From: bob@copi.cmhnet.org (Bob Williams)
Subject: Re: Mowing the driveway (SUMMARY)
Keywords: herbicide, environment
Organization: Coordinated Office Programs
Distribution: misc
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1992 23:10:48 GMT

I posted the following last week:

>Hey netters,
>I have some land I plan to build a house on in the coming years.  Last year,
>we put in a driveway and a pole barn/garage.  We go out there every few weeks
>in the summer, and mow about 2 acres (mostly around the barn, and in the back,
>by the creek).
>Since we're only there occasionally, driving on the driveway doesn't keep the
>weeds down.
>So I don't have to mow it (the driveway) anymore, I'm looking for a herbicide
>that'll kill the weeds, but not persist and kill all sorts of other things, too.
>There's a creek that's about 100 yards downhill from where my driveway hits the
>road, and I really don't want to dump nasty poisons into it.
>Any suggestions?
>Answers, suggestions should be emailed to me, and I'll post a summary in a
>few weeks.
>Anti-environmental flames should be directed to /dev/null...

Here's the summary of responses.  Thanks to all who responded.

==============================================================================
From: bgunzy@iastate.edu

I worked at a agri-services center this summer, and what we sold for the same
purpose you need is Roundup.  It's a nonselective herbicide (i.e., it doesn't
care if it's a grass or broadleaf) and takes about 1 1/2 weeks to kill the
plants.  It has no residual effect, so there is no problem with runoff, just
as long as you spray it and it doesn't rain for a few hours (it says on the
label).  

The only problem with Roundup is that it costs so damm much.  A gallon of the
stuff cost $81 per gallon jug, while a 2-1/2 gal. jug cost $42/gal.  Even
more economical is the 30 gal drum for $39.95, but I doubt you'd need that.
They also sell concentrate in quart sizes.  If I were you, I'd get the 2-1/2
gal jug, so you could keep the weeds down on your driveway, and possibly in 
the future nuke other weeds around the place.  

Another herbicide is Grammoxone Extra.  It does the same job as Roundup, but
quicker.  But, you need to have a pesticide applicators license to buy it.  It
is a fancy name for paraquat, which, back in the 50's and 60's, was dubbed a
"plow in a jug".  

If you have any other questions about chemicals, drop me a line...

Bob Gunzenhauser
Ag Systems Technology
Iowa State University
bgunzy@iastate.edu
==============================================================================
From: DEGEN@MPS.OHIO-STATE.EDU

>So I don't have to mow it (the driveway) anymore, I'm looking for a herbicide
>that'll kill the weeds, but not persist and kill all sorts of other things, too.

I used to work in a local farm coop selling, among other things, chemicals.
Since you don't want any carry over I would suggest Roundup.  It is a little 
expensive, but a little will go a long way.  Roundup will kill almost any
thing it comes in contact with so be carefull not to spray anything you don't
want to kill.  But likewise once the spray has dried, its not supposed to 
effect anything but what its on.  The key to using Roundup is that the weeds
have to be green and growing. It is best to let the weeds grow a
little before application.  This will allow all of the weeds a chance to come
out of the ground.  You need this because Roundup will not kill anything it
doesn't come in contact with.

Good luck.  Be advised that you should probably contact your local
cooperative extension service for the best up to date information.

mike
==============================================================================
From: Kenneth C. Rich <kenr@bridge.cc.rochester.edu>

use one of those propane weed torches like the driveway professionals
use to clean out the weedy cracks before they seal, maybe?  i am
picturing weeds growing thru gravel drive, if it's dirt, might not
work too well.
==============================================================================
From: john@n7kbt.rain.com (John Opalko)

Roundup (I forget who makes it) is a systemic herbicide that degrades *really*
fast and presents little or no danger to the environment.  You don't drench
the plants you want to kill; you spray the stuff onto their leaves.  Within
a week they're turning brown and in two weeks they're dead.  With care, you
won't even get any herbicide in the soil.

This will kill your existing grass, but it won't keep new grasses from growing.
You can repeat the Roundup application when you get more weeds or you can work
Casoron (sp?) into the soil.  This will kill any new plants that sprout, but I
don't know how dangerous it is for the environment.  With a creek that close,
I'd want to be really careful.

Read those labels.

-- 
John Opalko

john@n7kbt.rain.com  -or-  wi.5327@wizvax.methuen.ma.us
==============================================================================
From: papworth@ichips.intel.com

In article <1992Sep10.124825.25091@copi.cmhnet.org> you write:
>
> [inclusion of original article deleted]
>
Spray the driveway with glyphosate (Round-Up (tm)). This will
kill the currently growing stuff. It is de-activated on contact
with dirt, so it doesn't persist or migrate through the ground water.
It acts to interfere with photosynthesis in the plants, and is
systemic, so it kills the roots also. Glyphosate is quite non-toxic
for people and animals. It also won't hurt larger woody growth
if it only contacts the trunk. Some who are ultra-paranoid say
that the surfactant and spreader-sticker "inert ingredients" in Round-Up
might have health consequences for people. I don't worry too much about
this, but I also try to avoid extensive skin contact.

After the driveway is pretty well dead, sprinkle the surface with Casseron.
This is a post-emergent herbicide that kills seedlings as they poke
up above the surface. It will not damage existing plants. I don't
know anything about how persistent the stuff is, or how toxic to people.

==============================================================================

Also, I got one non-net response from a friend of mine that suggested I
try using salt water.  Due to the price of Roundup, I think I'll give that
a shot for starters.

Again, Thanks to all who replied.

Bob

-- 
    ____  ____  ____  _   
   //    // // // // //   Bob Williams
  //    // // //_// //    bob@copi.cmhnet.org
 //__  //_// //    //     Coordinated Office Programs, Inc.
Newsgroups: misc.rural