I typically use Round Up for weeds but have yet to try it on my fence rows. I'm concerned about the health reports re Round Up. What are the alternatives?

The subject came up on another forum after another recent study showed negative effects w/Round Up. Some posters suggested:
Formula 1:
1/2 Gal vinegar
1/4 cup salt or epson salt
1/2 tsp dish soap
1 tsp Dr Fred Summit heat rub

Formula 2:
1 gal vinegar
1/4cup dish soap
2 cups Epsom salts..

These weeds I'm talking about are very hardy.

Rock salt (stuff for sidewalks) will work as long as you do not want anything else to grow there.
Takes some time, not an instant type deal.

Glyphosate is a big media punching bag right now, but it's a hell of a lot better for you and the environment than the alternatives. It's funny, all the glyphosate outrage has led to Round up formulations that are probably more harmful to the environment than it was with the Glyphosate.

Whatever you chose to use, read the label and wear proper PPE.

Round Up or Spectrcide, Lowes or Home depot have them, I mix my own, probably a bit too strong but some FL weeds give you the finger for weak spray.

The home remedy requires you to use the high concentrate vinegar to get good results, you can get it at Home Depot/Lowes as well, it's expensive though. I read where it kills the weeds above ground but doesn't kill the weed off like Roundup products.

Round up has a pre-mixed gallon with an electric wand built in, works good, not a lot of pressure so you have to get close to the weeds, put on some gloves and you'll be fine..

Link

Are you trying to control grass or broadleaf weeds and/or woody brush type plants? If grass then Roundup (or a generic version) is about the best thing to use. If you are going after broadleaf and brushy weeds I would use a mix of Crossbow and Remedy Ultra. Crossbow contains 2-4D which is excellent for controlling broadleaf weeds without killing grass. It also contains a small amount of Triclopyr which is the active ingredient in Remedy Ultra. If you are just worried about broadleaf plants I would stick with just Crossbow. If you also have problems with woody stem type plants (blackberries, brambles, small saplings) than I would use a mix of Crossbow and Remedy Ultra along with a surfactant (crop oil) to increase effectiveness. Crossbow and Remedy will NOT kill most types of grass but will likely stunt it for a week or so.

I use a mix of 3oz Crossbow, 1oz Remedy Ultra, and 1oz of crop oil per gallon of water for spraying along/under my pasture fences. It is very effective and I generally spray 2, maybe 3 times each year. When I used Roundup I had to spray at least 4 times a year because it killed the grass leaving bare dirt for the weeds to easily recolonize. By not killing the grass I make it much more difficult for the broadleaf weeds to get a foothold.

None of these chemicals need a special license to purchase or use (at least in the state of Alabama, YMMV).

Note: Some plants are more sensitive to 2-4D than others. If you are spraying close to delicate plants I would be very careful. Under certain conditions 2-4D, even after it has dried on the plant, can volatize and drift several hundred yards. For example, you spray in the am then get a light rain/mist several hours later. Then the sun comes out and things get a bit steamy. That steam/vapor contains 2-4D and can drift with the wind. That can happen up to 24 hours after application.

Second note: Always use a surfactant in your mix. It greatly increases the effectiveness of whatever chemical you are using.

Third note: This is what I use for my conditions in southeast AL. It might not work for you or your climate.

This is a very long reply, I hope you find it useful.

I tried the whole salt and vinegar thing on my weeds and they just laughed at me.

I don't think putting high concentrations of salt into your soil is ultimately a good thing either.

Several years ago PBS had a show on the use of herbicides/pesticides in the mid-west that resulted in the ground water become unsafe to use. Many areas had to build water purification plants for residents.
There is a noticeable lack of pollinators {bees,ect), that many experts say that is resulting from the use of chemicals to control weeds & bugs.

Cut the weeds or live with them is the safest thing to do.
The use all these chemicals was just getting started when I was kid (1950s). That was the start of many of the plants being GMOed so that chemicals could be used to kill weeds without killing the food crop.

Pick your poison -- literally. Understand the chemistry before using.

Our family has 405 acres of ranch land which requires constant weed control from May to August.
- We find the vinegar & salt solutions almost worthless. It just doesn't kill the roots. Might as well be mowing.
- We will not use any glyphosate products on our land. Our choice. And it's not so great for the cattle that are grazing, either.
- Broad leaf weeds can be controlled by a few chemicals. 2-4,D, dicamba, triclopyr, aminopyralid, metsulfuron. We have found all of these can be effective. Currently we're using a combination of 2-4,D and aminopyralid. Our primary weeds are thistle, lupine, prickle poppy, wild alfalfa, mullein, and bindweed.
- We now use triclopyr only to control yucca. Triclopyr is very effective on woody plants, which includes trees. Note that special care must be used with triclopyr, as it can cause permanent eye damage.

^What Perception said^

Roundup (the original Glyphosate-only formulation) is alot less hazardous than most herbicides despite what the "Greens" are crowing about (mostly its use on food crops), It breaks down rapidly and readily in the environment. It kills the entire plant, including the root, but provides little to no residual weed control.

Then there is Paraquat and its cousins. Very toxic, and you have to be licensed in most States to even buy it. These kill/burn only the foliage, and will not kill well-rooted weeds without multiple applications.

The salt+vinegar formulations are much much worse for you and the soil. They will, however, sterilize the soil for as long as a few years. They are also very toxic to birds and other wildlife. Pretty much anything marketed as a soil sterilizer will be about as bad.

The most effective fence line treatment that is reasonably environmentally responsible is mechanical removal followed by yearly or twice yearly application of a general-purpose broad-spectrum pre-emergent herbicide. This will give you a clean fence line rather than a line of dead stubble. Depending on the kind of fence you have, and the kind of weeds you have this does not have to be an onerous chore. For example, I have had good results using a side-cut sod cutter under a chain link fence running the blade an inch or two under the soil surface.

quote:

Originally posted by architect:
Roundup (the original Glyphosate-only formulation) ... It breaks down rapidly and readily in the environment.

Then why is it found in plant tissue and soil samples years after use?

Less hazardous? Perhaps. Unhazardous? Not a chance.

quote:

Originally posted by architect:

Then there is Paraquat and its cousins. Very toxic, and you have to be licensed in most States to even buy it. These kill/burn only the foliage, and will not kill well-rooted weeds without multiple applications.

I was recently talking with a Mississippi Department of Agriculture & Commerce inspector. He said Paraquat was very toxic and will kill just about anything. He also said that it breaks down quickly and still in wide spread use in the U.S.. He also talked about Glyphosate. He said if Glyphosate was as bad as the media suggests, there wouldn't be a farmer left in the Delta. He was far more concerned with MSMA.