Post by Antigone68104 on Jan 5, 2013 16:52:39 GMT
A conversation with family over the holidays reminded me of this one.
Proposal: Test whether DIY "natural" weed killers are as effective (both short- and long-term) as commercial "chemical" weed killers.
Testing: They'll need a nice big yard or field with an even distribution of weeds, that they can section off into various test plots. One will be the control, and left alone. One will be treated by a weed control expert. (Does California have county weed control boards? The relative I was talking to worked for a weed control board in Oregon for several years, and part of the job requirement even for her job {office} was to become licensed to use herbicides. This would be a low-cost or no-cost option to get someone to help out.)
The other plots will be treated in various ways from the Internet.
Potential Issues: The big one is where do they find a plot of land that can be left overgrown and weed-infested during the test? I don't think any of the MBs would be willing to sacrifice their yards to the cause, and even if they did their neighbors would raise a fuss. I know the ground around the bomb range has to be kept mowed for safety, one of the guys Tweeted a photo of the herd of goats that was in for weed control during one test. The best option might be to see if the abandoned housing development they've used for some of the driving tests could be used for this.
This one could end up running longer than "Rolling Stone Gathers Moss". A short-term test would be relatively quick, but if they're looking at long-term effects of a weed killer they'll need to go to the next growing season.
They obviously won't be able to test for all weed types. The location needs to have a good assortment of common weeds, though -- a test that only kills, say, dandelions can't be extrapolated to a general rule.
When the county weed board my relative worked for tested salt vs tansy ragwort (their primary noxious weed), they had to work in secret because they could all have had their herbicide licenses yanked for using a non-approved weed treatment. This might be an issue for whoever comes in to apply the chemical weed killer. If California law is similar to Oregon's in this regard, they'll need to be sure this test doesn't put the guy out of work.
Proposal: Test whether DIY "natural" weed killers are as effective (both short- and long-term) as commercial "chemical" weed killers.
Testing: They'll need a nice big yard or field with an even distribution of weeds, that they can section off into various test plots. One will be the control, and left alone. One will be treated by a weed control expert. (Does California have county weed control boards? The relative I was talking to worked for a weed control board in Oregon for several years, and part of the job requirement even for her job {office} was to become licensed to use herbicides. This would be a low-cost or no-cost option to get someone to help out.)
The other plots will be treated in various ways from the Internet.
- Salt: I've seen both rock salt and table salt recommended for weed killing. It has to be applied directly to the weed, if you just scatter it you'll kill the plants you want as well as the ones you don't.
- Vinegar, undiluted. Some sites recommend pickling vinegar because the acetic acid level is higher than in household vinegar.
- Boiling water, poured straight onto the weed.
- Soak the ground thoroughly, then pull the weeds by hand -- slowly, so you get as much of the root as possible. (For some reason, I'm picturing someone who made a mess in M5 being assigned this one.)
- A mixture of 1/2 cup salt, one squeeze of dish soap, and enough pickling vinegar to fill a 32-ounce spray bottle. Squirt directly onto the weeds.
- Similar to the above, I saw a recipe that calls for one ounce gin, one ounce dish soap, and one ounce vinegar. I'm assuming this gets diluted, because you're supposed to mix it in a 32-ounce sprayer, but the link for more information didn't work.
- Cornmeal sprinkled on the soil is supposed to keep weed seeds from sprouting.
Potential Issues: The big one is where do they find a plot of land that can be left overgrown and weed-infested during the test? I don't think any of the MBs would be willing to sacrifice their yards to the cause, and even if they did their neighbors would raise a fuss. I know the ground around the bomb range has to be kept mowed for safety, one of the guys Tweeted a photo of the herd of goats that was in for weed control during one test. The best option might be to see if the abandoned housing development they've used for some of the driving tests could be used for this.
This one could end up running longer than "Rolling Stone Gathers Moss". A short-term test would be relatively quick, but if they're looking at long-term effects of a weed killer they'll need to go to the next growing season.
They obviously won't be able to test for all weed types. The location needs to have a good assortment of common weeds, though -- a test that only kills, say, dandelions can't be extrapolated to a general rule.
When the county weed board my relative worked for tested salt vs tansy ragwort (their primary noxious weed), they had to work in secret because they could all have had their herbicide licenses yanked for using a non-approved weed treatment. This might be an issue for whoever comes in to apply the chemical weed killer. If California law is similar to Oregon's in this regard, they'll need to be sure this test doesn't put the guy out of work.
