Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Wednesday - May 26, 2010
From: Hamilton Co., TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Pests
Title: Use of saltwater to kill weeds in gravel in Hamilton Co. TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I want to get rid of weeds and grasses in our gravel driveway and parking areas. Which would be less harmful to the adjacent native plants and trees: saltwater or herbicide?ANSWER:
From what we have been able to find, both could be equally damaging to surrounding plants, including to the roots of plants that may be under your gravel driveway.This article from Garden Guide.com Salt Water as a Weed Killer lays out the facts better than we could. Of course, our usual recommendation, which is the lowest risk to the environment, is to pull the darn things out. This may be pretty daunting at first, depending on the size of the area you have to deal with, but many weeds are annuals. If you start when they first start to peek out in the Spring, and stay with it, they will at least be diminished. The main thing to do is not to allow any weed to go to seed. If you can't pull a weed out right away, at least cut the blooms off before they go to seed. There will be seeds from other places that will be blown in or delivered by birds, so you will never be without weeds.
More Pests Questions
Lopidea texana nymphs and adults feeding on Mountain Laurel in March
April 04, 2006 - What is the species name of the bright red bug (Miridae) nymphs and adults that are feeding on Texas Mountain Laurel leaves at this time (March 24) at the Wildflower Center?
view the full question and answer
Asclepias with whitish discoloration
May 26, 2008 - I have red/scarlett milkweed planted in my yard. The leaves have a whitish discoloration on the top of some of the leaves and it is spreading. What is it? What do I do about it?
view the full question and answer
Clicking heard under an Oak in near Bandera, TX
May 06, 2014 - Hi, I live on a ranch in TX outside of Bandera. We're covered with live oaks, spanish oak and cedar. Last week,as I stood under an oak, I heard a constant fairly loud clicking sound under and around ...
view the full question and answer
Turk's Cap and Pavonia insect problems
June 27, 2015 - My Turk's cap and Pavonia lasiopetala (rock rose) plants both have quite a few leaves that are skeletonized in appearance. I do not see any insects on the underside of the leaves. What could be cau...
view the full question and answer
Possible leaf cutter ants in Elgin, TX
December 08, 2014 - I've planted many beautiful native vines and flowering plants this fall. However, in the past week I've noticed something has been eating these plants, including coral honeysuckle vine, salvia, and ...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |