Weeds: Killing Them Off More Easily! 

Contributed by Doreen Coyne, Vice President of The Richmond Hill Garden & Horticultural Society

Weeds. We all have them; we all want to get rid of them. Weeds are just starting to regrow in my yard and garden. I’ve enjoyed a lack of weeds for several weeks now but it is time to get them removed once more before fall sets in.

For spot treating grass and walkways, I’ve found a solution that works well for me without getting harsh chemicals involved. Mix together 1 gallon of vinegar, 2 cups of Epson Salts and ¼ cup of Dawn Dish Soap (the blue one) in a large spray bottle. I bought a gallon spray container that has a long plastic tube from the lid to the spray handle. I got mine from Dollarama but I’m sure lots of stores sell these. This is great for walking around the yard and walkways to spot treat the weeds. This is not meant for spraying an entire area nor near plants you do not want to kill. Spray this solution on the weeds during the heat of the day. In the evening, you should be able to pull out the browned weed remains and put them into your yard waste bag. You may need to treat the weeds more than once.

For your garden beds. Another friend at the Horticultural Society told be about a Dutch Hoe. I’d not heard of this tool before but I was told it was very handy in eliminating, or slowing down, the growth of weeds in my garden. You can buy this tool at several stores including Lee Valley. Sometimes the handle comes in 2 lengths. I chose the longer handle to avoid having to bend. The Dutch hoe allows you to “slice” off the weed’s head slightly below ground level. Some weeds and especially runners may come back but less each time. The theory is that cutting the head off eliminates the roots’ source of food (sunshine) and thus the roots will die. Pulling weeds can stimulate the roots to grow more weeds, especially those with underground runners. This summer and last summer have proven to me that the Dutch Hoe is a valuable garden tool.

For walkways, sidewalks and driveways. My neighbour introduced me to this very useful tool, the Weed Torch. These are long handled tools ending with a flame source near the ground and a small propane tank near the cane-like handle. When I bought mine, I found good choices at Canadian Tire and Lee Valley. And yes, it burns the weeds for instant results. But be careful. Wear hard toed shoes and don’t burn near your lawn or underground wiring nor gas lines as fire can travel underground via roots into your grass. It wouldn’t hurt to have a hose turned on nearby! I found my weed torch particularly useful on the interlocking stones around my pool but it also did a good job on the edges and cracks in my driveway and between the sidewalk slabs.

Have a happier time weeding by using these ideas!