hvarmit's Full Review: Roundup Concentrate Weed and Grass Killer: Roundup...
When I first moved into this house on the other end of the property, the area made it look a bit like one of those witch-like fairytale cottages; enclosed by a forest and a bit uninviting. One of the first things I did was work on the front and back "yards", sawing down trees, pulling out stumps and roots, and transforming it to a forest floor into an ordinary lawn. I love my yard now, but even after these years, I still have to work hard to keep the forest from encroaching. I use a lot of products on my lawn and the perimeter of it, just to try and make it easier on myself. I get so tired of pulling weeds, trying to tackle the poison oak that seems to grow in a new spot over night, and the kudzu comes in faster than I can pull it. So, I use Roundup Weed & Grass Killer, among other products, to help get to the root of the problem.
I always have used Roundup Concentrate Weed & Grass Killer(made by Monsanto) with a pump sprayer because I feel it gives me a better controlled spray and I won't have to worry too much about overspray. Also, it's just such a time saver. This product comes with a plastic "cap" that acts as a measuring cup for you to measure an amount of the mixture in for diluting. Since this is a concentrate, you will need to mix it with water. There are other forms of already diluted, ready-to-use Roundup available for purchase, but I always opt for these bigger bottles of concentrate because I have more ground to cover than a spray bottle will allow me. Always follow the directions on your bottle for the amounts you need, but it's usually 2 & 1/2 oz. per gallon of water. I just mix it directly in the sprayer, and it's ready to use as soon as it's mixed.
Roundup Weed & Grass Killer is pretty powerful stuff and will kill plants by attacking their roots. Since this will kill grass and any flowers (and perhaps bushes) you may not want harmed, you should exercise caution when using this around them. There are a few other things I do when using this and most you'll find that the manufacturer also suggests, so I want to mention those.
If using this spray, pay attention to the weather. If it is going to rain you will risk losing grass and flowers if you sprayed next to them. While you can't "wash off" the product once you apply it intentionally or not to a weed or flower, it can spread anywhere after a beating from the rain. It becomes rain proof though, after it dries for about 30 minutes or so. Also, it's best not to use this on a windy day both for the control of the spray and also because you wouldn't want to risk getting this in your face or on your skin. I always wear eyewear and a disposable face mask when working with these types of products, mostly because I'm always using some type of caustic chemical and I figure the more I do to lessen the exposure, the better. And finally, I always make sure to wash up after using this product.
I use this product on several types of plants. The easiest to rid my area of is dandelions. I have had a few patches where a family of them would grow and it only takes a light spraying of Roundup to rid my yard of these. There are times though, when I've also killed the grass surrounding them but my grass always comes back and the dandelions do not. Don't get me wrong, there might be more that will pop up in another spot, but I won't see any more in the area I sprayed for the remainder of the year. When you use this product, you are left with a brown shriveled "corpse" of what once was your bothersome weed. With the dandelions, I usually just go through and pick them out by hand once they are completely dead. It takes a good day before they appear to be wilting down, the leaves yellow, and only a couple of days before they look like the wind might blow them away.
Kudzu and Poison Oak are a bit tougher for me to get rid of. I first have to mow them over with the lawn mower. With the kudzu, it makes it easier to find the main root stems through the tangle of vines. Once the stems are all destroyed, I spray the Roundup directly onto the little broken "spines" that shoot up and it seems to go right into the plant's central system , to the roots, and kills it from the inside out. Once they are dead, I remove their traces and they stay away for the rest of the year. I believe Roundup is supposed to work for 3 months or so before you need to reapply it but I only have problems with these plants in the spring and they tend to slow in their growth by the time late fall comes around (which would be the time I need to reapply). I just spray them once (or twice if I miss any) and they're gone for good. Well....until the next year, that is. I also want to note that I have used this Roundup directly on both of these plants like I would use on a dandelion or other weed. It never killed them in that way, I actually had to cut the tops off (with the mower) so I could spray "inside" the plants. Roundup also does next to nothing to my briars, but I imagine if I cut them down then sprayed undiluted mix over them til they were wet, they would die as well.
When it comes to everyday weeds though, Roundup works great for me. You can also replant in an area you've used Roundup, but you need to wait a week or more depending on the amount you have used. I've never bothered because the majority of the areas I spray are along the perimeter of my lawn.
I always store any excess Roundup in it's container out in a garden shed. It's pretty safe, I assume, to store it anywhere that doesn't get too hot (and not in direct sunlight). Since this is a chemical product, it's never a good idea to pour out any remaining Roundup product into a sink or tub, or in any water supply. You can visit their website or call an 800 number located on the bottle to find out the best ways to dispose of the product.
In all, I still find reason to buy this product every year. It costs around $25 a bottle but it's well worth it to me. Most merchandisers with a garden center tend to stock this as do actual garden supply centers/stores. And, there is also the option of buying online. It kills the weeds that I want rid of, and with a little help from me, it kills the harder-to-get-rid-of plants as well. What's not to love?
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