I worked in the pesticide indusry for many years, you name it I can kill it. Sometimes unintentionally as a few farmers about the place can testify. Firstly I would not suggest anyone gets supplies from commercial sources. A litre of commercial weedkiller would last the average gardener a lifetime and hang around for ever. The packaging is not designed for domestic use and does not have childproof tops, details of dilution rates etc. appropriate for watering cans rather than hectares etc. I have been to a number of hospital pharmacies to collect material brought in by worried relatives when their nearest and dearest have suffered problems of various sorts and ended up in A&E. Weedkilers tend not to be too serious, but insecticides are another matter especially if oil formulated when the concentrate can be flammable as well.

For domestic weedkilling purposes I buy the cheapest generic glyphosate I can find in concentrate form and domestic packaging. I use a trigger bottle type sprayer with the diluted product in and aimed appropriately that will do an excellent job. The small droplet size aids absorption much better than using a watering can and it can be targetted more easily as glyphosate will kill anything green. For particularly hard to kill perennial weeds - ivy, bellvine etc - then sometimes adding a tiny drop of dishwasher fluid, the stuff that makes crockery etc sparkle, can be beneficial. This is essentially a wetting agent that reduces surface tension and means that the weedkiller is better absorbed as leaf contact is improved. I also use it (the dishwasher fluid) for cleaning windows as it leaves a non smear, sparkling clean finish.

MGs

Hi Buzbee,

I am afraid I dont know Beline, presumably a tradename. I did a quick google and couldnt find it. Ground ivy is rather different from creeping ivy, the type of plant that you see on old walls for example. However these are both persistent and difficult to kill. if it reasonably contained and doesnt cover large areas that you need to clear then a technique that I have used to good effect is what we might term a "cut stump" treatment, used extensively with woody species. In principle slice though the stem near the base and then apply the weedkiller to the cut stump. This gives you access directly to the vascular system of the plant without the intervention of the leaf and the problems of penetrating very waxy, shiney leaves. I would suggest glyphosate as it is very readily moved within the plant and is also safe-ish to handle, but best to use gloves, wash hands, avoid splashes etc. as this is not a recommended form of application. If you dab on a strong solution, and obviously it doesnt take much, this can do the trick. I have mixed it with a small amount of flour to make a paste which then maintains contact with the plant for much longer when painted on, and I have also experimented with gels. I would definitely not suggest that you try this with paraquat or diquat type products. In fact I refuse to have these types of products around. There is no recovery from paraquat poisoning! In addition it is largely a contact weedkiller and not taken up and moved around the plant into the roots so there is no benefit to this type of application. Finally it works best in good weather when the plant is growing rapidly, mid to late May often works best. I have been eliminating ground elder from my garden for about five years now and at last seem to have got rid of it, a very persistent weed though and it wil take regular zapping to keep it at bay.

Good luck! MGs