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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
EF alternative to Round Up...
I have never used weed killers ever... but someone who came over (new the previous owner of our house) pointed out that we have a thistle like plant that we should 'spray round up on--a lot' and DH was like hmm.... I refuse refuse refuse to allow it on my property EVER. So, I need to have a couple of recipes if you have them :-) Thanks! Do you think Vinegar works?
Re: EF alternative to Round Up...
I've asked this before related to dandelions. I was told boiling water will help, although could take a few applications. Other than that, there wasn't much besides pure man power (digging them up) that was recommended to me. I removed so many dandelions from my law by digging them up only to have them blow in again from my neighbor's house...so I've given up.
I think vinegar might work on some plants, but I think it's going to vary from plant to plant and for different soil conditions.
Depends if it's in a place you want other things to grow (like in your lawn) or in a place you don't (like cracks in the sidewalk).
Borax or salt work well - but they kill everything. Forever. My mom took out an ant hill with borax, and nothing grew for years and years.
If you want grass to grow, get out a trowel and dig/pull it out. Homemade weed killer kill it all, regardless of whether you like it or not.
This is the cement... but this is awesome to know... Only have 3 hours left before I give it a go.
Yep. I tried to use it to kill the bugs on my lettuce two summers ago and ended up with dead lettuce.
My mom says soapy water kills bugs on produce and houseplants.
Thank you...I'm sure I'll need that once the squirrels stop digging up my seeds and I get my garden to grow! It was early in my "trying to go green" attempts...and before I had the GL board to ask!
And secreal in restaurants are serving them these days. My mom served them, along with several other weeds, on a regular basis. I like Dandelion root better than the leaves. I never manage to get them when they are young and not bitter.
The veggie farmer I talk to regularly at the market says she uses dilluted Dr. B's on her plants and it works great. We're planning on doing the same.
I just pull our weeds but we have a small lawn. I gave up on the dandelions, as a PP said they just get blown over from another yard. Who decided dandelions were ugly "weeds" anyway? I don't think they're any less pretty than say, buttercups or clover.
Plus, I will never, EVER support Monsanto by buying Roundup. Never ever!
Yes, vinegar would work, but that's not necessarily an eco-friendly option. Vinegar is an acid and would have to be used in quantity to kill the plant, acidifiing the soil. Furthermore, you would only be killing the top growth of te plant. You'd still have to deal with regrowth from the roots, especially if it is a thistle.
I understand not wanting to support Monsanto by purchasing Round-up, but one thing to consider is that environmentally-speaking, Round-up is "safer". It's basically a detergent. Also, the patent on Round-up has expired so other companies (which you may also chose not to support) can sell it. It's generic name is glyphosate. You still have to be careful when using glyphosate because it will kill all the living/growing plants it comes into contact with, but it becomes inactive when it hits the soil. There is absolutely no residual, which is why I would consider it more "green" than vinegar.
11/11/11 = 5 years. Woah!
I was just hearing this from one of my friends who is beyond EF and an organic self provider... she was saying that actually in cases of invasive plants, it is better to use this new brand of glyphosate that is only active for 24 hours?
glyphosate has to be sprayed on photosynthesizing (read: green and growing) plants. If it comes into contact with the sidewalk, soil, etc., it is completely inactive. I'm not sure about it only being active for 24 hours, I think it begins working within 24 hours and it shouldn't be used it right before it rains or anything. Nonetheless, your friend is right. It is better to get rid of invasive plants by hand removal (prior to seeding) or by killing it completely (like with glyphosate).
11/11/11 = 5 years. Woah!
Seriously, I'm about to puke at all the glyphosate in this post. Alisha and I have spent so much time battling against glyphosate-tolerant (GMO) alfalfa it's not even funny. I don't want glyphosate on my lawn, on my food, or built into my food for that matter! When I was the.only.person who spoke out against GMO food at the public meeting last month, the farmers who support it made the same arguement you guys are that it's "green." I refuse to accept having weed killer built into my food, and using the technology regardless of who makes it (Monsanto or someone else) supports that end result. I'll pull my own damn weeds thank you. I'm signing off, I can't take it...
I won't use it. I was just saying that is what I had heard... and the argument for it. I pulled everything up.
Seriously, I'm about to puke at all the glyphosate in this post. Alisha and I have spent so much time battling against glyphosate-tolerant (GMO) alfalfa it's not even funny. I don't want glyphosate on my lawn, on my food, or built into my food for that matter! When I was the.only.person who spoke out against GMO food at the public meeting last month, the farmers who support it made the same arguement you guys are that it's "green." I refuse to accept having weed killer built into my food, and using the technology regardless of who makes it (Monsanto or someone else) supports that end result. I'll pull my own damn weeds thank you. I'm signing off, I can't take it...
I think you can clearly see that I was not advocating RR alfalfa/GMO anything. I was simply responding to a question about using vinegar to kill weeds. No one mentioned applying glyphosate to food crops, incorporating it into food crops or raising the roof for Monsanto.
11/11/11 = 5 years. Woah!
I know, I'm sorry. I was having a really bad day but that's no excuse for me being so rude. My bad.
No biggie. Hope you're having a better day.
11/11/11 = 5 years. Woah!