Good "Homemade" Weed Killer

Notice the quotes "" used in the title with homemade. I certainly didn't make the ingredients. Anyway, I don't run into any large weed problems around here except for the sunnier spots. So the question was what to use? I'm not paying twenty bucks for that stuff at Lowes, so I did some digging across the web, ignored save the earthworm types of people. Besides, I have thriving population of those critters around here.

Here's what I'm playing with. Mind you this is for spots I don't want anything to grow. Areas include the driveway and along the drive. Most of the web suggestions mention vinegar (one gallon), salt (one cup), and some type of detergent (one tblspn) in varying quantities. I decided to go with some copper sulfate (bought at a local farm supply store) I use for the septic system. It's a salt and is supposed to sterilize soil.

Before...

After...two days later

 

Pretty good results the way I look at it. None will be applied in the center of the driveway. Question is how long will it last? I may add another shot with a copper sulfate and water only mix to get at the roots. The first application was sprayed lightly all the way up the driveway or 150 feet.

I would not suggest it to spot kill weeds in flower beds or lawns.

Costs? 

Vinegar $ 2.65

Detergent ? A nickel?

Copper Sulfate? I'd guess $ 2.00 if you were to buy a two pound container of RootKill

Coverage in this example. Approximately 250 square feet.

Update June 19. Save your money. It doesn't work, but the application of copper sulfate and water was very weak.

Miscellaneous Stuff From The Sticks

Not sure if I've mentioned the difficulty in growing nasturtiums around here. It looks like the secret is doing the exact opposite of what I've heard on internet message boards. The opposite would be partial shade instead of full sun, great soil rather than average to poor...and moist.

Here are some Milkmaid type that are supposed to climb. Leaves are about 2 1/2 inches in diameter, bettering any I've had by 50%. Seeds were started April 5. I'll have to get around to fixing that bird feeder again as it was whacked by another large nighttime visitor.

Cat up a tree? Nope. Working on getting more sun to the moonflowers that are planted just below. Some overhanging branches needed pruning while watching the sun at the same time. It looks like  I'll have to go another ten feet to get an extra hour or so of full sun. The trees will be wrapped with loose laid chicken wire for a moonie playground.

Hmmm. This is strange... Another idea in the working stage.

It needs some modifications. It also got extremely repetitious and boring making close to 200 kerf cuts on the plywood, with two passes as the same time.

I never did mention anything about the creek pump. The whole irrigation idea also needs some improvements in that in can only run two sprinklers and a garden hose nozzle at the same time. The idea was presented to me by a guy at Ace. Problem is it has oodles of potential to pump a large amount of water through a two inch line. However, it goes from a two inch hose (blue) to a 3/4 inch diameter garden hose (red) that runs off several Y-connectors along the driveway.

By running all two inch pipe from creek and along the drive, it can probably run ten sprinklers at once. That's next years project as it satisfies me for now.

Creek view...

Driveway...

Quinns Greenhouse. McCaysville GA

I've been to this place three times now. Quite a change from all the big box stores with prices being  comparable. Although it's a 70 mile round trip there's more selection and the plants are healthier. Nice drive too, especially the lil town of McCaysville that runs along the Toccoa River in and out of Tennessee.

I've been trying to find perennial Lantana for some time, or maybe this time around the price and appearance looked good. They offer several types but I only saw two. The perennial Miss Huff and a variegated leaf called Samantha with the latter being considered an annual. Who knows, maybe it will surprise me and make it till next year.

This stuff caught my attention. Maybe I'm getting artsy with what goes with what. After all, the first year I just wanted full blown color. Now other things are beginning to look interesting. Heck, I thought Petunias were kind of sissy back then too..and look now.

Look at these Begonias. Actually too big for me as I have trouble cutting them back (same with Impatiens) unless I want a skimpy plant the rest of the year. These things must have been one foot high. Many of the Impatiens were much the same.

Plenty of more stuff, but here's my take. A few variegated potato vines, some Nicotina, three colors of Salvia including an orange or salmon color. Not many of those left:( Four Lantana, some Dusty guys, Impatiens, and those blue thingies. All, annuals priced the same as shown with the Begonias above.