I recently read that Roundup’s effectiveness is much decreased if it is mixed with “hard” well water.
My own usage tends to support the idea. My Mom was on fairly “soft” municipal water and when I’d spray Roundup on her brick sidewalks and patio, out back around the large trees in her “pine row”, etc., I found it very effective, even when stored after mixing for months.
At my place we are on rather hard (but still good tasting) well water. Here, it seems like the Roundup concentration needs to be doubled for results similar to at Mom’s, and mixed Roundup seems to lose it’s punch sooner.
Does anyone here have experience with this?
Am I better off mixing with distilled water, municipal water, or perhaps rain water? (I can collect plenty of rain water easily.)
On another note, due to a death in the family and last fall getting whacked by what may have been RSV or Covid, I didn’t get most of my garden area well mulched last fall, and now it has lots of weeds and wild strawberry coming up. The wild mustard are really going to town too. I’ve never used Roundup IN the garden. Spray, collect seed heads as weeds die (esp. the wild mustard, but dandelions are few), and wait a week after spraying B4 turning soil and then planting?
If this is an area where you will plant food, wait a good week or so after spraying...and then get that area MULCHED even before you plant. (I always mulch my beds with straw in the spring, then just pull it back where I want to plant). Herbicides like this must touch ‘leaf mass’ to be effective - once it’s on the soil, it does nothing to control weeds.
I know Round-Up is a VERY touchy subject for people, but I use it from time to time AROUND my raised beds where weeds can creep in. Since I’m a huge advocate of a thick layer of mulch, weeds aren’t a big problem for me - but seriously? I was looking over my beds around the greenhouse and there are already weeds sprouting up there - so the next dry day I’m going after them and digging them all out! Grrr!
I’ve never heard of the effectiveness depending upon water quality, so I have no answer to that. Round-Up is basically a very high concentration of SALT, which is why it’s so effective. (’Salting The Earth’ ring a bell?) Be careful with it. It will kill ANY leaf mass that it touches. Don’t spray on a windy day! :)
Paul, we used to use roundup on the patio and concrete but we quit a few years ago. Too many cancer causing studies. We switched to a homemade concoction recommended here, white vinegar, lots of water softening salt dissolved and a little water. It is way faster and more effective than roundup and more permanent.