Non-toxic weed killers

I don't mind weeds in the lawn and while he tolerates my love for some weeds, my husband favors the classic American sea of green. We compromise. All weeds are welcome in the back yard. Clover, wild violets and a few others are acceptable in the front. In fact, I plant clover readily around my entire yard for two reasons... it's a great nitrogen source as fertilizer for the grass growing around it. And two, it's a source of nectar for bees! (More on this in a future post.)

I love the look of clover in the lawn, the bees love it too. Plus it's a natural fertilizer!

Dandelions, oxalis, sorrel and a host of others are less welcome. I have to admit, getting dandelion stems stuck between our toes while walking through the grass isn't all that pleasant. We've finally found a solution that doesn't make me cringe with the thought of us walking barefoot through the lawn. Iron.

Liquid iron is sold at some online garden stores. I bought Iron-X for around $35 that makes 3 gallons in a pump sprayer. I gave it a good try and I'm kinda thrilled. I tested it on a variety of weeks in my yard. Dandelions, creeping Charlie, some oxalis, spurge, prostate surge, black medic and many others were dead within the day.

In a pump sprayer I mixed the iron with water according to the package directions. If ingested, Iron is dangerous. Spray it on and the weeds turn black as they shrivel. Grass may darken a bit but that recovers quickly and the grass is left unharmed. It's a miracle!

Black Medic after iron application

Wood sorrel after iron application

Dandelion after iron application

Creeping Charlie after iron application

But nothing is perfect. The iron does not kill grassy weeds like crab grass. I'm still on the hunt there. It has trouble with  oxalis in some areas. For now I'm pulling those by hand or leaving them. It's a daunting task that I tackle a little at a time.

Prostrate Spurge after iron application

For weeds in the cracks of the driveway and sidewalk or rocks things get interesting. Some say iron can stain your concrete or stone. I haven't found that to be the case in my small test areas. But because iron is a bit expensive I like another option for sidewalk and driveway cracks anyway!

That's where the weed torch comes into play! Keeping safety top of mind this torch is excellent for removing weeds. And in my experience they stay away for some time!

Because the torch scorches everything in range, the weeds and their seeds are destroyed.

Of course there are exceptions to the rule. Unfortunately grasses and dandelions tend to come back and new weed seeds eventually make their way back in. Others though are goners. I'll take that.

Vinegar with epsom salt and dish soap is another popular option but I've found the results don't last as long. Plus vinegar has it's own clash with the environment. It's very toxic to amphibians, for example. (I have a lot of tree frogs that show up.)

Anyone else have a non-toxic weed solution to share?


Note: At time of this post I have no affiliation or sponsorship from any products mentioned.