Best All Round Weed Killer please ?

[Furkin]

Apologies if this has already been discussed, but I want to keep all sorts of weeds down on a gravel drive.

I don't live on the property, but I do take care of this chore, so I can only get over once in a while.

I have been using Sodium Chlorate. Many years ago, when you could only get this from Chemists or specialist shops, it was great. It seems that once it went on general sale, it got diluted, or otherwise messed about with.

My quest: What is the best (& VFM) weed killer to kill all ?

There are no borders or lawns/flowers to worry about, so I want to kill everything.

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Hope you are having a productive season

[Polly Fouracre]

As a last resrt glyphosate would be my choice. You could try a flame gun though.

[Two_Sheds]

Personally, I don't like chemicals. I use boiling water on my patio weeds, or hand pick them (I find it quite therapeutic ... but no, I won't do your drive for you )

[Furkin]

As usual, when you ask at Garden Centres, High Street stores etc, they only recommend something that they have in stock.

If they happen to have 'in stock' what I want to buy, then no probs.
I prefer to get the info/data/recommendations from real gardeners first.

Polly: Thanks for that. I was advised by a lady at B&Q to go for something that contained that,,,, and also informed me that B&Q have, or are, stopping selling S.Chlorate.

Two Sheds: Damn,,,, I thought I had an offer then ! I know that Norfolk is great (used to go to G.Yarmouth twice a year),,,, but maybe a few days in Cornwall might do you good !

Unfortunately, as I'm disabled, picking by hand is out of the question. It's a struggle to do it with a watering can,,,,, but it has to be kept on top of. It's a mixture of grasses, weeds, thistles etc, so I need something good enough to do all - systemically.

Thanks folks for your input

[Two_Sheds]

I know that Norfolk is great (used to go to G.Yarmouth twice a year),,,, but maybe a few days in Cornwall might do you good !

I'm originally from Plymouth
We actually had a week's camping hol in Goran Haven last year ... and had fog, gales and torrential rain every day. Then the car blew up on the way back (in protest at the hills I think)
I have hoisted a Cornish flag off my shed to remind me never to go back

[Hazel at the Hill]

I would have thought that Roundup would do the job here - lethal to plants, doesn't hang around in any soil b*ggering up the ecosystem.

ETA - Don't know what the 'own brand' equivelants are like (besides cheaper!)

[SMS6]

I'm originally from Plymouth


I have hoisted a Cornish flag off my shed to remind me never to go back

Two Sheds - TUT TUT - go an wash your mouth out!! Or should that be clean your fingers.

I don't think our weather has been any worse than anywhere else this year.

[HeyWayne]

I would have thought that Roundup would do the job here - lethal to plants, doesn't hang around in any soil b*ggering up the ecosystem.

ETA - Don't know what the 'own brand' equivelants are like (besides cheaper!)

Garden centres round by me sell "own brand" Glyphosate which is slightly cheaper than Roundup, and doesn't seem to be any less effective.

I buy the litre bottles and dilute into a watering can, but you can buy the readymixed stuff with the trigger dispenser (ona little mini-hose). Or, you buy the Roundup trigger one once, and then just refil with the dilutable stuff.

[Pumpkin Becki]

I've struggled to get any results from 'Roundup' this year, the weeds just seem to be too vigorous. I switched to 'Resolva' (a blue squirty bottle from Westland), it worked really quickly, but I found the squirter mechanism was too pathetic, so I transfered it into an old Roundup bottle (I know you're not meant to, but I was at the end of my tether!!) and the results were really impressive and fast.

[lez]

hello saw the light and moved away from the lizard. you need one of those lonlasting weedol patio ones that last for three months or more. they sell them in gardening places. ok on drives patio's etc but no where else. chemical or not you are disabled so take the easy route mate and save your self the hassle. every one worries about weedkillers and don't use them but what concerned me more was an article I read about how one slug pellet could contaminate 1100 two gallon cans of water and you can't tell. the statistics they quoted were very astonishing and farmers are governed the problem is home growers. interesting read. anyway go for a long lasting weed killer as roundup and such like only kill the weed they hit and break down on cntact with the soil. good luck.

[Furkin]

Thanks all.
I was going to try Resolva & RoundUp on either side of the drive, to see which is best.

After looking around, I'll probably just go for the best deal in Glyphosate that I can get locally.

I may still use that on one side,,,, & the last of the S.Chlorate on the other.

thanks for your help 'n advice.

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I've been in Cornwall for the past 39 years,,,,, and wouldn't change it for the world. These last couple of not great summers won't put me off.

[weekendwellies]

I used to use salt on my driveway and it worked a treat. Has to be done 2 or 3 times a year though.
I havent done it this year as all my energy has been going into my recently got allotment, and the weeds are coming through again. I went over it with something called Deeweed 2 which I found in my dads house.The blurb says it contains 3 ingredients which are absorbed by both the leaves and the roots
and is effective against a wide range of both emerged and germinating weeds preventing regrowth for up to 12 months. Said ingredients are: amitrole, diuron and 2,4-D whatever they may be. I dont know how good it is yet as I did it only this last weekend.
Will let you know.

[bearded bloke]

I have just deleted the most recent comment & am locking this revived old thread, the great M0nsant0 debate has already been had on this forum several times