Non-toxic weed control

fishhead · #1 08/08/12, 09:28 AM

The other day I noticed the grass was getting long in the cracks of my concrete stem. Then I remembered reading a tip from decades ago about using boiling water to kill weeds.

The next time I made tea I took the left over hot water out and poured it on the weeds. They were dead within minutes. Then I took some left over hot water from cooking beans and finished cleaning out the weeds around the step.

Now I'm thinking that there must be a way to make a wood fired boiler on wheels for keeping fence lines clear of weeds.

Alice In TX/MO · #2 08/08/12, 09:33 AM

Easier:
Red Dragon Propane Torch Kits - The best weed burner available! Vapor Torches, Liquid Torches, Jet Torches and The Weed Dragon.

fishhead · #3 08/08/12, 10:01 AM

I was trying to think of a way to kill the roots without using chemicals.

ajaxlucy · #4 08/08/12, 10:05 AM

I boil water with a little vinegar added and pour that on weeds to kill them.

fishhead · #5 08/08/12, 10:16 AM

Does that work better than straight boiling water?

tnokie · #6 08/08/12, 10:42 AM

I read the other day that you could use a gallon of cider vinger,cup of salt and two spoonfulls of dawn ,mixed and sprayed on worked as well as roundup! Haven't tried it yet but the next trip to town I am going to get the vinger and give it a try!

rambler · #7 08/08/12, 01:49 PM

Does any of that actuallty kill the root of a tough weed, or just burn off the top growing part? Works fine, but would think it would take several applications to really kill off a typical deep rooted weed.

--->Paul

where I want to · #8 08/08/12, 02:07 PM

It depends on the root depth. Boiling water works first time for grasses and other fibrous rooted plants. But I had to do it a number of times for the curly dock. Just exhausted the plant.
It's a great tool. I have wondered whether one of those steam floor mops would work but have never tried it.

happy@home · #9 08/08/12, 04:24 PM

Just move your charcoal or propane grill where the weeds are and heat a pot of water on it instead of building a boiler. But if you design a boiler on wheels patent it!

Sanza · #10 08/08/12, 09:38 PM

I've tried the straight vinegar and salt on the weeds in my driveway and it killed about 20% of the weeds, and didn't even stunt the grass growing between the sidewalk blocks. I thought it was a waste of time and will go back to roundup.