Southern Gardener
Deeply Rooted
What can I use on my lawn to kill weeds and feed my lawn that is safe for the environment? I must confess I have used Round-up and Vigoro Weed and Feed but want to get away from that.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Natural weed and feed products
- Thread starter Southern Gardener
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MeanQueenNadine
Leafing Out
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Corn gluten meal is a natural weed and feed - it does not kill existing weeds just stops them from sprouting.....trying googling found a lot of sited with the words corn gluten meal weed & feed....
patandchickens
Deeply Rooted
The best and most 'natural, organic, safe' way to control weeds in a lawn is right between your ears 
Define what you see as biodiversity not weeds, and presto. White clover, for instance, is wonderful for your lawn (stays green longer, roots go way down and break up clay and bring up nutrients, fixes Nitrogen, etc). Until Roundup was invented, it was assumed that a Good Suburban American Lawn *ought* to have clover... then it turned out that you can't kill other broadleaf 'weeds' without killing clover so we were quietly brainwashed into considering it planta non grata ;P
For things that you can't quite convince yourself are not Weeds with a capital w -- like thistle, or quack grass, or bindweed, or even dandilions to some people -- there is always the good ole fashioned fishtail weeder or linoleum knife, and kneepads
Also you can spot treat things like dandelions with agricultural acetic acid (there is now a brand sold otc to backyard consumers, forget the name, eco-something I think) or pickling vinegar. May require a second treatment, but gets the job done, the surrounding grass will fill in and it leaves NO residual Stuff in the soil.
Also, a weedy lawn is usually one with soil problems -- compaction, poor nutrient balance, etcetera. Especially if you have non-traditional lawn weeds, like orange hawkweed. Have soil testing done, fertilize and/or aerate as needed, and the grass will have a much better ability to smother out those w- er, biodiversity species
Pat, who has learned to *like* white and yellow clover, bugle, chickweed, pigweed, hawkweed, etcetera, but is still working on the dandelion thing and will never want thistles where they can be stepped on barefoot
Define what you see as biodiversity not weeds, and presto. White clover, for instance, is wonderful for your lawn (stays green longer, roots go way down and break up clay and bring up nutrients, fixes Nitrogen, etc). Until Roundup was invented, it was assumed that a Good Suburban American Lawn *ought* to have clover... then it turned out that you can't kill other broadleaf 'weeds' without killing clover so we were quietly brainwashed into considering it planta non grata ;PFor things that you can't quite convince yourself are not Weeds with a capital w -- like thistle, or quack grass, or bindweed, or even dandilions to some people -- there is always the good ole fashioned fishtail weeder or linoleum knife, and kneepads
Also you can spot treat things like dandelions with agricultural acetic acid (there is now a brand sold otc to backyard consumers, forget the name, eco-something I think) or pickling vinegar. May require a second treatment, but gets the job done, the surrounding grass will fill in and it leaves NO residual Stuff in the soil.
Also, a weedy lawn is usually one with soil problems -- compaction, poor nutrient balance, etcetera. Especially if you have non-traditional lawn weeds, like orange hawkweed. Have soil testing done, fertilize and/or aerate as needed, and the grass will have a much better ability to smother out those w- er, biodiversity species
Pat, who has learned to *like* white and yellow clover, bugle, chickweed, pigweed, hawkweed, etcetera, but is still working on the dandelion thing and will never want thistles where they can be stepped on barefoot
bills
Deeply Rooted
I have been pulling weeds by hand the last several weeks. It's actually kind of relaxing.
Being on well water, as well, I use grass cuttings for my veggie garden compost, I have to stay away from any weed & feed type fertilizers. I heard a story of one individual who composted his lawn clippings after using weed & feed, and he couldn't figure out why his veggies wouldn't grow. Better to simply mulch the lawn clippings, then to use as a compost, if you use that stuff.
This acetic acid stuff intrigues me, I should look into that!
Being on well water, as well, I use grass cuttings for my veggie garden compost, I have to stay away from any weed & feed type fertilizers. I heard a story of one individual who composted his lawn clippings after using weed & feed, and he couldn't figure out why his veggies wouldn't grow.
Better to simply mulch the lawn clippings, then to use as a compost, if you use that stuff.This acetic acid stuff intrigues me, I should look into that!
