Want to kill weeds, not the cat

[PonderInc]

OK, I'm having a moral quandry about grass.  (The kind you walk on, not the kind you smoke...)

On one hand, I think it's silly to have a yard like a golf course.  The prairie was never meant to be a monoculture.  We've got fertilizers in all our creeks and rivers.  The bunnies and bees need the clover.  And I think dandelions and many "weeds" are sort of cute.  I also appreciate that if you never water or fertilize, you don't have to mow as often! (A win-win, in my opinion.)

However, I do want to kill off some of the weeds in my lawn (especially the kind that looks like cilantro and is invasive enough to overwhelm bermuda grass!).  Normally, I would go out and get a bag of weed-n-feed and spread it on the front yard. (Justifying it by saying "I only do this every few years...and only in the front.")  But I now have an indoor-outdoor cat (who can't be confined to the back yard like a dog), and I don't want to kill the kitty when she runs around and nibbles on the grass.  (I can try to keep her in, but she goes pretty stir crazy after about a day.)

Are there any products that I should try?  Are there any lawn services that will come spray weeds without trying to force me into a service contract?  (I don't see the need to spray the lawn with chemicals every 8 weeks!)

Basically, I want to do the most minimal, evironmentally-friendly thing possible...and still get rid of the most annoying of the weeds.  (I saw an ad for a cool-looking flame-thrower weed-killer thingy the other day.  That looks fun!...but embarrassing if I set the whole lawn on fire!)

[Ed W]

My wife's grandfather used to kill dandelions with boiling water from a teakettle.  It works on them, but I don't know if it would work on what you've described.  I think it's called chickweed, but I could be wrong.  Henbane?

I spread some fast-growing grass seed today.  It's billed as a temporary solution to prevent erosion.  I hope it works.  Otherwise, I'll have a gully on each end of the house if we get some heavy rains.

[TheArtist]

I have been using Chemlawn since first of last year. It has actually made it so that I dont have to mow the yard as much. Weeds grow much faster and taller than the grass. However, I have wondered just what it is they use and if its bad for the environment. I know the people who had my house before never used chemicals. I liked some of the "weeds" because they were actually different kinds of wildflowers that were quite pretty when they bloomed. I asked Chemlawn if what they use would hurt those little flowering things, they said no... Will find out this spring.  There are still some stubborn patches of crabgrass and onions that they need to get, especially in the backyard. Perhaps once that is taken care of I will have them stop and will just maintain by pulling what manages to rear its ugly little head in the future.

[RecycleMichael]

Try these websites...

http://www.yardcare.com/
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/5565

I have had good success with boiling hot water mixed with a little vinegar. Another recipe calls for one ounce of gin, one ounce vinegar and one ounce liqid soap mixed with a quart of hot water.

I have also used hot water mixed with a samll amount of salt.

[sgrizzle]

I just use weed and feed that you hook to the hose, whatever kind the store I'm in is selling.

[PonderInc]

quote:Originally posted by RecycleMichaelI have had good success with boiling hot water mixed with a little vinegar. Another recipe calls for one ounce of gin, one ounce vinegar and one ounce liqid soap mixed with a quart of hot water.

Presumably I drink the gin while spreading the vinegar, soap and hot water on the lawn...[]

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by RecycleMichael

Try these websites...

http://www.yardcare.com/
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/5565

I have had good success with boiling hot water mixed with a little vinegar. Another recipe calls for one ounce of gin, one ounce vinegar and one ounce liqid soap mixed with a quart of hot water.

I have also used hot water mixed with a samll amount of salt.

That's a terrible waste of an ounce of gin.  I can think of better applications for it.

[safetyguy]

I understand your quandry with wanting your lawn to look good but also do no harm to animals that roam outside. I actually had an issue a few weeks ago after our lawn was sprayed because our dog was outside the day after the application was put down and the dog turned green (he loves to roll on the ground). After giving the dog a bath I called the company to see what the deal was because I was concerned that he had come into contact with the chemicals. I was assured that the green is really just the dye that put in so that they can see where they have applied the product and if the ground is rubbed the dye will come off. I was also told that once the chemical (fertilizer) dries the animals/children won't be able to come into contact with the chemicals.

I have not used them, but I have seen products at Wild Oats/Whole Foods that looked to be environmentally friendly.

[Breadburner]

Call Ralph McLaughlin with Earth Enterprises 438-6230.....It's not to late for some pre and post emergence crabgrass and weed control....