Weed help for total novice

[alexw]

Please be gentle as this is probably a v dumb question... I have applied roundup to weeds on patio and path. They are now wilting nicely. Do I now have to dig/scrape them up or will they continue to wilt and become sweapable up??? Tia

[WaffleWiffle]

The longer you leave them to wilt and die, the better. The green visible part of the plant will die sooner than the root system. Ideally you want the weedkiller to get all the way into the roots and kill every bit of the plant.

[alexw]

Thanks. Do I then still need to get them up somehow??

[alexw]

Obviously such a stupid Q it doesn't warrant any response. But, please humour me and explain as though to a very stupid person how to de weed. Thanks.

[DozeyTwonk]

probably sweep up. I too am a novice and have applied roundup to some weeds. I am gonna wait a week or so and see what happens. Happy gardening!

[NecesitoDormir]

I leave them to wilt for a week then pull them out with a grubber or by hand. You can just leave them but to me they look messy.

[alexw]

Thank you both. Have spent day dealing with house so garden unattended again - guess all hell will have broken out in meantime... So annoying that you can't ignore it ever if you want it to look reasonable. Not sue I am cut out for gardening after all... Would love to have a gardener on same terms as my cleaner - ie a few hours each week. That would keep things looking good and not let other things get out of control. Any offers for fortnightly garden maintenance please let me know.

[FunkyBoldRibena]

How you weed is to get out and dig them up, or dig them out, or slice them off regularly until they die back.

Spraying weedkiller is not weeding!

[alexw]

I know ideal is to dig them up, but I work a 72 hour week, have 2 children under 10 and am too tired to do something too strenuous. Was hoping for easy, almost no input solution - obvs will,have to seek alternative.

[funnyperson]

DS thinks the government should pay mums for mothering and housekeeping so that they don't have to pay a childminder. He thinks the current system generates unmothered children. Obv. from his own experience (he is 22)

[funnyperson]

If children are healthy and capable, they can help you weed and water from five ish onwards. Esp. dandelions.

[Ferguson]

As long a you don't mind it looking a bit untidy for a while, they should rot away in due course, and any residue will probably sweep away.

It can be almost impossible to dig out every weed between slabs, or in gravel, so a good weed killer is the easiest way. We mix the killer into cheap wallpaper paste, and paint in on to dandelions, bindweed and the most stubborn weeds.