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"In a standard laboratory test, called the LD50, the "acetic acid is more toxic than glyphosate." And because of the mix of chemicals in the recipe and the amount of weedkiller one would apply, "the acetic acid in the homemade mixture is nearly 10 times more lethal than the glyphosate in the Eliminate [a Roundup product] mixture." Oh, and the homemade weedkiller would stick around in the soil longer. "
Be careful with whatever you use. As for me, I use glyphosate. "Chemical" is NOT a dirty word.
So true. A man who worked for a large meat-processing company and was married to my cousin once threw a fit at the dinner table when I talked about the "chemicals" in our food. Heh. Guess it all depends on what type of chemicals one is discussing. "EVERYTHING is chemicals," he shouted.
I read Silent Spring in high school and took it pretty seriously. Even more so after the author died of cancer.
And I do my share of using home-made preparations. Guess I should do a little research on my methods before I take it for granted that they are less harmful.
I'm going to confess my first priority isn't which is more harmful. I choose chemicals for the garden based on how well they work while doing the least amount of harm and persisting the least amount of time in the environment. I have found that I never need to use the most high-test products available.
After studying a whole range of lawn and garden pesticides in college, I was humbled. Today's pesticides are infinitely less harmful than those our parents used and the ones Rachel Carson described in the book. I'd even argue that "Silent Spring" was one major factor in the banning of many things we no longer use.
If I have a choice between mixing two ounces of glyphosate in a gallon of water or mixing up a number of things from my kitchen, I take the easier route, and one that I know will work exactly as I expect it to.
Sometimes the journey is more important... and, I don't like the journey Monsanto takes.
I have never used homemade or commercial weed killers either personally or professionally - even when removing poison ivy. I can only advocate for my choices and why I've taken them.
Actually this year I am trying everything, except the Cucuzza, in containers and just keep moving them around. Didn't do any digging and just use the lawnmower to keep it from getting too wild. Have quite a few containers most with one plant but sume such as the leaf lettuce, Bunching onions, leeks and Fennel packed quite full. But daily I pick some to use. so slowly thinning them, eventually will just have one or 2 big ones to grow to maturity in each container.
Been making salads daily for about 2 weeks a mixture of assorted young greens. A different mixture every day.
The way I look at it, if the weeds are thriving, the soil should be just fine for the veggies
Now if I can just remember where the tomato plants are. The cucuzza is easy it just grows up the nearest tree.
I figure the squash will eventually get bigger than the weeds.
That's my favorite strategy. My tomato bed is full of crab grass, but who cares about six inch crab grass when you have three foot tomatoes. I'll pluck them if they go to seed, though. I find the most frustrating vegetables for me are the root vegetables and low plants like strawberries, since they don't get large enough to naturally compete with weeds.
That's my favorite strategy. My tomato bed is full of crab grass, but who cares about six inch crab grass when you have three foot tomatoes. I'll pluck them if they go to seed, though. I find the most frustrating vegetables for me are the root vegetables and low plants like strawberries, since they don't get large enough to naturally compete with weeds.
Squash does a great job of hiding the weeds,
In Texas I used to plant a few sweet potato slips every year they did a good job at drowning out weeds.
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