Hardiness Zone: 5b
Molly from Boulder, Colorado
I wouldn't even want to speculate on what type of weed killers (homemade or commercial) would be safe to use around your horses. The labels on some commercial herbicides recommend restricting grazing for two weeks after application, some 7 days and some have no restrictions at all. Even in the case of the so-called homemade "safe" remedies, some ingredients can be toxic to some animals. Fortunately for you, one of the world's premier equine veterinary hospitals (CSU) is located in your state. I would recommend calling them for more information.
http://www.csuvets.colostate.edu/equinehospital/
You might also visit the Colorado State University extension agency's Ag Weed pages at http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/boulder/AG/agweeds.shtml and http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/natres/03106.html.
This publication by the Table Mountain Association might also be of interest to you http://bcn.boulder.co.us/community/tma/news/11/tmaweed2.html.
Good Luck!
Ellen
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
How can I kill weeds safely so as not to hurt pets?
By Sondra
We used Roundup on our weeds . A couple days later our dog went outside then came back in the house and licked his feet. The Roundup was on his feet and he almost died. So NO ! Roundup is not safe for pets
Does anyone know of a weed killer I can use that is non poisonous to my rabbit. I've tried vinegar with no effect.
By Chris
For killing weeds & grass, Vinegar, put into a plant spray is one of the best there is! In fact, you can heat it up because the hotter it is, the better it works. For really tough areas, you can buy a much stronger vinegar at a plant nursery. This way, you can choose to add water or not, depending on the situation.
One of those hand-held torches works great at my house! Just torch what you want and poof! Weeds are gone.
av8rs3
I've used 1 gal white vinegar + 1 cup regular table salt + 1 squirt of Liquid Joy dish detergent. I usually put vinegar and Joy in a watering can and in the sun for a bit. Add 1 cup salt and stir to dissolve.
Try Salt. Take a cheap spray bottle (Do not use an old cleaner spray bottle as it will be toxic to your pet), fill the bspray bottle about half full with salt and then pour in hot water until full. Shake the bottle until the salt has dissolved fully into the water, and then use the mixture to spray the unwanted weeds. The salt will dry the weeds up.
Does it have to be Joy detergent or will any liquid detergent work?
I have seen other recipes that call for Dawn so probably any would be okay.
I have a cat who loves to eat grass. How can I kill creeping Charlie and barnyard grass without poisoning my cat?
By Joan H.
Pour boiling water on it - the weeds, not the cat!
Thank you for clarifying that
How do I make an animal friendly weedkiller?
By Heather from Sunderland, UK
I use vinegar with salt dissolved in it and a little vegetable oil, well shaken. Works well.
I use vinegar and it works very well, and it never bothers the dogs.
We have a large field with horses and there are a lot of weeds they don't bother with. They just keep growing. I want to get some grass growing in the field. How do I control the weeds without harming the horses? Please help; I don't have a lot of money and I really need to get rid of them.
By Cheryl s from Clear Spring, MD
Cut the weeds. You can use a trimmer if it has a metal blade, or, for more exercise, use a weed whip or a machete (spelling?). Don't try to do it all at once though. With rain and luck, the grass will grow. You don't say how large your field is, but a lawn mower might take care of some thick patches.
I need to find something that is safe for outside dogs and doesn't kill the grass!
Is there anything out there?
By Abbey M
I am looking for a recipe for a weed killer I can use for my horse pasture that I apply with a boom sprayer.
By L. Woodley
Is there a weed killer that can be used in an ivy covered area that won't kill the ivy?
Hardiness Zone: 6a
By cathy Hooper from Chicago, IL
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
What can I use to kill weeds that is not poisonous to my dogs? I am afraid if I use commercial weed killers they might lick their paws and ingest some. Thanks.
