Tag: vinegar

Interlock and River Rock: Pros and Cons

~ Loreeebee ~ 6 Comments

Interlocked sidewalks or driveways/laneways and river rock instead of lawns may look nice and tidy until the weeds move in. And they will try, you just have to stay on top of them for a winning look.

Weeds are inevitable as their seeds blow around in the wind, lodging themselves in the cracks between the interlocked stones or river rock. They can settle into the tiniest of cracks and then sprout to become a huge mess. Don’t disparage the contractor that you paid to make your yard look nice, it is not (generally) their fault. Weeds and wind are facts of nature.

Polymer Sand Between Interlock

Most landscapers use polymer sand, AKA hardscape, jointing, or paver sand, a mixture of fine grains of sand and bonding agents. These products fill in the cracks between the interlock stones of sidewalks, patios, and driveways. The benefits are stability (the stones don’t shift), weed control, and even insect control.

The problem is, even when applied properly (there is a specific method of applying polymer sand) weed seeds will still congregate on top.

The most recent look in interlock involves larger slabs of stone, meaning fewer cracks for weed seeds to invade and you to keep clean. That’s a move in the right direction.

Landscape Fabric Under River Rock

Landscape fabric is (should be) used under river rock when it replaces lawns to help keep weeds from poking through from underneath. Some aggressive weeds still do manage to get through the barrier though. As mentioned above, nothing prevents weed seeds from blowing from above and settling between the rocks.

Landscape fabric can be purchased in (very) large rolls or smaller, more manageable rolls. Regardless of the roll size, choose the heavy-duty kind.

Unstable Footing

One of my biggest complaints about landscaping with river rock is the instability of the rock surface for anyone walking on it. That would be me working in a client’s garden. Even though I always wear stable shoes, I still find the rocks unstable to walk on so worry about twisted ankles.

I do find the smaller stones more stable than the larger ones.

Interlock and River Rock, pros and cons

Vinegar to Kill and Deter Weeds in Interlock or River Rock

Vinegar, and not just regular vinegar but the extra strength “cleaning” vinegar, works well to kill any weeds that do manage to sprout between the cracks of your interlock or stones/rocks. It also deters new weeds from sprouting. I put the vinegar in a large pressurized sprayer to make large applications easier.

Interlock and River Rock, weeds

Weed Torches to Keep Interlock and River Rock Tidy

Another method of removing weeds that have sprouted between the cracks of your walkways or patios or your river rock is a propane-powered weed torch. I have yet to try one but have heard only good reviews on them.

Conclusions

I don’t mean to discourage anyone from replacing their old, outdated walkways with much prettier interlock or their lawns with river rock, but want people to be aware these types of landscaping still require work. Lots of work.

photo credit: Pexels free photos

Fruit Flies and Fungus Gnats: Get Rid of Them

fruit flies
~ Loreeebee ~ 1 Comment

Do tiny flies in your home drive you crazy? Ever notice that fruit flies seem to come home from the grocery store with you, especially when you buy bananas? Apparently, they love bananas and other ripening fruit. What about fungus gnats? If you have houseplants, you have probably seen these tiny pests. These tips will help you get rid of both of them and learn the difference between them if you care to.

Fruit Flies or Fungus Gnats?

Fruit flies are different than fungus gnats. If you care to differentiate, read this article from Get Busy Gardening. I just assume the tiny flies in my kitchen are fruit flies and the ones around my house plants are fungus gnats. I’ve never taken the time to look that closely or distinguish between the two.

Separate and Wash Your Bananas

As soon as you bring them home, separate your bananas so they are no longer in a bunch, and wash them in soapy water. Yes, I said wash them! This will remove the eggs of fruit flies from the bananas. I have never thought to wash my bananas, even during the pandemic, when everyone was washing everything that came into their home. Apparently, fruit flies like to shelter in the crevices between bananas that are attached to each other in a bunch, so separating them is crucial too.

Who knew?

Vinegar Down Your Drain

Another trick is to pour vinegar down your drain to get rid of both fruit flies and fungus gnats. Fruit flies not only like banana stalks but also the wet, sticky environment in our kitchen drains. So do fungus gnats, AKA drain gnats or drain flies. Rotting fruit in our garbage cans and compost buckets also attracts fruit flies, so spraying those containers with vinegar helps too.

Other Tips to Reduce Fruit Flies

Changing garbage and compost bags often helps keep fruit fly infestations down too. Another tip is to keep your fruit in the fridge instead of on the counter, although I’ve never put bananas in the fridge. Some people use liquid traps made with apple cider vinegar or wine and dish soap to attract and kill the fruit flies respectively.

Hydrogen Peroxide and Sticky Traps for Fungus Gnats

As I do love my houseplants but hate fungus gnats, I have a procedure I am diligent about. Especially as these little buggers can be a quickly escalating issue when purchasing or inheriting new plants:

  • Shake the plant well outside before bringing it into the house
  • some people cover new plants with a plastic bag and leave them in their garage for a few days to isolate any fungus gnats before bringing them into their homes. I’ve never tried this.
  • wipe the leaves of new plants with hydrogen peroxide when they arrive in your home and at least once a month afterward.
  • use sticky traps to catch adult fungus gnats
  • shake plant pots once in a while, spraying any adults or babies that you disturb
  • spray the wet soil in each pot with hydrogen peroxide each time you water your plants
  • Microwave or bake new bags of potting soil. This kills any fungus gnat adults or eggs that might be unwanted guests within the bags, Let the soil cool of course before using it.
  • let the top of the soil in your pots dry out between watering. Some plants tolerate drier soil than others, but most hate overwatering, in fact, the quickest way to kill your houseplants is to overwater them.
fruit flies and fungus gnats
sticky traps

Conclusion

Well, whether or not you care which tiny insect is flying around your home, you are now equipped to battle them and win. If they are in your kitchen and you have no houseplants, they are probably fruit flies. If zipping around your houseplants in other areas of your home, they are most likely fungus gnats.

Bottom Line: Fruit flies don’t like wet soil and fungus gnats don’t like rotting fruit. Also: Don’t use vinegar on your houseplants.

Vinegar: Household Cleaner and Health Remedy

vinegar
~ Loreeebee ~ 7 Comments

Is the power of vinegar an old wives’ tale or a well-known fact?  Vinegar is basically acetic acid and as such makes an effective and inexpensive cleaning agent.  I must admit, being very aware of and sensitive to TOXINS, I do use extra-strength (10%) plain white vinegar for many things.  This extra-strength variety is also called cleaning vinegar; I find it in grocery stores in the same section as the culinary (eating) kind.

Here are a few of the uses of the plain white, extra strength kind:

  •     carpet cleaner
  •     drain unclogger (with baking soda)
  •     laundry cleaner (disinfects) and softener
  •     weed killer, but be aware that it is non-selective meaning it will kill your grass too, so is best used between patio stones etc

Uses for Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)

ACV, made from fermented apples, has the benefits of acetic acid as well as enzymes, magnesium, probiotics, and potassium.  It has become more popular recently as a dietary aid and home remedy to:

  • relieve heartburn
  • relieve sunburn
  • detoxify your liver and lymphatic system
  • lose weight and maintain healthy weight
  • remove skin tags
  • treat acne
  • clean wounds (antiseptic)
  • balance blood sugar levels
  • lower cholesterol levels
  • boost energy
  • condition hair
  • keep blood alkaline
  • clear sinuses by thinning out mucus
  • clean teeth
  • improve circulation
apple cider vinegar

That is an impressive list of benefits for both types of vinegar!

How to Use Vinegar

White vinegar can be used as a cleaning agent directly from the bottle for any of the suggested uses listed above. For weeds in sidewalk cracks, I pour some into a large spray bottle. Use caution if your stonework is a dark colour as the concentrated vinegar may bleach the colour out.

Apple cider vinegar should be diluted before use.  To drink it,  add one or two teaspoons to an eight-ounce glass of water.  As a weight loss remedy, drink it before meals.  Rinse your mouth after drinking to prevent erosion of enamel from your teeth.  There are other adverse side effects of apple cider vinegar too, especially if consumed in excess.

Conclusions

So dig out those bottles from the back of your pantry and put them to work as non-toxic cleaners and home remedies. My favourite way to use ACV is to alleviate heartburn. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but it does work!