I finally got around to dealing with an area, approx 3 ft circumference, under one of the water faucets, where the hose lies coiled (when it isn't sprawling over the lawn ).
I've tried various ground covers, but weeds seem to take over.
So I poured a couple of sacks of pebbles in the area; looks nice and neat. However, weeds starting to poke through. I guess I could p.u.another couple of sacks of pebbles...but wondered whether:
Pouring hot water over the pebbles would kill the weeds, but would it hurt the Princess Plant that grows in the middle of the area.
vs
Roundup, same concerns vis-a-vis the Princess Plant.
Dig up your precious plant, put it in a temp container. Go out to the hill country and find a landowner who is more than willing to give up some cedars. Cut a few dozen down and chunk 'em in the truck. Get some oak while you're out there. Tie down as it will be a big pile. Put a few cedars on the weeds, and light 'em off. Feed another tree every 5 minutes or so. Midway, add the oak. Will take a couple of hours. Be sure to wash down the side of the house so often so it don't burn down. Dig a hole in the middle of the ash pile next day. Put your precious plant with container in the hole. Water it some. If the weeds come back, just dig up the container. Use dynamite this time. You'll have to bring in some soil to replace that blown away. A few yards or so... House repairs are optional.
I'd just kneel down and pull the weeds myself. Your choice. Consider putting the hose on a hanger. Dave
Not really optional, the critters will have them all strewn about in no time. I wouldn't use pebbles, no matter how contained the majority will eventually find their way into the lawn areas where they will wreak havoc on lawnmower blades. I'd choose some nice large pieces of pine bark mulch... the large pieces stay put, the small pieces wash away in heavy rain. Cut small slits in the weed block fabric and plant a few petunias.
There once was a man from Nantucket... who wanted to kill his weeds with a hot water bucket.. who got in a haste..slipped and severely burned his waist.. and was last heard screaming oh (censored)
Thanks for a message devoid of anti-Monsanto Jeremiads. Yes, we all hate them. No, I don't know how far horizonally an application spreads (germane to whether it would harm Princess Plant roots).
re: the above sensible suggestions:
Re: weed-suppressing fabric, a few years ago, I and some friends took a LOT of trouble to spread fabric in a rose path -- big hassle, trim, cut holes, etc. My gardener warned me the weeds would come back anyway -- and they did, big time, so I had extra work digging up & removing the fabric and said never again. I understand there are supposed to be different thicknesses of that stuff, perhaps some more effective, but have only seen the ordinary in nursery/homeowner places around here; don't want to order huge quantity on-line for tiny area.
Re: Lawnmower blades, this area is contained within those curved pink concrete edgers, so pebbles (2-3") will not escape.
Re: Critters, none except a few possums; this is city.
Re: pine bark mulch, oh, how I wish we'd get SOME rain, heavy, light, or medium! No danger of "washing away", alas, and I fear weeds would soon find their way through.
Re: vinegar, interesting thought; I've never used it as a weed suppressant. Any harm to roots of (very large old) Princess Plant? Quantity required? Dilute or full strength?
****NOBODY has answered about hot water. I use it routinely to kill weeds between plates of the concrete patio. Seems the least toxic and still effective. I just don't know if it would harm PP's roots.
Hope to hear about vinegar & hot water, and thanks to all for replies.
I KNEW somebody would come up with the perfect solution! Mes hommages, Dave!
Persephone
Gets tougher through pebbles. I pulled weeds in that area for years, so finally thought I'd try the pebbles. I have them on the other side of the house under the other faucet - several layers - and they seem to be working pretty well.
Your choice. Consider putting the hose on a hanger.
I've looked at hose-hangers for years. They don't seem practical when I'm using the hose almost every day. I got one of those spiral jobbies that is suppose to retract on its own but it didn't work for me so I returned it.
The idea solution is a hose cart; I tried locating one there, but there just isn't room.
Global, indeed. On another front, Monster-santo has been screwing poor farmers in Third World countries for decades. They sell them hybrid seed so farmers will have to buy new seed every year instead of taking their own seed and replanting, as farmers have done for millennia. No doubt M cuts deals with local dictators/oligarchs.
Monsanto also acquires the "water rights" in poor countries and makes people who used to draw from their own springs and wells BUY Monsanto water, when they can barely eat and send their children to school.
Wondering if constant use of vinegar in an area can change the PH of the soil thus causing growing issues to some plants. Hot water? Well would guess near boiling is what you need and for your preferred plant it would depend how much root damage the water could cause to it. If you feel boiling water is a safer mode of weed control, it can be, but it is more hazardous...carrying a pot of boiling water from the kitchen out the door and pour it where you want to pour it. How dangerous could that be? Had a customer who was talked into using boiling water to kill out fire ant nests instead of chemicals so he decided to do the right thing and go that route himself. Had a big pot of water going and when it was ready snatched it up to head out the door...the problem was his daughter
2-4 years old (forget now exactly how old she was) was wrapped up in a blanket playing with a new puppy had walked behind him without him noticing. He took up the water and turned to head out the door and stepped on the blanket dragging on the floor, slipped and spilled the water. He was able to push the falling pot away from the kid and what water that spilt on her was diverted by the blanket, but still had some burns. He had a hand/wrist doused with the boiling water causing a severe burn, in which he was still having issues with for over a year that I know of. The dropped pot landed on the puppy killing it.
I use my hoses everyday too and the best way I've found of keeping it neat and out of the way is a wall-mounted hanger. The hose carts look keen but are really a pain in terms of size and function. The spring coil hoses were a cool idea too, I thought, until I tried to maneuver one around containers and trellises -- it would have wiped out everything if I hadn't watched it continuously!
Yep, the wall hanger is the way to go. Easy to get the hose onto it, easy to get the hose off of it. The hose lies flat on the ground when in use and goes where I need it to without fighting back or binding up in a mechanism, and gets up all the way off the ground and out of harms way when I'm done with it.
I have also tried the standing hose hangers. They look nice and if sunk deep enough into the ground the stand up straight and stable, but grass and weeds grow up around them and vining weeds climb up them. Trimming around the standard put the hose at risk, and taking the hose off the standard and disconnecting it from the faucet so it could be moved then reconnecting it after trimming was done... now that became a huge PIA.
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