weed wiper

billbobtlh · Aug 8, 2002

I made a 18" weed wiper with an oversize paint roller, some plastic pipe and the handle of an old gas edger. It works great. On my property bahia grass gets pretty thick. The wiper applies the roundup only on the stuff that it touches.
This allows my centipede grass to grow without competition.
Bahia is taller than the centipede.

ns_in_tex · Aug 8, 2002

I have plenty of bahia that I would like to get out of the lawn.

Looks like a great idea. I wonder if something similar could be installed in front of a mower & do 2 jobs at once?

How long have you been using this? How often do you have to apply to keep the bahia grass down?

WVBill · Aug 9, 2002

"<font color=blue>I wonder if something similar could be installed in front of a mower & do 2 jobs at once?</font color=blue>"

Not with the way Roundup works. Roundup needs to be absorbed down into the roots. If you wipe it on the leaf/grass blade and then immediately cut it off, it will never get absorbed.

billbobtlh · Aug 9, 2002

I wanted to use 2 roller pads but I dont think you can get even saturation. It is hard to see where you have been in a large area, but I have repeated applications where I have missed. It needs to grow for another week after you put it on.
But it is neat to see that cintepede not having to compete for space. If the wiper was wider the roundup would probably drip off of each end, especially on uneven ground.
This second picture shows details of the unit and an area where it has been used.

DavidInNH · Aug 9, 2002

Pretty slick!

Years ago, when I had a lawn maintenance business on the side (whatever was I thinking?), I bought a Roundup applicator that looked like a hockey stick made from 3/4" PVC. The "blade" portion had a length of nylon rope inserted at each end. The handle had a screw on cap. You filled it up and Roundup wicked through the rope. You could just swipe it over tall weeds without getting any on the short stuff. Its good for tight spaces, but yours is much better for the wide open spaces.

I don't know what happened to my original one and I haven't seen one in a store since. I made a couple last year. I got the rope holes too big on the first one and it leaks. The second one turned out fine, but I gave it to a neighbor. I guess I should get off my butt and replace that first one.

BTW - Roundup seems to have a pretty good shelf life. My boy just finished off a gallon jug that I bought over 20 years ago. I seem to remember paying $82 a gallon.

Wingnut · Aug 9, 2002

Cool!
Coupla questions soi I get it straight :
1) gravity feed or is the jug pressurized
2) how do you have the end's "stoppered"?
3) what's supporting the paint roller?
4) any problems with it getting over-saturated and dripping?

pete

billbobtlh · Aug 9, 2002

Gravity fed. Hose is necked down with smaller dia. hose in it.
Threaded rod goes through roller.
Roller came with end caps I had to drill out.
It can get over saturated some. I have lost some centipede, but it will come back strong.
Likewise I have had to repeat.
But it kills what it gets on. Raise and lower the pad by lifting the handle. The dead grass in the pictures is from the roundup. The shorter centipede is still green. I am going to try a red or blue dye to see if it works.