weeds

[problemchild]

Does anyone have a tried and tested method for putting down on weeds to stop them regrowing?My grandfather had a good old fashioned rememdy but alas i have forgotten what it was? i have bought weedkiller but i am having little success. Someone suggested salt and someone else suggested bleach? Are they winding me up? Desperately need help and would prefer making my own.

[showcatbenga]

This depends on where the weeds are & what you want to do with the area after the weeds are gone.
For paths, drives, paved & gravel areas the best thing is sodium chlorate. A bit old fashioned now it is a permanent weedkiller that poisons the ground/ soil for plants with sodium, also available in salt & bleach at lower concentrations. It can be washed off paving on to other areas by rain so only use where appropriate. I do not follow the instructions on the packet 'cos the results that way are pants! I sprinkle the neat granules where the weeds are growing i.e. between house & path. If you do this just before rain you will save yourself the job of lightly watering it in or you can just let nature take it's course. Stand back & watch the b*gg*rs die! Re apply when you see signs of invasion! Should be good for at least a year (sometimes 2) unless you have a very lot of weeds,lol.

[shylock73]

It depends on the size of your garden and how much disposable cash you have. If it`s not very big, you can cover the soil with a thick rubbery membrane which is available at all garden centres. Nothing will grow through it and it does allow you to grow things later on as all the roots will have died. you can cover it in gravel or slate chips to make it look more attractive.HTH`s

[Lonnie]

Are any of the weeds 'Bindweed'?, if so, I have the cure, post back if they are.

[problemchild]

I have a 125 ft garden but it has been beautifully designed before i moved in. I have the heavy membrane but it appears to have been down over 10 years and the weeds are now coming through.i think some is bindweed but the problem areas are the stone parts and the paths. The rest i just pull out in the hope of not coming back...but they always do. i am a garden novice but want to have it all nice. i owe that to the previous owners who tended to the garden with great dedication and i do not want to let them down.