We get lots of weeds in our grass and paving, planters etc
Have been using roundup but doesn't seem to cut it.

What's the best out there you can get, industrial strength? Not bothered if it kills plants too, happy to start again.

Just want to kill the buggers properly

If you don't get rid of the roots too, the little b'tards just keep coming back ... We prefer good old fashioned weeding to keep ours down and a weed burner (have an electric one and a gas canister one) for the drive and paths ... Weed Killer is a no-no for my Mrs as its rarely pet or wildlife friendly.

WD40 works great on mares tale weeds

I generally dig up weeds, roots and all. Best way to get rid of them , but dandelions can be difficult if you let them grow to maturity as the tap weed goes very deep.

For weeds in amongst the flowers that I can't dig up then I use a weed burner to avoid killing nearby plants.

Anything in the patio gets slayed with Resolva, which has always worked 10O%

For the lawns the best thing is prevention. There's nothing on sale domestically that compares to the stuff that professionals use. I use green sleeves/thumb who come round once a quarter. Never had a single dandelion in 10 years since using them. Costs vary depending on lawn size. I'm paying £10 a month for about 100 square metres of lawn. Not much more expensive than buying lawn weedkiller, which doesn't work anyway

I buy a 25l can of 15% Sodium Hypochlorite from the hardware store, €45.
Problem you might have is being accurate as it kills anything it touches.
I water it down 3 water to 1 and use it on a gravel drive for weeds, brush it on paths around home before power washing the following day, and pour it neat down our soakaway system. It never fails.

For weeds you could probably go 4-1.

Thanks for the advice. I'll invest in a burner.

I've had trouble getting some out at the root. I generally spray them then pull them when they die but I seem to keep getting them returning in the same areas.

Sodium hypochlorite sounds a good option, not sure if can buy it here.

White vinegar.

Sainsburys 35p for a squeezy bottle.

Dry weather, a good dose gets to the root.
Not for the lawn obviously.

Bosscat wrote: ↑

Tue May 06, 2025 11:43 am

If you don't get rid of the roots too, the little b'tards just keep coming back ... We prefer good old fashioned weeding to keep ours down and a weed burner (have an electric one and a gas canister one) for the drive and paths ... Weed Killer is a no-no for my Mrs as its rarely pet or wildlife friendly.

I think your wife is correct, there's a reason some of these things are banned.

I've not used "weedkiller" for decades...wouldn't touch the stuff for a few reasons...but primarily ecological..besides it being stupidly expensive and only does a short term job.

I get rid mainly by hand, which, once you're on top of them, is suprisingly easy to maintain, especially now that I've barriered the gravel and tarmac areas. There's a good number of 180 yr old lime trees, and even older yew hedges around the place that simply don't deserve to have noxious chemicals permeating their root systems.
Occasionally, for the odd perennials appearing through patio pointing, I will spot spray some cheap vinegar mixed with a dash of detergent.

What type of paving is it?

I use a TOR/PAS herbicide but it's only available under licence so you need to find a commercial farmer or grower who will supply on the QT.

If you have time and want a blank canvas, best approach is to cover your paving with terram light-proof membrane and leave it for a whole growing season.

I agree we shouldn't use herbicides unless we have to but sometimes it's the only way. My curse is bindweed, both varieties, you can dig it up in a flower or veggie garden but in hedges and margins it will regrow from the tiniest bit of broken off root. You just have to keep unravelling it from whatever it's climbing and point spray it until it gives up.

If you're unlucky enough to get knotweed let it semi mature then sever at base and apply the weedkiller down the hollow stalk.

I've grown 700m of native hedging over the last 15 years, the garden is a constant chattering of dunnocks, robins, wrens, yellowhammer and house sparrows. So very conscious of the wildlife balance.

Now off to sorting out the box moth caterpillars. It's never-ending!

If you're looking into industrial-strength weed killers, just a heads-up: a lot of the really powerful stuff, like those containing paraquat, can be seriously hazardous. It's extremely effective, no doubt, but also toxic enough that there are Paraquat lawsuits happening due to health issues linked to exposure, including Parkinson’s.

Might be worth weighing the short-term win against the long-term risks, especially if you're using it around your home. A burner plus something like vinegar or sodium hypochlorite (as others mentioned) could be a safer combo if you’re not worried about preserving existing plants.

Rosate 360
Turns everything yellow and dead.