Weed killer and cats!

[bananaskinsnomnom]

To start on the right foot, I am a pretty useless and rather clueless gardener!

My garden is gravel (was when I moved in so not my doing) but it wasn’t done particularly well. Around the edge in the soil are a few weeds and prickly things which I am trying to dig out, and ultimately need to kill off. I also have an area of gravel where grass is coming up (hence my “not done well” comment!)

Trouble is, there’s a few cats from around the area that play in my garden! I only know where one comes from! I need to put down quite a lot of weed killer but don’t want to be responsible for the death of a beloved family pet!

Any advice on how to tackle this safely or am I worrying for nothing?

I don't think weed killer is bad for cats, but it could harm them also any other birds and animals that come into your garden. Could you not get rid of the gravel and plant lawn, it would be much nicer and more environmentally friendly

Hmmm have thought about that - there’s a lot of gravel! Is it best to get someone in to do that or literally just dig it up and bin it (picturing some poor bin men with my bin full of rocks )

Please don't use weed killer. You will kill any pollinators that come across it.

A weed burner is a fun alternative to pulling them up by hand.

Glyphosphate (probably spelt wrong) is fine. It drys quickly and once dry will not harm domestic animals. It's the active ingredient in round up bit you can buy concentrate and dilute as needed. It's cheaper in the concentrate form.

Make sure that the pesticide you buy is the right one for the job. Most shouldn't be used on gravel/hardstanding, but some can be. Ask for advice at the garden centre before you buy it. Read the instructions, then read them again. Make sure that you understand them, especially dose and application requirements. You will not 'kill any pollinators that come across it', that's just silly scaremongering, neither will you harm cats, birds or any other animals that come into your garden.

You do not need to 'put down rather a lot of weedkiller', you just need to apply carefully at the prescribed dose. Home gardeners are notorious for massively overdosing, (especially with slug pellets) don't be one of them.

I'm pleased that the previous resident put gravel down instead of concrete or hideous plastic grass - but if you're there for the longterm you can always get rid of it and have a lovely lawn.

Please don't use weed killer, it can be very dangerous for cats

I have this.

I will use either by hand or burn them away. That looks better fun

Burning them away sounds like the best option, and cats won't go anywhere near fire so none would be harmed

Glyphosphate is sprayed on the leaves rather than the soil. It breaks down when in contact with the soil. Once dry (10 minutes on a warm day ) it is not a hazard to animals. There have been health scares associated with this product but they tend to relate to agricultural workers with routine high level exposure. The burning off and mechanical methods usually leave root in place so you need to repeat constantly, this kills the weed and root. I don't use it a lot but it is effective.

You will not 'kill any pollinators that come across it', that's just silly scaremongering, neither will you harm cats, birds or any other animals that come into your garden.

It really isn't silly scaremongering. There is credible evidence of the harm it does.

www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/09/common-weed-killer-believed-harmless-animals-may-be-harming-bees-worldwide

e360.yale.edu/features/bee-alert-is-a-controversial-herbicide-harming-honeybees

And if you only worry about your neighbours pets rather than wildlife, bear in mind that most honeybees are looked after by people. I am quite as fond of my bees as I am of my cat.

Would it be feasible/sensible to redo the edges with weed proof membrane under the gravel?

@MrsBertBiddy - I think you've misunderstood what 'credible evidence' is.

Your first link is to a magazine article that even admits in the title that there 'may' be an effect or may not, and then goes on to describe 'confusing results'.

Have you even read your links? This is a quote from the researcher in your second link - 'She emphasizes that these results have little to say so far about how important a factor glyphosate might be in the declines in bee populations. “We have to say that we don’t know at this point,” she says.'

So I stand by my accusation that you are scaremongering and I will wait for the inevitable links to further obscure journals with no 'credible evidence of the harm it does'. When the authors of the papers (not the authors of the journals - two VERY different things) say that they don't know, it means that they, and you, don't actually know.

As long as people read the label, read the label and apply as directed on the label, the OP can safely kill of the weeds that she wants to. Please read the label. And then read it again.

Yale really isn't that obscure, but that's fine. Clearly you're from the school of "keep on until you really can't deny that the poison you are pumping into the atmosphere is harming other things besides the things you intended to kill"

Personally, given the massive accidental damage we have inflicted on our planet, it might be more sensible to adopt the approach of stopping where there is some evidence of harm, until you've established that the harm isn't actually real. Especially when all you are pumping poisons around for is to save yourself the both of pulling weeds out of the ground.

If there is any risk to wildlife and pollinators then I wouldn’t do. It’s not worth it.

As for the cats, I honestly don’t care.,

@MrsBertBibby - have you forgotten that just a few posts up you were recommending the use of fire to kill the weeds. Fairly harmful don't you think? Both to soil bourne flora and fauna, any passing insects, and by releasing carbon to the atmosphere. This is why farmers are no longer able to use fire as weed control, why are you recommending such a harmful practice? Clearly you're from the school of 'not really having a clue'.

Using a weed burner to take out a stubborn perennial weed isn't quite the same as stubble burning, now is it?

But you clearly just want to be rude and pick fights with complete strangers. No joy on the school run? Never mind, your local Spoons will be open soon.

Sorry with @MrsBertBibby on this one- fire over chemicals any day

Which stubborn perennial weed? The only weed actually mentioned is grass, not sure where you imagined the 'stubborn perennial' from.

I accused you of silly scaremongering, not really 'rude' is it? You gave no 'credible evidence', and you are/were scaremongering. Rude would be accusing someone of 'picking a fight' - I don't really understand your 'no joy on the school run' or the 'local spoons' comments, but they don't have a particularly pleasant tone do they? What is a local spoon?

Fire is harmful, it kills everything it touches, I truly don't see how you think it is a good thing. At least nobody (yet) has suggested the beautifully environmentally friendly, 'organic' salt option....

Have we mentioned what is (I think...!) the safe, uncontroversial option of covering up the problematic areas with something opaque? Maybe pull/dig out what you can, then lie some planks along the edges of the gravel, shove a large planter on top of the grassy spot, that sort of thing.

Fire is harmful, it kills everything it touches

In this case it is only directed at one weed at a time.

You don’t set fire to something that is 3foot high and hope the flames don’t spread.

It is for low weeds that can be burnt one at a time

Yes just direct it at one weed at a time, you do t have to start a forest fire.

My friends cat go really ill from eating plants with weed killer, please don't use it :(

One weed at a time along with all of the tiny insects living on it and scorching the soil around it. Very environmentally friendly.

I would be VERY surprised if a cat got ill from eating plants sprayed with weed killer as per label recommendations. Was this proven? Or just suggested by the vet? Or assumed by your friend?

People are quick to jump to conclusions. Someone showed me a photograph of 'pesticide burns' to a dog's ear recently. Turns out it was mechanical injury from running through a field of oil seed rape, nothing at all to do with pesticides.

OP I think probably digging them up or burning them individually seems to be the best thing to do, a bit more time consuming but better to be safe than sorry!
Gardens are such maintenance aren't they!

Monsanto must love you Maud The world is in a terrible state and there are people still doing their PR for them. I really is'nt nec. to use weed killers at all, boiling water will do it. or just wait till the next downpour of rain and pull the 'weeds' up.

Replace with grass (which is considered a weed too). Or low herbs like camomile.