk on your lawn it will leave nuked brown foot prints in your yard, lmao.

Think I paid $15 at john Deere for a 5-6 pack of the pro grade Roundup at 98-99% glysophate.

As for lawn its already to late as the weed seeds have already germinated. Get some professional grade post emergent weed killer, decent backpack sprayer and mix ithe weed killer with dawn soap so it sticks to the broad leaf leaves. Do not apply during hot draught conditions as it will stress and/or kill your good grass. Lesco three way, 2, 4-d or triply or another decent post emergents. Pull what weeds you can first.

To prevent weeds like that you should have applied a preemergent late April-May and fertilized every 6 weeks. Few weeks ago I fertilized with Lesco fertilizer with insecticide to prevent grub worm damage.

Preen is garbage. John Deere sells a product called snapshot but it's expensive. I used it on my beds after I pulled weeds prior to laying mulch and I rarely have a weed pop up.

If not able to gain control of weed infestation kill the turf and remove the sod and reseed in fall. Use appropriate grass seed for the condition. Ex. Don't put shade mix in sunny area. I'd get a soil sample test done also to see what your soil lacks. Strong, healthy grass root system also prevents weeds.

I have a Lesco walk behind spreader that I use to do my own fertilizing and lawn maintenance. Few neighbors have there's professionally done and mine looks just as good if not better than theirs.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I've found TruGreen to be nothing but thieves in a truck spraying water on my lawn. After a few months with them I cancelled. Waste of money.

We will see withing a few weeks. I have a patch the has nutsedge. 24-D won't touch that stuff. They need something better.

At the moment the lawn is almost dormant from a 2 week drought.