Do you need it?
I know many would rather not use weed killer, in most cases it simply isn't necessary.
Hand weeding is often easier, quicker and just as effective, Pick the head and pull the roots then your done.
It's free and unless your whole garden is overgrown, has a lot of weeds or some particularly tough ones your almost always better off doing it manually.
Sadly this doesn't work on all weeds.
Perennials such as Ivy or Brambles can regrow from even a small fragment of root. Don't get it all and you'll be back to square one.
Annuals such as daisies will quickly spread their seed far and wide, don't get them early enough and they will spread, kill them to late and they will pop up elsewhere.
Want the strongest weed killer?
How do weed killers work?
Most of the popular weed killers work by disrupting the photosynthesis process of the plant.
You simply apply the weed killer and it is absorbed by the plant, the weed killer acts as a poison and kills the plant.
Please note, you should always take care with garden chemicals. Weed killers when used incorrectly can be hazardous to the environment. Always read the label & follow the instructions for safe use.
There are two main types of weed killer. Systemic and selective:
- Systemic weed killers will kill everything.
- Selective weed killers won't, these are commonly used in lawns to kill lawn weeds.
What are some of the strongest?
Different strokes for different folks. Different weeds and locations require different kinds of weed killer.
Therefore there is no one strongest weed killer that works everywhere.
Instead there are numerous strong weed killers that are suitable for different jobs.
Glyphosate:
The worlds most popular weed killer. It is used across the world in gardens, farms & public places. We love this stuff. It's not difficult to see why, it's an effective and super strong weed killer.
Glyphosate is systemic, will kill grass and pretty much every other plant it touches. Used to kill annuals, perennials, woody perennials and tree stumps.
Glyphosate is used with 85% of GM crops grown globally.
Worldwide we consume roughly 650,000 tonnes of Glyphosate annually worth around $6.5 billion and it's use keeps on increasing in large part due to it's use with GM crops (source).
Vinegar:
A very popular "homemade" herbicide. Often combined with salt and some dish soap.
It works well in warm conditions and is a non selective weed killer. If over used it can harm your soil PH levels.
Works well on small weeds, would need industrial quantities for large weeds like brambles.
Overall a good, cheap homemade weed killer that is ideally suited for small weeds and small areas.
Salt:
The oldest weed killer. People have been using it for centuries. It's also useful for combating other garden pests. Enemy combatants would salt each others land to prevent crops from growing leading to starvation.
Pretty evil huh? Salt is a non selective and very effective weed removal and prevention tool.
Often combined with water and dish soap it is sprayed onto the weeds which absorb it and they die.
Sodium Chlorate
Was a popular weed killer in the UK that was long lasting and worked very well.
I believe it is now banned as it was hazardous and potentially dangerous as it left residues.
We don't recommend you use this product.
Triclopyr
A selective weed killer that is used to kill woody weeds such as brambles, nettles and unwanted saplings.
It's formulated so that it won't kill grass and can be used safely in turfed areas. Typically mixed with water in a knapsack or sprayer but can also be used in a watering can.
It's one drawback is that it persists in soil for up to 6 months meaning you can't replant after use.
Strong weed killer, that kills everything it touches.
The worlds most popular is also the world strongest weed killer. The winner is Glyphosate.
Why? Because it works well in almost any situation (except lawns and aquatic environments).
It kills 99% of weeds in one application. It's also safe to use as long as it's used correctly.
A special mention goes out to vinegar and salt. If you're just killing some small weeds on your gravel drive or block paving then try one of these first.
Get rid of those PESKY weeds....
It's never been easier to kill unwanted weeds or plants.
