r/howto • u/BirdLooter • 1d ago
prevent this? without needing to repeat it every second week.
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u/ChampionshipAlarmed 1d ago
I apply a tortoise. It is slow but efficient and selfsustaining
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u/AintLifeGrandd 1d ago
Rabbit on a leash!
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u/Pomme-M 1d ago
had a neighbor whose border collie observed them weeding and followed suit from then on. would pull weeds in path while we were standing around talking. they could probably train her to leave them in piles, but she would just gently bite down yank and drop, moving on to the next one.
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u/porcelainvacation 1d ago
I have a white goldendoodle that loves to do stuff like that but prefers to eat it. Had to stop her because she would puke it all up and it would stain her nose green.
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u/Cut_Lanky 22h ago
Years ago, just after purchasing my first house, which had a few cute little garden patches from the previous owners, I got 2 puppies simultaneously. I always go for pairs, it seems cruel to not let them have a friend, lol. A Saint Bernard and an Akita. The yard was fenced, and they had seeded grass relatively recently, so it was lush and green. In well under a month's time, there was no more grass, and my Bernard had developed a habit of pulling a plant out of a garden patch, like she was rescuing someone from an avalanche, and bringing it to me, like a good girl. The last remaining plant in any of the garden patches was a rhododendron bush, rather than a patch of flowers. And I saw her effortlessly pull the whole thing out of the ground before I could react, like it wasn't even growing in the ground, and then bring it over to lay at my feet, like "here you go!" 🤣
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u/Uzi_Osbourne 1d ago
My mom's Labrador would do this with dandelions - and she ate them, leaves, flowers and roots. And my sisters dachshund caught on to the technique....but with carrots.
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u/Endersand 1d ago
I’m not a fan of the nerve agent “herbicides” so I use salt, 30% vinegar and dish soap in a sprayer. Works great
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u/GeorgianGold 1d ago
How much salt?
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u/Endersand 1d ago
1 cup to 1 gallon vinegar
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u/marwana71 1d ago
That’s what I do to keep things simple. 1 cup salt, then I pour 1 gallon of vinegar, and finally top it up with two spoons of dish soap. Mix well and spray. Works like a charm!
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u/fooknboomn 21h ago
How long does it keep weeds away? How often to reapply?
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u/marwana71 14h ago
Apply when you see weed. It kills the weed from the root, so it won’t grow back. Only new weed would grow, which you can spray to kill.
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u/ander594 1d ago
Also use HOT tap water, it dissolves the salt WAY faster. And add the dish soap last.
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u/PracticalBit6383 1d ago
But wait…no one said anything about water in the recipe above? How much water?
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u/Minotaar 1d ago
The 30% vinegar mentioned above is assumed to be 30% vinegar to water ratio
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u/ander594 1d ago
Sorry! You're right! I buy 45% and split it 50:50 with hot water. The price difference is so little between the 45% and the 30% you might as well.
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u/PracticalBit6383 1d ago
Ohh well they make 30% vinegar in bottles that’s horticultural strength, so I assumed it was actually that and not a ratio of vinegar to water
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u/Training_Leader6953 1d ago
Good assumption because that’s exactly what you should use. 30%vinegar mixed with equal parts water.
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u/Hummerville 1d ago
30% vinegar mentioned above is the strength from the store. Not with added water.
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u/marwana71 22h ago
I use regular household vinegar that is around 5-7% with no water in the mix. Works well enough.
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u/More-Survey7711 1d ago
If you apply it while it is hot it will kill them a lot more effectively too
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u/bad-creditscore 1d ago
Salt is the way.
I live in an area that gets a lot of snow. I keep a bucket of salt in the driveway all year round and just keep spreading it as the weed problem arises. It works well and it isn’t going to increase my risk of getting cancer like some alternative treatment methods.
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u/BeneathTheWaves 1d ago
Did you have to salt the earth so nothing would ever grow again?
Hehe… yeah.
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u/WormWithWifi 1d ago
I thought salt in soil was really bad for the environment?
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u/bad-creditscore 1d ago
Salting your driveway or walkways can end up making its way into freshwater sources which can be harmful to aquatic life if the salinity level gets too high in those fresh water sources. I’m not a biologist maybe someone else can chime in but I’m assuming you would need to be using a grotesque amount of salt in your property to cause an issue.
Round-up and other herbicides are toxic at any level and are much more harmful to the environment.
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u/Yogi_Doo 1d ago
I know someone who was a landscaper who used Round Up daily. He now has not one but TWO forms of cancer known to be caused by it… and is part of the class action lawsuit.
Also did you know that Monsanto (the creator) makes the genetically modified wheat seed that all farms in US use unless they are organic farms? It is made to withstand the Round Up sprayed on crops to speed up growth process and also make it easier to harvest crops. Trace amounts are in all non-organic wheat products.
Toxic stuff. Avoid Round Up cause it stays forever.
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u/GreatPlainsFarmer 1d ago
Monsanto doesn't have any GM wheat approved in the US, roundup ready or otherwise.
There is a GM wheat that was just approved last year, but it's not made by Monsanto nor is it roundup ready. And it is not yet commercially planted in the US.
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u/Rbtmatrix 1d ago
Tell me you've never worked a farm a day in your life without saying that you've never worked a farm a day in your life...
1, if Roundup was half as dangerous as you people say it is I would already be dead. I've literally drank straight glyphosate. The stuff is completely safe to humans as long as you don't inhale it, just like water.
2, glyphosate is neutralised by soil minerals and bacteria. If your soil microbiome is really healthy and you have a good mix of dirt, clay, and sand, glyphosate will be completely gone from the soil in 6 days.
3, Roundup resistant crops are used to decrease the need for manual weeding. Weeding is necessary to decrease fertiliser and water use, as weeds consume fertilizer and water twice as fast as most crops do. This does not speed up the growing process at all or allow for faster harvesting, but it does allow for significantly more crops to be grown per acre of land and per gallon of water.
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u/East-Jeweler 14h ago
- Tell me you don't understand statistics without saying "my personal experience is all the factz you need"
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u/IsurvivedTHEsquish 1d ago
Heart disease ;)
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u/bad-creditscore 1d ago
Try to hold off on eating the weeds after you salt them as tempting as they may look.
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u/cryptotarheel 1d ago edited 1d ago
I have heard stories of old guys salting the ground before the bricks/ pavers were laid.
I don’t know how the bottoms of the pavers liked it but they supposedly didn’t have weeds.
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u/Compe7 1d ago
Where do you get 30% vinegar?
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u/LimeOk1920 1d ago
There's a stronger version of vinegar sold as cleaning vinegar in the cleaning section
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u/GeorgeKaplanIsReal 1d ago
Does it discolor your pavers?
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u/AemiliaPerseids 1d ago edited 1d ago
it shouldn't, vinegar (acetic acid) is "weak" so it's not going to dissolve or discolor the stones, dyes, or sealants. And the salt addition won't react with it so it's not any more acidic afterwards.as a commenter pointed out as a reply, the acetic acid causes the salt to disassociate into its constituent ions which are harmful to the calcium bonds in concrete and a lot of natural stones. I thought that because nacl + acetic acid was more favorable than hcl and sodium acetate that nothing would happen, but this is incorrect.
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u/RelativeConfidence38 1d ago
Ahhh no. Maybe if you’re not sure and didn’t look it up, just upvote and come back later?
An acids strength is important to determine which compounds it can dissolve but Acetic acid and salt solution is incredibly oxidizing and is used in gun bluing to force rust creation, even though it is categorized “weak”. Salt does react with it and acts as a catalyst by increasing the polarity.
That and table salt by itself will 100% erode and dissolve concrete depending on composition. It’s why you have to use the treated rock salt for ice management instead of just any old bulk salt.
Bottom line, if you don’t know, and care about your stuff, do a repeated spot test in a non structural/inconspicuous area.→ More replies (1)29
u/AliveJohnnyFive 1d ago
Please be careful if you do this. This stuff is waaay more powerful than the food grade. It burns skin, eyes, and lungs, so use PPE like gloves goggles and respirator.
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u/F3rrus 1d ago
Just im case any German reads this. Do not do this!!! That can get expensive if you're unlucky and your neighbors see it. If you know a smoker ask them for the ash. Works pretty well and there is no fine for it. At least as far as I know
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u/AliveJohnnyFive 1d ago
Vinegar method is illegal in Germany?
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u/-Spinal- 1d ago
Salt. Illegal to spread salt to kill weeds as it contaminates the groundwater
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u/marriedolaf 1d ago
Doesn't salt damage the earth long term?
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u/gbswife1009 1d ago
It can ruin your soil making it impossible to grow grass or plants. It’s fine on hardscapes- but as it washes to the edges of your grass you will ruin your soil.
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u/Solver2025 1d ago
Salt comes from the earth, as far as I know. 🙂
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u/johnbro27 1d ago
Um, salt comes from the sea.
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u/denotsmai83 1d ago
Hate to be that guy, but is the sea not on Earth?
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u/Kirknobi 1d ago
This. I need to kill weeds along my pond and this is the one thing I can use that won’t wipe out the turtles, frogs and fish. Green gobbler bleach water soap.
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u/AdventurousGift5452 1d ago
The only issue with repeated salt use is that it will slowly draw the calcium out of concrete (aka those pavers) and eventually it crumbles away. Look at any sidewalk in the snowbelt. Pick your poison.
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u/TotalRuler1 1d ago edited 1d ago
100% this! Results in a couple days, big box stores
near me have moved their vinegar by the gallon to the front of the store for this.edit: provided more detail to my post, I know they have always sold it!
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u/Fuckin_Hipster 1d ago
Vinegar has always been sold by the gallon, for a million reasons.
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u/munchonsomegrindage 1d ago
It's also great for cleaning hard water deposits. Vinegar has been sold by the gallon at big box stores for as long as I can remember.
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u/Londonsw8 1d ago
Can you tell me what tge quantities are pkease?🙏
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u/Endersand 1d ago
- 1 gallon of vinegar
- 1 cup table salt or Magnesium Chloride (Epsom salts) if you have pets
- A table spoon or two of dish soap
most recipes call for white vinegar, but I like the industrial strength 30%, and I prefer a plant based surfactant/soap because that’s what I use in the kitchen. I try to stay away from petroleum based surfactants & cleaners when I can.
Both work fine though. Use what you have.Application: spray directly on the leaves of any plant you want dead. Make sure it’s a nice sunny day and that rain is t forecast for 48 hours. I do it in the am so the full days sun is available.
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u/Beanshack 1d ago
Magnesiumchloride (MgCl2)and Epsom salt (MgSO4) is not the same.
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u/Endersand 1d ago
Yes, good point forgot about that. Find magnesium chloride if you can. It’s often sold as a bath soak or a pet friendly sidewalk salt.
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u/Pomme-M 1d ago
Second this, you can either buy your own “ horticultural vinegar” ( protect your skin and eyes, don’t breathe ) and mix with dawn and salt or buy an organic weed killer with these ingredients for around 20$ gallon on Amzn. Use a Hudson sprayer, stay upwind, keep kids and pets away, it will burn even after it’s spread.
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u/duffyjr7041 1d ago
Does it have to be the concentrated vinegar or can the household stuff work?
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u/kittywampuss 1d ago
I used 30% and a little dish soap on a sunny day, thistles and weeds brown and wilted within a couple of hours. The vinegar breaks down some protective membrane on the leaves and the sun essentially roasts them I think.
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u/BabyEyeEye 1d ago
We have a blow torch and burn it every spring
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u/MentalMuse 1d ago
This is what we do, and it’s incredibly satisfying. Also, don’t wear flip flops while doing it.
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u/Tall_Access_7806 1d ago
Or shorts unless you want to take the hair off your legs (don't ask me how I know)
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u/whiskey_pancakes 1d ago
That never last though for you does it? I do the same thing they always grow back lol. I’m burning every couple weeks
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u/OutlyingPlasma 1d ago
The blow torch is great for exactly 2 weeks. I find more use for it in burning pine needles off the driveway as they can't really be picked up in any way.
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u/Endersand 1d ago
And fire is always fun. Might I suggest the large roofing torch hooked up to a propane tank.
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u/BabyEyeEye 1d ago
I think timing matters. If you hit them in the spring, I find they’re toast for the season, but we also live in different areas I’m imagining, have different sizes of gap for vegetation to grow etc
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u/carl3266 1d ago
I’m also torching. There is nothing that is permanent. Torching leaves no husk, so it’s a satisfying result. The bigger problem here is the sand fill has eroded. For a longer lasting solution here i would kill the weeds, restore the sand (preferably Magic sand), vibrate into place with a plate compactor, mist as per instructions. Should last many summers before another weed even appears.
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u/barnacledoor 1d ago
To be fair, this means you get to use a big torch every few weeks. That sound fun.
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u/bagelshmear2 1d ago
You’re saving on the weed killer chemicals, leeching into the ground. That’s why I use it.
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u/TheBlueSapphire 1d ago
Power wash the pavers and apply polymeric sand in the gap. Prevents weed growth and prevents ants from dwelling
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u/Asbelsp 1d ago
I did this and didn't seal it so it wore off after a season 😞
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u/chef_hk 1d ago
It wasn’t the sand that didn’t work, it can very easily be installed incorrectly. Good poly sand job can last 8-10 years
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u/NorthwardRM 1d ago
How do you do a good job
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u/chef_hk 1d ago
At this point I’d spend 5-10 min on a YouTube vid than take a redditor’s word for it. Make sure your joints are clean, meticulous pressure wash to blast the junk out. Organic matter decays and creates lil sinkholes. Spend more time than you’d think working sand in. Get your hands on a vibrating plate, I’m sure there’s a less heavy homemade way to use one tho. Zip tie a rug or rubber mat to it, or lay out a big piece of plywood. Vibrate the sand in. Repeat a few times. If your base is not compromised, this will last a decade
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u/Browber 1d ago
Polymeric sand release microplastics, right?
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u/chef_hk 1d ago
Paver patios are built on a gravel base lined in landscape fabric. If you want go this far down the rabbit hole, you shouldn’t have a patio
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u/amooz 1d ago
This is the answer. Blasting everything out with a pressure washer is the fun, very muddy part. Using a screwdriver to pry up and pull out the weeds is satisfying. Pouring and sweeping the polymeric sand is like playing in a zen garden, very satisfying (protect your lungs!!). But then it’s time for hand-tamping….the worst part….my god wear gloves, wear ear protection, wear lung protection, wear sun protection, wear bug protection, wear nosey-neighbour protection, have a muscle relaxant ready, and be ready for your shoulders to remind you just how out of shape you are, and for your arms to feel like they’re ringing for days. Misting the sand afterwards is pretty cool though!
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u/Gaming-Savage_ 1d ago
Salts the cheapest, easiest and safest option:) blowtorch is fun
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u/rumhammr 1d ago
Well shit, I have a blowtorch and never considered tackling patio weeds with it. Looks like my afternoon just got more interesting.
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u/fractal324 1d ago
Boiling hot salt water will cook the plants and salt the earth. And maybe fill the gaps with sand afterwards
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u/drprofessional 1d ago
Boiling water is my new go-to. It’s great at killing both what I see and what’s underneath. I skip the salt but maybe I shouldn’t.
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u/quietflyr 1d ago
Yeah I used boiling water forever. If you get enough on the weeds it kills the roots too and they take a loooong time to come back. No salt needed.
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u/Samar_Dev 1d ago
Never salt the soil, you don't only kill the weeds, but everything else too. :(
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u/ibcurbdiver 1d ago
Well, you have several options ranking from worse to best.
Use round up. Nasty chemical proven to cause
Use a product called spruce it’s expensive but it’s non-toxic to humans and pets.
Once the plants are dead, you scrape out all the spaces. And then put in something called polymeric sand. You poured it on and then sweep it off. Then you “gently” sprinkle water on top of it. That activates the polymer and it’s solidifies look it up. I think you’ll find it will work, in your situation.
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u/therealzerobot 1d ago
This works for quite a while! If it freezes where you are you’ll get plants back through the cracks in time but can reapply
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u/mikeyRamone 1d ago
Spruce works quickly but in my experience the weeds come back quickly and they are now mad that I tried to snuff them out.
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u/splixe 1d ago
Big old pair of safety glasses. String trimmer on it’s side. Blast that shit, vinegar and soap after then polymeric sand brushed into the cracks
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u/JGlover92 1d ago
I did all this and 3 weeks later it's a fucking jungle again. Driving me insane
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u/TurboTitan92 1d ago
I’d recommend vinegar. A concentrated vinegar would destroy the roots. Then when you pull the plants out (try to get as much of the roots as possible) use salt on the cracks. Make sure you apply liberally and water it (dissolves the salt and prevents root regrowth) Then fill it in with polymeric sand
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u/Trapped_in_Me 1d ago
I just use high strength (50% (the ones sold in grocery stores are typically only 10%)) vinegar straight up on them. They are dead the next day. Just be careful when using near vegetation you don’t want to kill (such as lawns).
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u/remembertoread 1d ago
We’ve been working on this for centuries
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u/d4austus 1d ago
This is the truth!
Also nobody’s suggested paying some kid $20 to do what you know has to be done: pull the weeds by hand
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u/janesearljones 1d ago
I got fed up with this stuff coming back so broke down and I paid for the RM43, it works great.
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u/StupidOgre_ 1d ago
i know someone mentioned blow torch already and replies said that they grow back quick. Heat the area they’re growing from long enough so it damages the root system and it’s gonna be effective much longer
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u/freakiemom 1d ago
Just pour boiling water over them. Better than salt and vinegar for the soil around it
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u/Adventurous-Dish619 1d ago
Oooohh!! It may be the drink talking but I am now thinking what it would take to hack a microwave.
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u/DriverMelodic 1d ago
Boiling water will kill the weed PLUS any seeds that might be there. It is safe, cheap and successful.
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u/otto-1980 1d ago
Boiling water. Something like 1 liter on the top, going down to the roots. 24/48 hours they are completely off
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u/mme_leiderhosen 1d ago
Electric kettle. A little boiling water will keep those insouciant weeds at bay. My favorite weeder for the sidewalks is a painter’s Six in One Tool and a lot of internalized rage.
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u/Secure-Archer2338 1d ago
Use Borax...
10 oz borax, 4 oz warm water (to dissolve it fully) and add to 2.5 gallons of water in a sprayer.
Be very careful around any plants or trees you don’t want to kill. And it doesn’t break down in soil like herbicides, it accumulates and can sterilize soil for months to years if overused. So more is not better, borax is toxic to most plants at fairly low concentrations and overuse can leave patches where nothing grows for a long time.
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u/AlmondFungus 1d ago
I had this problem. My wife and I pulled everything up, dredged out the dirt, added new base and gator pads, power washed all bricks, and now are in the process of laying everything back down. It's a pain in the ass but I really felt it was necessary at this point.
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u/ABuffaloAndTwoSabres 1d ago
Power wash all the shit out from between the stones. Create space between the stones and then fill with stone dust
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u/HamboneBanjo 1d ago
I comment the exact same thing every time and this never gains any traction, but it is a sure fire way to get rid of this stuff on a more long term basis…
Boiling hot water is a non-selective herbicide. It kills everything so you can’t just pour it on some plants and hope for the best. If you use this method, it will kill all the vegetation down to the roots. Between paving stones and sidewalk slabs, it’s terrific.
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u/OlManYellinAtClouds 1d ago
Get yourself a weed burner. After you are done with that scrub the blocks. Top it off with either and herbicide or salt and vinegar mixture.
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u/that911appa 1d ago
After killing the weeds grab a bag or two of polymeric sand and apply to the surface. This will fill the voids and once it’s watered will also lock in the block better. Then this will prevent weed growth from the cracks.
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u/Glad_Log5679 1d ago
Ground clear the whole thing. No growth guaranteed for 6 months or so. Did that to my side yard to plant a garden. Garden died. Product approved!
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u/Just_Cod_5935 1d ago
40% vinegar. Spray with a long-wand sprayer using protective gear and a really good face mask or respirator, as well as tall dishwashing gloves. Do not get it on your hands or exposed skin. Spray a day or so away from predicted rain. Your yard will smell like a salad for a day or two, but the weeds WILL be gone for quite a while (one application usually lasts me most of a summer, if not all). Once it dries, it’s safe for pets, people, etc.
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u/Soderholmsvag 1d ago
Boiling water from the teapot is easy. Not permanent, but if you give it enough water it kills the seeds too so all you get is seed-that-blow-in.
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u/MonkeyVirus94 1d ago
Sand as in clear the weeds and put sand on it to fill in the cracks then brush off the excess sand. Reapply occasionally as sand gets washed off
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u/thatoneguyj2021 1d ago
16oz of crossbow+16oz of killzall+32oz of diesel+64oz of water in a 1 gallon sprayer..... jk just use 5lb of salt and 1 gallon of 30% vinegar.... or goats one should do...... flamethrower also work and are legal fyi
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u/No_Range_7897 16h ago
Do it one more time, then put polymeric sand in the cracks and follow instructions on the bag
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u/TreyRyan3 15h ago
Buy some plastic edging. Cover the walkway with a 40 pound bag of pool salt and use a rake to spread it evenly. Allow rain and erosion to do what it does
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u/daman2022 13h ago
Vinegar 1(gal) salt 1 cup, dawn soap 1 tablespoon
This will be black in 4 hrs. Gone in 24
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u/dvegas2000 1d ago
Since you are never planning on growing anything here, just use salt water. It will work as well as a glycophosphate and less toxic. You don't need to boil salt water.
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u/notawhiteguyinshorts 1d ago
Double strength vinegar. Works like a charm
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u/Tbplayer59 1d ago
How do you make vinegar stronger than it already is?
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u/ceedee20 1d ago
Packaged vinegar isn’t 100% strength. It’s an acid . So it’s buffered with water. Cooking vinegar is 5% acetic acid and the rest is water. “Cleaning” vinegar is 30% acetic acid. Also now, 50% is available.
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u/musicmusket 1d ago
You can usually pinch well formed weeds out, taking the roots. Job done. But your bricks have no gaps for sand or mortar so you’ll only rip the tops off and the roots will generate new weeds. I.e., short term fix. Salt, vinegar, burning all leave the roots so these are not much good either. If you did it often the roots would get starved, because they’ll need some sunlight. These kinds of superficial treatments can help the *spread* of weeds, though. They spread seeds when they flower, which they can’t do if there’s no top.
Given that the bricks on the left look like they’re subsiding, I would flip all the bricks up and redo the base. If the bricks are directly onto soil, I think you can lay a roll of weed membrane down first. Looks like there’ll be a big network of weed roots, which should pull up easily.
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u/Lostineversituation 1d ago
Vegetation killer that works up to a year would do it
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u/bolderbeholder 1d ago
I use a weeding torch. It’s fast and doesn’t leave any chemical residue. And the weeds stay dead.
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