Home & Garden

Backyard weed help

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  • Jul 4th, 2022 5:30 pm
Member
Jan 14, 2010
431 posts
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GTA

Backyard weed help

We have tons of weeds in the backyard. We got this house during winter and we couldnt assess the weed problem at the time. Anyway, we continue to get tons of weeds every few weeks despite us trying to remove it at the roots.

We don't have any nearby grass that we care about so anything you guys recommend so we don't have to continuously remove weeds...

Pics attached.
https://ibb.co/608Kw9N
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https://ibb.co/fNZymsJ
23 replies
Deal Fanatic
Oct 26, 2008
7022 posts
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Victoria, BC
Looks like you have the full gamut of weeds - dandelions, thistles, Morning Glory, etc.

Probably coming from neighbouring yards.

Temporary measure: spray with vinegar. More longer-term measure: redo stones and everywhere with new commercial-grade weed cloth.

No permanent solution that I can think of short of paving the whole yard.
Member
Mar 22, 2007
209 posts
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Westmount
What do people think of literally covering the entire thing in blackout tarp to starve the weeds completely? Complete blockage of sun. Would that completely eradicate the weeds?
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Oct 13, 2008
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Durham
rip it all out and re-sod
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Deal Expert
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Feb 11, 2007
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mikebob wrote: What do people think of literally covering the entire thing in blackout tarp to starve the weeds completely? Complete blockage of sun. Would that completely eradicate the weeds?
I think people actually use clear tarp to kill grass/weeds as it basically cooks them, before planting new seed. Maybe no different than black tarp, but at least you can see if it's working.
What OP needs is something with 2,4-D like Killex or just 10% vinegar.
https://www.lawnsupplements.ca/products ... oncentrate
https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/kill ... 3971p.html
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Deal Fanatic
Nov 21, 2013
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Montréal
engineered wrote: I think people actually use clear tarp to kill grass/weeds as it basically cooks them, before planting new seed. Maybe no different than black tarp, but at least you can see if it's working.
What OP needs is something with 2,4-D like Killex or just 10% vinegar.
https://www.lawnsupplements.ca/products ... oncentrate
https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/kill ... 3971p.html
black tarp is better as black attracts the light/sun and get warmer, helping to kill the weeds faster...
Deal Expert
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Feb 11, 2007
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DoorCrasher wrote: black tarp is better as black attracts the light/sun and get warmer, helping to kill the weeds faster...
Black would absorb more light itself, but clear would let more light through to the ground/weeds.
Consider a dark tinted car vs one with clear windows.
If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.
Deal Guru
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Mar 8, 2002
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Short term:

Homemade remedy of 10% ( or stronger) vinegar, salt and dish soap. Or just buy roundup.
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Member
Jan 14, 2010
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GTA
I just sprayed vinegar (10%) salt soap earlier today, so let's see how that works... I may have to try the tarp next (clear or black? Thinking Face).

I really don't want to have to remove and reinstall Slightly Frowning Face
Sr. Member
Nov 10, 2019
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bizstudent wrote: I just sprayed vinegar (10%) salt soap earlier today, so let's see how that works... I may have to try the tarp next (clear or black? Thinking Face).

I really don't want to have to remove and reinstall Slightly Frowning Face
Just go with a long term solution, the issue is the weeds will keep invading from your neighbor fence even after the tarp or sprays... You could dig out a trench, put in weed barrier and drop in limestone & better crushed stones.
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Nov 21, 2013
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engineered wrote: Black would absorb more light itself, but clear would let more light through to the ground/weeds.
Consider a dark tinted car vs one with clear windows.
It's not the light that kills the weeds, but the heat that burns and dries the weeds Winking Face

If sunlight kills the weeds, why... do we have weeds on our lawns?
Deal Fanatic
Nov 21, 2013
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bizstudent wrote: I just sprayed vinegar (10%) salt soap earlier today, so let's see how that works... I may have to try the tarp next (clear or black? Thinking Face).

I really don't want to have to remove and reinstall Slightly Frowning Face
Black / dark. But it takes long. Really long time to be effective
Member
Jan 14, 2010
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kimchibowl wrote: Just go with a long term solution, the issue is the weeds will keep invading from your neighbor fence even after the tarp or sprays... You could dig out a trench, put in weed barrier and drop in limestone & better crushed stones.

I really want to avoid having to remove existing stones as it's quite a large area.

Can I consider putting a new layer of fabric and stone on top or even fabric and mulch on top of the existing stones? Thinking Face
Deal Fanatic
Jan 21, 2018
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Vancouver
bizstudent wrote: I just sprayed vinegar (10%) salt soap earlier today, so let's see how that works... I may have to try the tarp next (clear or black? Thinking Face).

I really don't want to have to remove and reinstall Slightly Frowning Face
Honestly the weak homebrew remedies are relatively ineffective. A one -time application of a 2,4-d weed killer at the correct concentration is safe and very effective.
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Jan 14, 2010
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Scote64 wrote: Honestly the weak homebrew remedies are relatively ineffective. A one -time application of a 2,4-d weed killer at the correct concentration is safe and very effective.
Any specific product that you would suggest for the 24d?
Deal Fanatic
Nov 21, 2013
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Scote64 wrote: Honestly the weak homebrew remedies are relatively ineffective. A one -time application of a 2,4-d weed killer at the correct concentration is safe and very effective.
And where you can legally get 2,4D where it is banned?
Deal Fanatic
Jan 21, 2018
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Vancouver
bizstudent wrote: Any specific product that you would suggest for the 24d?
Killex, easy to order online from other provinces where restricted.

2,4-d is quite safe when used as directed. It's only restricted for private use in Ontario & Quebec due to an over-cautious reaction to a discredited study many years ago, still allowed for use on golf courses and public land.
Jr. Member
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Mar 30, 2013
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Scote64 wrote: Killex, easy to order online from other provinces where restricted.


Interesting to know this. Where specifically would you / have you order(ed) it from?
Deal Expert
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Feb 11, 2007
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DoorCrasher wrote: It's not the light that kills the weeds, but the heat that burns and dries the weeds Winking Face

If sunlight kills the weeds, why... do we have weeds on our lawns?
Light=heat. More heat will get to the weeds with a clear cover. Just like a pool cover, un-tinted car windows, etc.
With the black cover, it will absorb a lot of light/heat, but much of that will go back up into the air. With the clear tarp, the heat is trapped underneath.

Also found some test data to confirm clear works better.
So far, clear tarps appear to be killing cover crops and weeds quickly and effectively- more effectively than black tarps.
https://www.thesurvivalgardener.com/cle ... rassweeds/
If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.
Deal Fanatic
Jan 21, 2018
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edstone wrote: Interesting to know this. Where specifically would you / have you order(ed) it from?
I'm in BC where Home Depot sells it cheap. But I've seen suppliers in Alberta who do mail order to Ontario at double the price. There's a thread in this forum on where to get real weed killer for those Ontario.

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