So Happy to Learn About Homemade Weed Killer

by Iown Mylife 38 Replies latest jw experiences

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  ducatijoe

  Cool!!! Weeds suck!
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  rebel8

  Oh I've used the corn gluten meal. It prevents seeds from germinating and weed seeds tend to germinate earlier than grass seed. So you put it on your lawn in late fall or winter, IIRC, and it reduces weeds, then wears off and breaks down as a nutrient in your lawn.
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  Witness 007

  Good stuff thanks.
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  3rdgen

  Thanks, can't wait to try these tips!
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  Nathan Natas

  Wanna do some semi-professional chemistry?

  Don't worry, I won't ask you to balance any equations.

  The following recipe uses common - you'll laugh at how common they are - chemicals that you can find in any decent hardware store. If you can't find this stuff in YOUR hardware store, then your hardware store is indecent.

  You will be using two chemicals and an indicator solution. Remember litmus paper? Red cabbage juice does the same sort of thing - it changes color as pH changes. So pick up a jar of pickled red cabbage or if you want to go from scratch, a head of red cabbage. You'll only be using a couple of the red cabbage leaves, so saute the rest of it with some bacon and a sliced-up apple. Good eats!

  Extract your red cabbage indicator. If you have a jar of prepared red cabbage, just pour off about one ounce of the juice and set it aside.

  From your hardware store you will buy a couple gallons of clear household ammonia and a container of dry SULFAMIC ACID. That's not a typo - SULFAMIC ACID, not sulfuric acid. Sulfamic acid is used by masons (not B.P.O.E.) to remove lime deposits, etc.

  It will be hellpful if you have one of those white 5 gallon plastic buckets - sometimes you can get them for free from restaurants.

  You're going to start out by adding about 1/2 cup - 4 oz - of dry sulfamic acid into the bucket containing 2 quarts of hot water. Stir carefully. Avoid splashing the acid in your eyes and don't gargle with it, no matter how strongly you feel compelled to.

  Add your red cabbage juice to the mixture and marvel at how bright red it is.

  Give the solution a good stir, and while the solution is circulating, add a cup of the clear household ammonia. The color may switch to greenish and then balance out back to red. If the solution stays red, add some more ammonia, stir and repeat. Give it time to balance out. When the solution stays green, add one tablespoon of sulfamic acid and stir for a while. The idea here is to walk the mixture back-and-forth from red (acid) to green (alkali) as you use up the ingredients. Ultimately you want the mix on the green - alkali - side, which will assure you that all of the slufamic acid has been consumed.

  This compound - ammonium sulfamate - is a powerful herbicide that breaks down in the environment leaving no harmful legacy. It will work where other herbicides are challenged.

  Now, was that FUN, or what?
• 

  RubaDub

  Paint remover also works well.

  Is paint remover considered a homemade product?

  Rub a Dub
• 

  AndDontCallMeShirley

  Is paint remover considered a homemade product?

  Only if you made it at home
• 

  RubaDub

  Is paint remover considered a homemade product? Only if you made it at home

  But then I haven't made homemade vinegar nor dishwashing detergent at home either.

  Rub a Dub
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  AndDontCallMeShirley

  It is a conundrum....