Natural weed killer for cement crack weeds?

[brennatsi]

Our patio looks a absolute mess and I would like to host a cookout for my daughters birthday next month. The kids play on the patio, so I don't want to coat the weeds in the cement cracks with strong chemicals. Anybody have recommendations? Please help!

[JamieCatheryn]

Boiling water, vinegar, or salt would kill them. The latter two could hurt the cement though.

[stephienoodle]

We've successfully used boiling vinegar on both cement and asphalt weeds without harm to either surface.

[lightheart]

Flame thrower! Actually they make a small torch that you can use to burn the weeds out, don't know how that would affect the concrete.

[brennatsi]

Originally Posted by stephienoodle

We've successfully used boiling vinegar on both cement and asphalt weeds without harm to either surface.

Did you boil straight vinegar or water with vinegar in it?

[changingseasons]

I just put vinegar into a spray bottle, and spray directly onto the cracks/weeds. Does that really hurt the cement??

[JamieCatheryn]

It could get pitted some, is all. Probably not a big problem.

[limette]

a kettle full of boiling water with 1/2c vinegar.

[stephienoodle]

Originally Posted by brennatsi

Did you boil straight vinegar or water with vinegar in it?

I've done straight vinegar, but then I don't need much at all. Only a sprinkle on the little stuff, but a decent dousing of the straight vinegar will take out the big stalky weeds that come up in the little space between my retaining wall and fence.

I need to get out and do a curbed area in our parking lot, but I'm going to have to get out there with clippers first. I've got some small trees popping up in the crevice between the asphalt and concrete curb, so I'll cut them and then douse them with the boiling vinegar.

[fromMontreal]

Boiling water. A day in the sun. Broom debris out. Broom really fine and dry sand in the cracks.

You should be fine for quite a bit.

[Irishmommy]

I used straight, cold vinegar on one patch and boiling water on another patch yesterday. The vinegar worked quicker - you could practically see the weeds going brown. The water ones are dead now, but they all need to be removed by hand. I think I'll buy more vinegar and do the rest today.

I just poured from the bottle, so probably used too much, I'm getting a spray bottle today.

[Toolip]

this thread is so timely!

I just sprayed on some vinegar today but it's supposed to rain tomorrow. Do you think it will still work?

As for using fire, do you think that a regular blowtorch might work? I've seen the ones made for weeds and they are HUGE. I think I'll give my little torch a try anyway.

[CariOfOz]

I'm with the boiling water crowd I just boil the kettle and go pouring over all the cracks. Usually kills them off pretty quick & makes removal of their weedy corpses easy!

[GardenStream]

Boiling water works, but it doesn't last for that long. I've found that straight vinegar keeps them gone for a lot longer. We have a weed torch and I'm not impressed with it. DH thought it was great for a couple weeks, but the areas that I used vinegar on look lots better than where he used his torch. Even DH agreed that his torch wasn't as wonderful as he originally thought.

[mommyoftwo]

Don't post a lot but I work at a organic gardening store and we sell a product called Burn out. It sounds more toxic than it is. It is composed of a mixture of clove and some other essential oils. It works really well and smells wonderful.

[brennatsi]

Just wanted to tell you guys: we never even got around to using the vinegar, just a few sessions of dousing them with boiling water from the kettle. And voila! They are gone gone gone! Thanks, ladies!

Now I need to start a thread about ants out there....

B