spot weed killer?

[tenplay]

I would like to zap weeds growing in the lawn and garden without harming the grass and plants growing around the weeds. What is the best way to do it? I saw something called a Weed Stick online, where you supposedly walk around injecting any kind of concentrated weed killer directly on the weed. Anyone try it? Would WD40 or gasoline work using a direct applicator? It sounds like a lot of folks use Roundup, but I find that it works too slow. It seems to take a couple of days for the leaves to begin turning brown. Thanks for any suggestions.

[Joseph Meehan]

What weeds? What works for some weeds will not work for others. I assume that it is a lawn and that you want to not kill the grass.

There are a number of general lawn weed killers that will not kill the grass (assuming you don't really overdo it) but will kill many kinds of weeds) Note: always read the label and make sure it is safe on the grass you have.

WD-40 is a great Water Displacement, a poor lubricant and a very poor week killer. Gasoline is good at fueling most cars and can kill almost any living thing, including grass.

Roundup will kill weeds, but it also kills grass and almost anything else it gets on.

My suggestion is to identify the type(s) of grass you have and the types of weeds you want to kill. Then with that information you can read the labels on the available products to select one. You could also contact your local county extension service and they would be able to offer some unbiased suggestions good for your local conditions.

Question: Why would it be so important that it work in less than a few days? Often that is the best solution. You want to kill it all the way to the root.

[Toller]

For years now I have been using weed killer on my weeds. I never thought to try WD40; I bet they wouldn't squeek so badly afterwards. Thanks for the idea.

[Norminn]

When you are faced with only spot weeds, pulling by hand is best. Roundup is sure-fire, and can be brushed on so you don't damage surrounding lawn or plants and is easy to kill tough weeds. If there are too many to do that, then a hose-end sprayer with a broadleaf weed killer works very well. Weed/feed combos are not necessary and are too much chemical for routine use. Just pulling a couple of weeds might remove several thousand seeds, so it isn't wasted effort.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, If lawn is healthy weeds can be choked out. What kind of weed? My lawn is not big in size but I just dig it out when I see weed.

[Ether Jones]

I gave up carpet-bombing my lawn with "Weed and Feed" products because my trees were suffering for it. Instead, I now use two ounces of

2,4-D + mecoprop + dicambra concentrate per gallon in a pump sprayer and leisurely walk around the yard spot-spraying broadleaf weeds. It's so amazingly satisfying to soak a weed and KNOW it will be wilting the next day, and dead in a week. I maintain my 2-acre lawn this way. Takes about 40 minutes to walk the whole 2 acres. I do this about four times during the active growing season. Every year the lawn looks better and better.

When used properly it won't hurt your grass. Don't spray it on shrubs though.

Buy the stuff (any brand will do - just make sure to read the label and check the concentration) at Walmart in late September when they are clearing the shelves. You can get it for less than half price - 3 bucks a quart. I use about 2 quarts a year for 2 acres plus killing poison ivy and brush along some wooded trails.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Hope no children of pets play in your yard! Think environment. Week killer is most effective whe they are vigorously growing.

[buffalobill]

[Ether Jones]

I hope you don't play golf or take your children to the park.

I hope you don't have a swimming pool or stay in hotels.

I hope you never buy groceries at Publix or Winn-Dixie or Kroger or Meijer or WalMart.

[Ether Jones]

My pet has no children.

[trader4]

I agree with Ether. Using a 2 gallon sprayer, you just walk the lawn and deliver a spot treatment of an appropriate weedkiller directly to the weeds. Much more effective than the weed n feed type products. And much better for the environment, because you only use a small fraction of the herbicide and deliver it where it works.

For most broadleaf weeds, a product like Weed B Gone is what you want to use. There are other products that will also kill the weed, but not the grass, but are targeted more for weeds that are tougher to control.

Only an imbecile would use WD-40 or gas on a lawn, which leads me to believe the OP is a troll.

[yellowbirddog]

This works pretty well, especially after it's broken in and you wear the paint off the tines:

I think it's $20 at the Orange Borg.

If you make a noticeable number of holes, scatter some grass seed so new grass crowds out the weeds. The best defense against weeds is a healthy lawn.

[zxcvbob]

For most broadleaf weeds (dandelions, thistles, elm tree seedlings, etc)

2,4-d works really well in a spray bottle. It doesn't work for "creeping charlie" and I'm not sure if it works for wild violets.

You should be able to buy it premixed in a quart spray bottle. I bought a quart of the concentrate 10 years ago and I've used less than a third of it.

Bob

[Norminn]

You guys must have some muscle .. jeesh. Two gal. of weed killer would last a long, long time. Not a major issue, but 1 gal goes a long way :o)

[Ether Jones]

He's talking about 2 gallons of prepared solution, not 2 gallons of concentrate.

For my 2 acres of lawn, I go through about 2 gallons of prepared solution (2oz of concentrate per gallon of water) every time I treat the property (about 4 times every spring). It only takes half an hour or so.

On the trails through the woods, I go through several gallons (but I use glyphosate instead of 2,4D).

[Norminn]

clipped

I was just complaining about having to haul around a 2 gal. container. You spray trails through the woods? Now I have heard it all. Do you trap all the animals and take them somewhere else?

[Ether Jones]

You can buy pump sprayers that strap on your back. It's no big deal.

How do you think parks create and maintain walking trails through the woods?

Please elaborate. There appears to be an implication in your question but rather than have me guess why don't you just spell it out.

[Goedjn]

I dunno how parks do it, but *I* do it by walking on them.

[Merryb]

I have had good results using undiluted vinegar

[Ether Jones]

Not through multiflora rose and poison ivy you don't.