Weed Eliminators
Gardening by the Yard : Episode GBY-506 -- More Projects »
If you had to choose, which weed would you label the most annoying? Weeds of any kind can be a real nuisance for gardeners, but weeds that wedge themselves between the cracks in driveways, sidewalks and patios can be particularly annoying. But getting rid of them permanently is easier than you may think. The most popular way of controlling weeds is to douse them with a synthetic herbicide.
Gardening by the Yard host Paul James shuns the use of synthetics, however, and prefers following these natural approaches: - A screwdriver makes a dandy tool for digging out weeds in cracks and crevices (figure A).
If the mechanical method seems too tedious, try a blast of vinegar. It doesn't cost much, and when added full strength to a spray bottle and sprayed directly on weeds, it works well (figure B). (Do not spray full-strength vinegar on garden plants.) Another great weed killer is boiling water, which kills not only weeds above ground but also seeds waiting to germinate.
A strong dose of dishwashing soap mixed at the rate of 5 tablespoons per quart of water works wonders on weeds, especially when it's applied on a really hot day (figure C). Alcohol is another good weed killer. Mix 1 to 5 tablespoons (depending on how tough the weed is) of rubbing alcohol to 1 quart of water and spray (figure D).
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