I tried budget weed killers – the £6 winner was quick and easy to use and didn’t kill my grass
ANYONE with a garden knows how time consuming it can be dealing with pesky weeds.
If you only have a few, the fastest and most environmentally-friendly way of getting rid of them is simply picking them out by hand or using a weeding tool.
However, for tough weeds, a ready prepared weedkiller might do the job for you.
It’s important to pick the right one though or you might end up killing your grass too.
But which is most effective?
Lynsey Hope spent two weeks testing them in her garden. Here’s what happened:
Weedol Rapid Weed Control (1L)
- £7 – Homebase
Be careful not to use this one on your lawn, as it will kill grass as well as weeds.
It was effective for killing weeds in flower beds, vegetable patches, and around ornamental plants and trees.
It claims you can see visible results in 2-3 hours and indeed, lots of weeds were wilting very quickly.
I’m not sure it tackled them at the root though and I had to respray after a few days and some still needed pulling out.
I felt it was quite labour intensive.
The nozzle wasn’t the most effective either, sometimes it would trickle out.
You have to wait three days before replanting in treated areas and it’s not for use around children and pets.
- Effectiveness: 4/10
- Eco rating: 5/10
- Value for money: 4/10
- Overall score: 4/10
Neudorff WeedFree Plus (750ml)
- £9.90 – B&Q
This was quite potent and killed everything that we sprayed it on, from dandelions to clover and thistles.
It only missed a bit of stubborn ivy, which I’ve always struggled to get rid of.
It uses a mix of pelargonic acid, which is also used as food flavouring and to treat seizures, and maleic hydrazide which can take out the leaves and the roots with one spray.
After two weeks, there was very little regrowth so I think it did a great job of killing the weeds from the roots.
One added bonus, this one is also safe for children and pets.
It’s also biodegradable so you can replant in the same spot just 48 hours after it dries.
- Effectiveness: 9/10
- Eco rating: 9/10
- Value for money: 7/10
- Overall score: 8/10
Resolva Xtra Fast Weedkiller (1L)
- £5.50 – Wickes
Two squirts and this did the job.
For the price, I doubt you could buy anything more effective.
You do have to be careful whilst using this as its a pesticide, it’s incredibly powerful and you can’t use it on areas where it risks running of or blowing around in the wind as it is potent.
It will kill your grass, too, so you need to be a good shot and only target weeds.
For use from April to September only and not suitable for use around children and pets.
- Effectiveness: 10/10
- Eco rating: 6/10
- Value for money: 9/10
- Overall score: 8/10
Resolva Lawn Weedkiller (1L)
- £6 – Homebase
This is my top pick for tackling lawn weeds including dock leaves, dandelions, bindweed and more.
It’s not a quick process, but it’s worth the wait
Lynsey Hope
It really seemed to get to the root of these perennials and stopped them coming back without killing off the grass.
The trigger head was easy to use and effective and I began to see results after around three days. It’s not a quick process, but it’s worth the wait.
It doesn’t contain glyphosate but it is best to keep pets and kids out of the way until it dries as it does contain and irritant.
- Effectiveness: 9/10
- Eco rating: 7/10
- Value for money: 8/10
- Overall score: 10/10
Roundup Ready to Use Total Weedkiller (5L)
- £29 – Wickes
A huge five litre pump and go tub, the makers claim it has a one touch trigger to stop finger fatigue whilst spraying.
In reality though, I found it much harder graft than this. It needed a lot more pumping than advertised.
Be aware also that Roundup contains glyphosate, a herbicide of which there have been many studies and concerns.
Latest results from the US Environmental Protection Agency show it is not carcinogenic and it is safe to use if precautions and pack instructions are followed.
It was banned in the EU in December 2022 but because of Brexit, it is still sold in the UK.
It was certainly the most effective at weed killing in our test and it did not adversely affect the soil.
However, it did take a couple of weeks to see results so if you want quick results, it might not be for you.
- Effectiveness: 10/10
- Eco rating: 2/10
- Value for money: 7/10
- Overall score: 9/10
How to find gardening bargains
Doing up your garden to enjoy on warm and sunny days needn't cost the earth.
Sun Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to get a top deal on items for the garden…
You can bag big savings on plants, shrubs and flowers, as well as gardening tools and furniture.
Many retailers have flash sales across entire seasonal ranges – often these promotions tie into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends, so keep a lookout.
Sign up to mailing lists of your favourite brands and you’ll be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too.
Use a price comparison site to search out the best value items.
And keep a close eye on the specialbuys at Aldi and middle of Lidl drops which drop a couple of times a week and usually mean great value seasonal items for your outdoor areas.
If you are not in a hurry to buy an item, try adding it to the shopping cart online and leaving it for a couple of days.
Sometimes big brands will try to tempt you into the sale by offering you a discount.
And always check if you can get cashback before paying.
It’s especially worth using sites such as Topcashback, Quidco and app Jamdoughnut when buying bigger ticket items such as garden furniture as you’ll get a nice kickback.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
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