Vinegar Solution And Yates Zero Weed Spray example essay topic

WEED KILL REPORT ABSTRACT - The objective of this experiment is to determine which of three weed kill methods will be most successful in killing the Cobblers peg weed over a five day period. Two of the weed kill methods are natural - boiling water and vinegar solution. One of the weed kill methods is a weed spray Yates ZERO. The most effective weed kill was found by examining how fast and effectively each weed kill treatment killed its group of seventeen weeds which were separated into one of three foam boxes over a period of five days. The most successful method was found to be one of the natural methods, boiling water. The next best method was the herbicide and then the least successful method was the vinegar solution which killed none of its weeds.

INTRODUCTION -My initial observation was that simple conservation actions such as reducing the use of pesticides can achieve measurable improvements in habitat quality and environmental health. Herbicides are toxic to most mammals as well as to the beneficial insects that you want to encourage in your garden. Sometimes herbicides seep into the ground water; causing contamination of which the long term effects are not known. Herbicide application can also result in drift or movement in the soil, this endangers wanted vegetation nearby. Herbicides are used far too rampantly.

Excessive use of toxic herbicides is used when not necessary and because most are not aware of the many other natural alternatives. We must find more ways to cut back on the use of chemical herbicides and change to biological weed control methods. Foreign plants which turn into weeds are continuously being introduced to Australia both accidentally and intentionally. They can cause extreme damage to Australia's environment, as they threaten the survival of many native plants.

They are successful in growing as they - usually grow faster than native plants competing for nutrients, water, space etc, they survive better as they do not have the pests and diseases that would normally control them in their natural habitats, they take over the native plants that the native animals use for shelter, food and nesting. The Cobblers peg (Biden's pilose) also known as farmers friend, Spanish needle and beggars tick was introduced from South America and has become a weed in Australia. Individual flowers are yellow with white petals and do not last for very long, eventually turning into seeds. The weed is extremely successful in spreading due to its cluster of seeds. The seeds are made with two or three barbed awns at the tip. They are called Cobblers 'pegs' as they latch onto clothes and shoes (farmers friend), animals' fur, feathers and water.

Cobblers peg thrives in full sun where the soil is relatively infertile. It grows as a weed in vegetables and other crops, pastures, plantations, along roadsides, drainage ditches, railways and wastelands. Hypothesis - The environmentally friendly weed kill methods, vinegar solution and boiling water, will be able to kill their batch of Cobblers pegs will be just as successful at killing their weeds as the Yates ZERO weed-spray. METHODS AND MATERIALS - Materials: - 3 foam vegetable boxes - A, B, C- 30 L Bunning's Warehouse potting mix- 51 cobblers pegs plants (approx 12 cm high) - 1 spray bottle- 1.7 L boiling water- 100 ml Yates ZERO weed kill / spray - 50 ml vinegar - 50 ml normal water- gardening gloves- camera Method - Research was done in the library and internet on the damage weeds do to the environment and the different types of herbicides (the damage they cause) and natural home-made weed killers. One herbicide and two natural homemade weed kills were chosen for use in this experiment. The three were boiling water, vinegar solution and Yates ZERO weed spray.

Fifty-one 'cobblers pegs' weeds approx 12 cm high were collected from the side of the road. Four foam vegetable boxes with drainage holes were then placed on the lawn in a part sun / shade position. 10 L of potting mix was placed into each box. Seventeen Cobblers pegs weeds where planted evenly in rows in each box (three used for the weed kill, and one as a control box). The weeds were watered in and left to settle overnight. On day one at 9 am, 100 ml of boiling water was poured onto the crown of each weed in box A. A solution of 50 ml vinegar and 50 ml water was then sprayed evenly onto the weeds in box B. In box C, 100 ml Yates ZERO weed kill was sprayed evenly onto weeds.

Box D had left weeds untreated. (This 'control box' is to make sure the weeds weren't going to die anyway, due to a flaw in my experiment). A logbook was then made to record weather readings, weed kill progress and photos / pictures. The data was then analysed to create a bar graph and comparative photos. RESULTS - In box A, seventeen weeds treated with boiling water were dead two days after application.

In box B, none of the weeds treated with the vinegar solution died over five days. In box C, fourteen weeds died over five days after an application of Yates ZERO weed spray. In Box D (control box) the untreated weeds were still healthy. DISCUSSION - Boiling water was the most effective way as it kills immediately all living organisms in the weeds roots and foliage when its first poured on the weeds. The vinegar is basically 5% acetic acid in water, and it burns the weeds foliage especially on a sunny day. Yates ZERO weed spray has the active constituent: GLYSOPHATE, this active constituent kills weeds by translocation through the plants vascular system, killing the above ground foliage and roots.

Translocation takes more or less time depending on the current growing conditions e.g. cold, dry or very hot. If the experiment was continued - The weeds in box A, there would be no need to continue the experiment as they were already dead after two days. If they grew back however it would continue to kill useful organisms that live in the soil below. In box B, an increase in applications may have eventually killed the weeds, but since you are continuously spraying vinegar may also end up sterilizing soil the soil.

The eventual fate of the vinegar would depend on dilution and evaporation. In box C the weeds may have died faster, but after more applications ZERO weed spray would end up poisoning the soil and environment. IMPROVEMENTS ON EXPERIMENT - The weeds could have been grown from seed and poisoned when younger. More types of weed kill treatments could be used and more specimens including different species of weeds / plants. Not diluting the vinegar with water making it more acidic may have been more effective in killing the weeds (another experiment I did proves this). Having the weeds in full sun may have made the vinegar solution and ZERO more successful by intensifying the burning of foliage.

The weeds could have been left for a longer period of time giving them more applications CONCLUSION - Of the three weed kill treatments used in this experiment, boiling water killed 100% of its Cobblers pegs weeds the fastest. Boiling water was able to kill all seventeen weeds within two days of application. The next best weed kill was Yates ZERO weed spray which killed fourteen (82.35%) of its weeds over the five days. The diluted vinegar solution was the least effective killing none (0%) of its weeds over the five days. My hypothesis is not supported by this experiment as not all treatments worked in killing their batch of weeds. However, boiling water the non-toxic method was more effective.

It worked better than the herbicide that was actually specially formulated for the job. Phasing out the use of chemical herbicides can make a significant impact in stopping the poisoning of our environment. I recommend using environmentally friendly boiling water when getting rid of any unwanted weeds.