Subject: "Safety" Salt as herbicide????
From: Stephen_Ross@-remove-duke.usask.ca (Stephen Ross)
Organization: University of Saskatchewan
Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 15:52:15 -0600
Message-ID: <MOD$970919.4453@rec.gardens.ecosystems>


Hi,

We have an organic garden (year 3!), but there is an area that we would
like to desertify... but I'd rather do it with as little longterm harm as
possible.

Our short (two carlength) driveway is gravel over old concrete, and I
thought we could keep it plant free by handpulling. It's a small area, but
I am admitting defeat. The couchgrass is invading, along with many
cousins. How do I get rid of it? Hand weeding does NOT work, there are
always rhizomes left... Digging doean't work, because of the old concrete.
Boiling water does NOT work. But I stumbled onto salt, when I unthinkingly
dumped the saltwater from our icecream maker off the patio, and killed a
small patch of our groundcover. I've noticed that where I spilled walkway
safety salt, even the couchgrass died.

So how toxic IS this stuff? Is it worse/better than round-up? In dilution
through the groundwater will it cause lasting harm? I'm thinking I could
just lay a line of it along the couchgrass and let the rain take care of
the rest.

Maybe a biochemnist out there could enlighten me on the potential evils of
safety salt.. I _think_ it's a chloride of some sort...

Steve, in Saskatoon, SK.

--
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