Weeds!!!!

[Starwitch]

Hi there,

I wonder if anyone may be able to suggest a way I can rid my patio of weeds (you know the ones that come up through the patio stones!!)

I'm in the UK, and we're now getting our frosty time of year, and I think that once the spring starts that will be the time to combat my weeds!!!! As much as I love the natural looking garden, I think my neighbours might say something if I leave it again this year!!!!

I have to be careful with weed killers as I have a cat!!

Many thanks

[Mogget]

There is a saying... Weeds only grow where plants don't. A great natural solution is to find a few varities of flowering plant, or pleasent herbs that will take to living in paving cracks... pull out the weeds and bung in plants you approve of... that way it's not weeds it's rustic charm. Or a useful herb bed, or whatever.

If you really want them dead and gone there are a couple of non-poison options, the most ecological of which is Boiling water. This will still kill all the bugs and what not living in the soil and the plant, but won't cause lasting toxicity. After that, just keep up with weeding. If every day you pull up half a dozen new little weedlets, you should easilt be able to kee ahead of them.

Very nasty long term unecoligal solutions (that are still better than spray on weed poison) include salting the earth between the pavings, and using motor oil between the pavings (then cover with sand to prevent your cat from becoming a tar-baby).

Mogget

[Lavender]

I can't think of any other way that's chemical free other than boiling water and pulling out the weeks by hand. I always think of weeds as misplaced herbs. How big are the spaces between your patio stones? What about growing moss there? That would keep your weed problem down.

My other suggestion was to make a salad out of the weeds!

[Mad Moya]

Having some impairment in doing physical labor, I bought one of those little wheeled carts that you sit on. Every year in January/February (this is Florida), I roll around the yard pulling weeds. I never get them all, but each year, less and less come back, so I feel like I'm winning!

Now if anyone knows how to keep raccoons and possum out of a bird feeder, let me know! Once last year, he dragged the bird feeder across the yard, I guess he was trying to take it home with him, but couldn't figure out how to get it over the fence! Now, they just remove the bricks from the base where I pile them to keep the feeder steady. Every day I replace the bricks, and every morning I find them scattered all over the yard!

Good luck, Mad Moya

[Morrighana]

I don't have a garden of my own, so I've never actually tried this, but on days when it's going to be really really sunny, my mother sometimes goes out and sprays a mix of lemon juice and something else (i'm not sure if it's vinegar or not...it's something with slight acidity) on our dandelions. This dries em up and kills them pretty much by the end of the day. She does it usually before they flower, too. This method might work on your weeds, if it's sunny enough there.

[Demeter]

Vinegar. Use it straight up, out of a spray mister. Get the plant thoroughly moist. This works best when the weather is sunny and the plant is in active growth (not dormant). It will kill off the top growth, make it wither up and easier to remove. Some plants may come back from the root since this is not systemic, but if you keep spraying them, they'll die eventually.

[materra]

Plant lots of thyme in the cracks etc. It doesn't mind getting walked on and smells good. Lemon thyme is my favorite. And if you make a mixture of local mosses...buttermilk..in a blender....and paint the cracks and such with the mix you will have mosses before long. Sound funny, but try it... works well on pots for flowers too. just remember, mosses get slippery.

[Starwitch]

Thank you all so much for your suggestions, I will start at the top and work through the list until something works (gotta wait for some nicer weather first!!).

I'll keep ya posted

[Demeter]

Originally posted by Mad Moya

Now if anyone knows how to keep raccoons and possum out of a bird feeder, let me know! Once last year, he dragged the bird feeder across the yard, I guess he was trying to take it home with him, but couldn't figure out how to get it over the fence! Now, they just remove the bricks from the base where I pile them to keep the feeder steady. Every day I replace the bricks, and every morning I find them scattered all over the yard!

Good luck, Mad Moya

Coat the feeder with cayenne pepper. Coat the birdseed with cayenne pepper. Sprinkle the bricks with cayenne pepper. The pepper won't bother the birds, but boy does it bother mammalian types. This is one of the few ways I've found to keep squirrels out of a bird feeder.

You do need to renew the pepper after a rain.

[Mad Moya]

Originally posted by Demeter
Coat the feeder with cayenne pepper. Coat the birdseed with cayenne pepper. Sprinkle the bricks with cayenne pepper. The pepper won't bother the birds, but boy does it bother mammalian types. This is one of the few ways I've found to keep squirrels out of a bird feeder.

You do need to renew the pepper after a rain.

Tried that, even bought the bird seed soaked in cayenne. Something still manages to get to it every night. One night I saw four racoons and three o'possum out there having fun with the feeder. Hmmm... what about armadillos? Wonder if they're out there too. Or maybe it's just mischievious fairies! I'm pretty sure it's not the gator.

Have fun, MM