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Herbicide Replacement for Roundup #865348

Asked April 21, 2024, 7:35 PM EDT

Is there an herbicide that will kill plants to which it is applied without harming neighboring plants or the soil?

Benton County Oregon

Expert Response

Hi Jeff,

I apologize for the delayed response to your question! It's hard to beat Round-up (and other Glyphosate-based products) in terms of effectiveness. There's a reason it is the most widely used herbicide in the world. Glyphosate is unique in that it penetrates the entire plant, killing it down to the roots, whereas most other herbicides kill plant tissue on contact, only killing the exposed foliage. For this reason, alternative methods often require multiple applications at higher concentrations, and work best in concert with other control measures like mulching or other mechanical weed control measures. Round-up alternatives tend to work best on very young weeds.  I learned a lot from reading this article from the University of Maryland Extension that examines the effectiveness of Acetic Acid (vinegar) based products. It includes a list of some commercially available products.

A word of caution as you consider other products - just because a chemical is organic does not mean that it is safe to use on food crops, or to apply around pets or children. Be sure to check the manufacturer's label for application instructions and concentrations.


Best of luck with your weed control efforts!

Sarah Bronstein, Master Gardener '22

Sarah Bronstein Replied May 12, 2024, 1:07 AM EDT
Thank you very much for the information.

Jeff

From: ask=<personal data hidden> <ask=<personal data hidden>> on behalf of Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>>
Sent: Sunday, May 12, 2024 12:07 AM
To: Jeff Winnett <<personal data hidden>>
Subject: Re: Herbicide Replacement for Roundup (#0135269)
 
The Question Asker Replied May 12, 2024, 10:09 AM EDT

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