Knowledgebase
Herbicide Replacement for Roundup #865348
Asked April 21, 2024, 7:35 PM EDT
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
Sent: Sunday, May 12, 2024 12:07 AM
To: Jeff Winnett <<personal data hidden>>
Subject: Re: Herbicide Replacement for Roundup (#0135269)