[aargee]

Going green is the current mantra that is ringing everywhere. When there is too much of green everywhere, it becomes a great annoyance. I'm talking about the weeds or unwanted plants that keeps growing which is the house for a million mosquitoes atleast & helping us stay away from walking in our own compound. This is getting increasingly difficult every year & I'm looking for some good suggestions. Here're some of the methods we were following & their fallbacks.

1. We knew a maid servant who used to visit our neighbours & we sought her help to clean up. She was the best person who did a quality work (yes quality work) with a reasonable cost. Absolutely no complaints with her. This was until couple years ago when she started giving false promises on turning up & never picks up her mobile.

2. Then there appeared another one out of no where, charged Rs 400 per day, took 2 days (which the previous one did not even take one full day) & the second day she would work only till late morning & not only took Rs 800 for 2 days, but gave silly excuses & disappears without completing the job. We hired her only twice after that we hate even to see her forget about bargaining

3. Then we looked out for a third one, who was nothing less to our experience on point #2.

4. Finally I decided to get dirty, but instead of working with spades, I bought this Glycel, a weedicide, mix with water & spray them. It takes about 2 hours to get them sprayed & a good exercise to fingers & takes about a week for the plants to get dry up. However the shortfall here is, there shouldn't be any rains during this period otherwise the plants get decayed with some of them not drying up & some of them still in green. Oh!!! there's another issues too, the mosquito bites despite half a pack of odomos on my hands, legs & face!!! Looks like mosquitoes have increased their immune!!!

Sometimes I even think that living in a flat has no such nuisances to take care off, lucky guys. Has anyone being experiencing these issues? What're your suggestion to me? Are there any other alternatives? I do not prefer hiring, totally unreliable people.

Here's some visual treat for the eyes on the other side of green

[ramzsys]

There is something called 'Roundup' - this is more effective, from Monsanto(US). Get it from agricultural stores(where is it in chennai? I have no idea). Spray it with a ratio in a hand-sprayer. Weeds wont come for months. It is environmentally polluting, but cant help.

EDIT: On the contrary, a slight drizzle is effective, after the spray, since it will percolate to the roots and kill it entirely.

[aargee]

Well, do you think its effective than Glycel? I can find out from agricultural stores outskirts of Chennai, no issues on that. Is this thing Roundup a product or something else? If its imported, then I highly doubt to get this even in India. Are you saying that a slight drizzle after spraying roundup helps remove the weeds faster?

[vivekiny2k]

I have a big lawn and a modest plant selection. landscaped by previous owner. good part is not many mosquitoes here in US.

anyway, coming back to weeds, I get down almost every other weekend, water the area to make soil soft, put on my work gloves, and pull them out with the root. you can use a weeder or a long knife to separate the roots from soil. they come back again and I take them out again.

I am srongly against using any chemicals because all of them damage the local ecosystem, and end up in our water supply. I have posted this link earlier on the forum. I have read that spraying a few drop of diluted vinegar kills them, but careful since it can hurt the plants too.

lastly, keep it clean, make specific areas for plant growth, and cover rest of the area with some filing, or grass if you can mow it regularly. then you will have a small area to weed out. I suggest going for big trees if you like to keep it green.

I intend to keep it organic, let's see how far it goes. i am told weeds die in winter snow, if not i will have more work to do next year.

[Surprise]

Originally Posted by aargee

Is this thing Roundup a product or something else? If its imported, then I highly doubt to get this even in India. Are you saying that a slight drizzle after spraying roundup helps remove the weeds faster?

Round-up is available locally. It costs somewhere around Rs.200/- per liter. It should be available in T-Nagar/Parrys. Apply it for first time as it gets dried up & make sure you apply it again as they start to grow instead of spraying it after they have grown very healthy.

Other option is weed cutters.

[specialist1968]

Never use roundup. Its ill effects are either not known or not published. The local people in Kerala who use them in Kuttanad area complain of health problmes arising out of handling the same. check this site: Monsanto Corporation: A Biotech Company Responsible for Roundup Ready Soybeans

Are these plants really weeds? I found one medicinal plant in the third picture. When I was a kid, I suffered from tonsilitis. An ayurvedic remedy was prescribed to me by the family doctor, which required 14 medicines to be collected from far away places. My parents arranged them with difficulty. I see one such plant in the pictures, if I am not mistaken. There may be many more. I feel that if you spend some time to understand the plants, their species and their applications, you will begin to love them. Selectively remove the unwanted manually. Avoid using herbicides near to habitable areas. During rains, they will get washed out and join the ground water.

And last but not least, we all know what kind of company Mosanto is!

Is the place in Chennai or Kerala?

[Lukeskywalker]

Environment and Monsanto aside, Roundup is the solution, use a 5% solution spray and use a sticker solution along with a few kgs of urea in the mixture, this aids in better absorption by the weeds.
Glycel is a less mild weedicide, results are quick but effectiveness on a long term is limited.
There is a product called "Sweep" this is akin to roundup and I have used it in my farm quite effectively.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by vivekiny2k

I have a big lawn and a modest plant selection. landscaped by previous owner.

Aah, C'mon Vivek, if I were you in US, I would've not even thought about seeking help with weeds. Just one visit to Sears, I would get all the tools I need & I would enjoy working with the tools, err...cutting down the weeds.

Originally Posted by Surprise

Round-up is available locally. It costs somewhere around Rs.200/- per liter.

Is it effective then Glycel? Sorry to ask this again, because, Glycel costed about Rs 375 per half litre & the ratio of mixture is 1:150, means, 1 ml of Glycel with 150 ml of water & still I see these weeds all over.

May be I should get some good, fancy, techy sprayer & enjoy spraying rather than cribbing I guess. Any good suggestion on sprayers?

Originally Posted by specialist1968

Never use roundup.

Gives me a shiver; Thanks for the warning; having 2 kids at home, we don't like to see them falling ill due to this.

Originally Posted by specialist1968

Are these plants really weeds? I found one medicinal plant in the third picture.

Which one? Could you encircle pls? I'll be happy to donate the plant to you

Originally Posted by specialist1968

During rains, they will get washed out and join the ground water.

Good point, but I'm left helpless. Let me assure you again, hiring people to get the weeds chopped off leaves us in big tension. Once they leave with the money happily after cheating, we people at home start cribbing for several months losing our peace.

Originally Posted by Lukeskywalker

Roundup is the solution, use a 5% solution spray and use a sticker solution along with a few kgs of urea in the mixture, this aids in better absorption by the weeds.

Again, this is the same composition of Glycel too; Glycel, urea & water; but like people discussed above, does it hamper the ground water? I hope its not that harmful to people.

Guys, Ram, Vivek, Surprise, Specialist & Lukesky - Thanks for your suggestions.

[ramzsys]

aargee, labour scarcity has hit the farmlands(MNREGS scheme effect) long back and farmers are resorting to using these weedicides. These chemicals percolate to the sub-soil and its ill effects are irreversible and in the long term. Anyway, if you need a hassle-free solution, buy a de-weeding machine. With rains in november and december, you can expect further 'greenery' too.

[Reisender]

@Aargee,

Where do you live in chennai? It's too eye soothing to look greenish lawn/backyard in chennai.

I too have same problem and i bought a farm/plant scissor and cut them at just above the root. Collected all grass/weed cut parts to multiple group and burnt them with controlled manner.
Result, the roots of the weed burnt and it arrested the growth for few months.

Still, we're expecting peak rainy season to start in few weeks and it would come back. Do it again!

Thanks,
Kottee

[aargee]

Originally Posted by ramzsys

aargee, labour scarcity has hit the farmlands(MNREGS scheme effect) long back and farmers are resorting to using these weedicides.

Yeah, I'm aware of the sad state

Originally Posted by ramzsys

These chemicals percolate to the sub-soil and its ill effects are irreversible and in the long term.

Couldn't help much; that too, myself being a plant lover, can't really help doing such injustice. The worst things are snakes that hides between these weeds & with 2 little kids who'll start stepping outside the house soon, this is going to be really dangerous.

But do you still think using these chemicals just twice a year for over a thousand sqft will cause so much of ill effects?

Originally Posted by ramzsys

Anyway, if you need a hassle-free solution, buy a de-weeding machine. With rains in november and december, you can expect further 'greenery' too.

Absolutely true; every year, we allow it grow to fullest & then hire people one or two times. Its getting increasingly difficult finding people as well as losing peace of mind once they complete their half baked work!!!

Originally Posted by Reisender

Where do you live in chennai? It's too eye soothing to look greenish lawn/backyard in chennai.

Thirumullaivoyal; you may not want to know the issues on the millions of mosquitoes

Originally Posted by Reisender

I too have same problem and i bought a farm/plant scissor and cut them at just above the root. Collected all grass/weed cut parts to multiple group and burnt them with controlled manner.
Result, the roots of the weed burnt and it arrested the growth for few months.

Well this doesn't help much; plants cannot be burnt until they get dried up in Sun & we cannot step in to cut when there's rain. I don't know where to attribute, whenever I wash my car/motorcycle/scooter, it rains the next day. Whenever I spray Glycel, it rains within a week. Trust me, I've experienced this even during peak hot summer (in May).

So, after rains, if we cut the weeds, they need to be dried up for atleast a week. But you see as luck favouring, it rains next day & finally when the rains are over, its time for new set of plants to be cut!!!

Originally Posted by Reisender

Still, we're expecting peak rainy season to start in few weeks and it would come back. Do it again!

I don't know what to say, I already see symptoms of drizzling now. Anyway, if it doesn't rain this week, I'll get it sprayed the remains that I've left our y'day, by next weekend. The next spray will be only during Jan after rains.

Thanks for your suggestions @Ramzsys & @Reisender

[vivekiny2k]

Originally Posted by aargee

Aah, C'mon Vivek, if I were you in US, I would've not even thought about seeking help with weeds. Just one visit to Sears, I would get all the tools I need & I would enjoy working with the tools, err...cutting down the weeds.

if you have not realized yet, I am against any power tools too, that's why I mentioned my method. The tools I am referring to are nothing more than a long knife. may be a bent knife, but I am pretty sure you can get them easily, cheaper and customized in the land of jugad.

[condor]

Get a weedicide from one of the agri supplies shops. You may need to apply it a couple of times. Once the weeds are gone, cultivate it like a garden, so the weeds dont get a free run of the place. While they will be minimized, it should be easier for you to start removing them for good.

You will need to continue the process, though.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by vivekiny2k

if you have not realized yet, I am against any power tools too, that's why I mentioned my method.

But where do I get those quality tools here?

Originally Posted by vivekiny2k

but I am pretty sure you can get them easily, cheaper and customized in the land of jugad.

Sorry no juggads. I hate juggads; I don't even like patching up things. Either its done or not done, nothing in grey!!!

Originally Posted by condor

Get a weedicide from one of the agri supplies shops.

Yeah, that's the one I'm following - Glycel & is the recommendation from the folks here.

Originally Posted by condor

You may need to apply it a couple of times.

The application is what is getting me mad. The spray is making my hands go numb with pressing the lever. May be I need to buy some good sophisticated sprayer. Some suggestions are welcome.

Originally Posted by condor

Once the weeds are gone, cultivate it like a garden, so the weeds dont get a free run of the place.

Oh!!! you don't want to know how much of water clogs in this place. We cannot turn to garden because, there is almost no sunlight due to 3 large mango trees so the plants wouldn't grow so well. Also after rains, one cannot step on to the place due to clay soil. So turning to garden is more than difficult. We don't want to lay eurocon tiles or lay concrete for natural rain water to seep through.

Originally Posted by condor

You will need to continue the process, though.

That's the biggest headache
Like Vivek said, if there are interesting tools (may be in form of small tractor), fun is unlimited.

[lsp]

Aargee,
May I suggest you yourself take up this de-weeding exercise bit by bit everyday. I think its a great way to stay in shape. You could do it every morning when the sun is not too harsh. Rub some odomos to protect you from the mosquitoes & indulge in this exercise. Take a bath, have breafast & off to work.

Do a small area each day. Remember to pull out the weed from the root by digging a little first. That is how we do de-weeding in the fields in my village. The tool used is a very simple one as drawn in the figure. Its locally known as Kutulu. (The blackened part is made from Iron, the rest is wood). Very easy to fabricate. It should be about 12-15 inches tall.