When Weed Killer Doesn't

[John McGaw]

I had always thought that one weed killer was the same as another but had always used Roundup since it was so commonly available. Well, a few weeks back I went to my local Ace Hardware for some bolts and remembered that my Roundup was about gone so I grabbed some spray from a prominent display. Something called "Ortho Season Long Grass & Weed Killer". A big mistake that, since this stuff not only doesn't kill weeds it doesn't even seem to seriously inconvenience them. I've sprayed a wide variety of plants from oxalis to poison ivy to brush honesuckle and dozens of unidentified others. Most of them twice at a one-week interval. Nothing. Well, not exactly nothing since one or two leaves on the brush honeysuckle turned black and maybe an oxalis or two croaked (but there are so many of them it is hard to tell).

Has anybody else experience this sort of chemical failure? Is there anything besides Roundup which works?

[Marley1372]

This product actually has glyphosate(roundup) in it, but at a much lower rate than in roundup. You may want to look at the dillution rates and see if you are using too much water in the mix. There are a few other factors to consider with glyphosate: If you are using dirty water(from a pond) or if your sprayer needs to be cleaned, this could make the treatments ineffective, since the chemical bonds readily with soil particles. Another factor is the weather. If you have been having cool, cloudy days in your area, this can slow down the process since the plants arent growing as activley. The weeds you mentioned are all perennials, and sometimes they need 2 applications to really do the trick, especially for things like poison ivy. Glyphosate takes time to work, sometimes it can take a week or more(longer for perennials) before you see dead plants. I would wait and see, those three plants you mention are tough to deal with in the first place. You might try actual roundup instead because the concentration is alot higher. There are a ton of other products containing glyphosate that are cheaper and work just as well, just read the label. I hope you have better luck in the future.

Toad

[John McGaw]

I was out a while ago on another errand and stopped by Home Depot and bought some Roundup so my problem will probably be self-limiting. Live and learn, I guess.

BTW, I'm one of those lazy sods who won't even bother to mix his own chemicals (and who had an accident with a contaminated sprayer once) so I just buy the gallon jugs with sprayer attached. I guess, given the cost difference and the scale of the weed problems around here I really should buy a couple of new pump sprayers and start mixing again (after I mark them clearly!).

[Phisherman]

I keep returning to RoundUp and prefer to buy the concentrate. Mixing it strong works best for me. It is not practical using it in the lawn, unless you can find a way to paint it on the leaves or shield the spray from the surrounding grass. For broadleaf in the lawn I alternate between Weed-B-Gone and Spectricide. However, the period for effectively treating weeds with these products is almost over as directed on the label, as we are having high temps in the 90's.

[Bob S.]

I buy the agricultural strength Roundup in the 2.5 gal containers and mix according to directions. A few years back Roundup had a good product that worked great, except you had to add a soapy product (surfactant) to it to get it to stick to the leaves. I noticed if you mixed the two and let it set for a few days before using it, it didn't work near as well as a fresh batch. Well, Roundup, in it's great wisdom, decided to market the product already mixed. Just as I already knew, premixing just didn't work near as well. So after they received tons of complaints, they remarketed it again in a stronger solution to make up for the previous bad decision. Of course, now it also cost about double the price to get the same action as before they screwed with it. Aahhh, these new and improved products!!

Bob S.

[Marley1372]

Hey bob, Ive been using a new product int he nursery that works just as well as roundup and costs about 80 bucks for a 2.5 gallon jug instead of about 150 for roundup pro. Its called pronto, and it has the same dillution rates and everything as roundup, its pretty much roundup in a different bottle. I have used a whole jug of it and it works great, you might try it and save some money :) You can get it at tractor & supply company.

Toad

[Bob S.]

Hey, thanks for the tip. I'll try it next time.

Bob S.

[gary davis]

Yes, elbow grease. Dig up the plants certainly before they go to seed. It can be very effective. Good ol' elbow grease. Non polluting...that's good. And then you find muscles you didn't know you had! :) Another good thing! It is difficult at this time to know the long term effects of these chemicals on the environment...ground water (drinking) etc. but your grandchildren will know. You didn't say on what you wanted to get rid of but if it is in your lawn, just cut it more often. They are green, so no problem. A green lawn and no chemicals that may affect...your grandchildren, that probably is a good thing. I may not be right but your grandchildren will know. Use elbow grease...it may have more benefits than you know. And, you know, weeds are not a bad thing...the bees love 'em. Gary Fort Langley BC Canada

To reply please remove...yoursocks...

[Romy Beeck]

" The best way I found out to get rid of weeds is buy roundup that you have to mix with water and put in your own sprayer. But I mix it stronger than it calls for and you will get rid of your weekds very quickly.

[John Bachman]

But not all weeds can be killed with roundup. I use it regularly but one weed (a pesky, climbing vine thing) seems to be impervious to it.

John

[Cheryl Isaak]

Try boiling water on the roots - does work on poison ivy like a charm. Needs to be done 2-4 times and you have to get the whole base of the plant.

Cheryl

[John Bachman]

My plants have no base. They spread underground and pop up everywhere. Pulling them by hand is only a temporary measure as you cannot get the entire root. Very, very invasive. I do not have a solution yet.

John

[Bob S.]

Me too. It's a five leafed vine called "Virginia Creeper". Roundup won't phase it, nor will Brush-B-Gon (2,4,d). I am also plagued with nut grass (nutshedge) that neither one will phase. I noticed Wal Mart started carrying a product called "Image" that is supposed to kill it, but it costs $20/pt. Has anyone tried it yet?

Bob S.

[gary davis]

I think that using elbow grease and a shovel/spade/fork will, in time, eradicate any weed without any undue side affects to the environment. Elbow grease...the sustainable lubricant and the shovel/spade/fork builds muscle...yikes! Look dear!!! :) Gary Fort Langley BC Canada

[Tyler Hopper]

Image does work on nut sedge. It takes a long time to kill it (4 - 6 weeks IIRC).

Tyler

[Ross]

Its not just the environment people-its your drinking water. The food you eat.

That weed killer is killing more than weeds.

[The Watcher]

I have to laugh at the latest Roundup ads, about their ability to kill the weeds the FASTEST. Maybe somebody else should do an ad with two guys standing out there in High Noon positions, facing each other with spray bottles. One guy could spray his weed with Roundup and the other guy could spray his weed with Plutonium. The guy using the Plutonium could be showing all the symptoms of radiation sickness, and you could watch his weed wither and die in seconds. Now THAT would be a weed killer that would earn some respect. None of this waiting for 24 hours crap. ;)

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