| Are you struggling to kill weeds in your garden but all | | | | have them cleaned, just apply a coating of glue to both |
| too often find that you're inadvertently killing the plants | | | | the pipe and the fitting, slide the fitting on and twist it at |
| you want to grow? This article provides easy-to-follow | | | | the same time. Hold the fitting tight for 60 seconds and |
| instructions for making a simple tool that applies | | | | it will be glued tightly. |
| herbicide only on the offending weeds. | | | | Cut a piece of pipe 30" long and glue the pipe cap on |
| You are welcome to use this article on your website | | | | one end, and the PVC to pipe thread adapter on the |
| or in your newsletter as long as you reprint it as is, | | | | other end. Apply a small amount of pipe dope or |
| including the contact information at the end. Website | | | | Teflon tape to the threads of the adapter, and screw |
| URLs must be active links. You are welcome to use | | | | the male garden house fitting onto the adapter. Screw |
| this article with an affiliate link, | | | | the garden hose cap to the male garden hose fitting. |
| The tool that I am going to tell you about is for using | | | | Now back to the end of the pipe that you glued the |
| herbicides such as RoundUp. The biggest mistakes | | | | pipe cap to. Drill a very small hole right in the middle of |
| that people make when using non-selective herbicides | | | | the pipe cap. You might have to experiment a little with |
| like RoundUp is overspray getting the herbicide on | | | | the size of the hole you need, but make sure you start |
| plants that they did not intend to spray, and over | | | | with a very small hole. I'd start with 1/16". Cut a piece of |
| applying the product. If you spray to the point of run | | | | regular household sponge in a square about 1-1/2" |
| off, you are applying way too much. | | | | square. What you are going to do is place this sponge |
| The weed dabber is a tool used for spot treating | | | | over the small hole you drilled in the pipe cap, and |
| weeds without getting the herbicide on other plants. | | | | secure it there by covering it with a piece of |
| Start by going to your hardware store and buying a | | | | lightweight screen or mesh cloth. Maybe even a piece |
| piece of 1- 1/2" PVC pipe. You only need a piece 30" | | | | of an onion bag. You can secure the mesh to the |
| long, but they might make you buy a 10' section. It's | | | | PVC pipe with a hose clamp, or electrical tape. |
| pretty cheap though. You'll need a plastic PVC cap for | | | | Remove the garden hose cap from the other end of |
| one end of the pipe, and on the other end you'll need | | | | the PVC pipe, and fill the pipe with pre-mixed (ready to |
| an adapter to convert the PVC pipe to a standard | | | | use) RoundUp. Replace the garden hose cap and you |
| pipe thread. You'll have to let the clerk at the hardware | | | | have yourself a weed dabber. The RoundUp will seep |
| store help you find the best combination of fittings to | | | | out the hole in the end of the pipe cap and be |
| use. What you need to do is to get the PVC pipe | | | | absorbed by the sponge. As long as the garden hose |
| reduced down to a male garden hose type fitting. | | | | cap is tight the vacuum in the pipe will keep the |
| Hardware stores sell brass fittings that convert | | | | herbicide from running out too fast. Once the sponge is |
| standard pipe thread to the same thread used on | | | | damp, you can start dabbing weeds. Remember, you |
| garden hoses. | | | | only want the weeds damp and not dripping wet. As |
| Probably what you'll end up with is an adapter that will | | | | long as you are leaving some RoundUp on the weeds |
| convert the 1-1/2" PVC to 3/4" male pipe. Then an | | | | as you dab them, the herbicide should kill them. |
| adapter to convert the 3/4" male pipe to a male | | | | Depending on the temperatures, it could take a week |
| garden house fitting. They also make a cap that you | | | | or so before you can see the effects of the herbicide. |
| can install on the end of a garden hose, you'll need one | | | | If the sponge gets too dry you can loosen the cap a |
| of those. This cap must have a rubber garden hose | | | | little to release the vacuum and more herbicide will be |
| washer in it so it seals properly. | | | | released onto the sponge. Or you can simply turn the |
| The PVC fittings have to be glued on so you'll have to | | | | tool upside down and that should let some air into the |
| pick up some PVC pipe glue and cleaner. You have to | | | | chamber, thus releasing the vacuum. As always, read |
| use the cleaner to remove the film and gloss from the | | | | the label and follow the directions on the herbicide |
| PVC pipe and fittings before you glue them. Once you | | | | package. |