Painting on Roundup on Weeds

Hurling Fan

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Have an area with fine healthy weeds that I want to clear. However, its very close to new hedging so reluctant to spray it. Remember hearing in the past that roundup can be painted onto weeds - just wondering how much would need to be painted on. Would one touch of the brush suffice or would weeds need to be covered with roundup.

Thanks in advance.
 
Never tried painting on roundup but I'd imagine that a good coat on the upper leaf surface of broadleaved weeds would do the trick
however
There are sprayer heads available with a "directional guard" which prevents the spray mist from straying outside a very defined area.
These are used widely by professionals in the forestry planting industry.
 
Roundup works by having the plant draw it down to the roots, so it is important that you get the application rate correct - if you use a solution that is too strong, the leaves will die too fast, and the roots will survive to fight another day. If the weeds are very big, this process takes a very long time.

You can do two things.
Use the application rate for a watering can, (you'll find it on the back of smaller bottles of Roundup), put a sponge on a long stick, and apply it that way, painting it on will break your heart, and you will probably splash yourself. Like all weedkillers, it is bad bad stuff.

If the weeds are very big, pull them, or cut them, and catch the regrowth. The smaller plants are easier and faster to permanently kill.
 
I agree with bluebells above, but if you must use the weed-killer, can I suggest the following:

  • Mix as above
  • Wear disposable gloves
  • Use a small disposable brush
  • Paint the upper surfaces of 3 or 4 leaves low down on the plant.
The theory (seems to work) is that the upper part of the plant stays alive long enough to allow the poison to migrate to the roots and kill them. As the roots die the upper part of the plant dies off too. If you paint the upper part of the plant the stem may die before any poison gets to the roots.

Try it an see. Best case it works and minimises the amout of weed-killer in circulation, worst case you have to try again, using some other genius' ideas. :)
 
Hi Hurling Fan,
I tried gallup this year. €29.95 for 5 litres as opposed to €59.95 for roundup. Did the same job with a weaker dilution. I used it in April before the leaves appeared on the hedge. It was entirely safe to spray then.

I was advised to mix Simazine to inhibit germination. Won't try that near the hedging though.
 
Have an area with fine healthy weeds that I want to clear. However, its very close to new hedging so reluctant to spray it.

Over the years I have kept the area around newly sown hedging plants clean by spraying with Round up - never had any problems. I use a concentration of about 100ml of Round up per 15l of water.
 
Hi
The best way to apply weedkiller without harming other plants is to cut the top and bottom from an old plastic bottle wash it out them place it over the weed and spray or pour the weedkiller into it the weedkiller will go exactly onto the weed without getting onto any other plant
 
Im with Demoivre on this one, Roundup is powerful but only if applied properly. Ive not had any problems with overspray because a substantial amount of chemical must coat the leaves to be drawn in sufficent quantity to the root. I think if it hits a small or young sapling it will kill but an established hedge I very much doubt it. Ive used it to kill Ivy which totally covered the stems on large mature trees so lots got on the bark, but never did and damage to the tree and killed the Ivy.
 
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