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Alternative Herbicides, a Middle Way

Gardeners can be divided into two camps, the chemical users and the organic growers.  Many of us have our sympathy with the organic growers and surreptitiously use the odd dose of glyphosate or dicamba without investigating if there are any alternatives.  We just need to look into the past to find out what people did to solve the ever present problem of weeds. We are all familiar with cultivation and chemical control of weeds but we are not always aware that there are a large number of commonly used substances that on their own or combined, make effective controllers of unwanted plants.  These substances are easily purchased from grocery shops and in the amounts used, not toxic to children and other garden animals but are surprisingly effective.