Instead of using really nasty chemicals to rid your garden of noxious weeds, where possible just try using water.

Yes, water :)

The trick is to boil it first of course. This is particularly effective for use on weeds in the expansion joints on driveways and paths.

Other greener options for killing weeds (depending on the type)

- Neat white vinegar is good as an earth friendly broad leaf weed killer. Vinegar is most effective when applied on a sunny.

- A strong saline (salt) solution can be used on gravel driveways and where weeds have sprung up between cracks or joins in pavers. It's probably best not to use this in open areas where other plants are close by as repeated applications can cause the salt to leach over a wider area. It's for this reason that salt is also a good way to prevent weeds from growing again.

- Lemon juice is also said to be highly effective in killing weeds of all types and it will break down very quickly.

There are also quite a few "green" commercial products around, but if you do need to buy "mainstream" commercial chemical preparations, I recommend glyphosate - it's probably the lesser of the evils in terms of popular herbicides.

Sold under hundreds of different brand names, glyphosate supposedly breaks down very quickly, although the video "The World According To Monsanto" challenges that claim. 

Glyphosate is also very cheap. A $4 bottle of generic branded glyphosate is just as effective as a $10 bottle of popular brand name weed killer containing glyphosate (which will remain nameless) if the concentrations are the same - and you get to deprive Monsanto of some profits in the process.

It can take up to 7 days after application before the weed starts to turn brown, particularly if it's a large one. Glyphosate should be applied when there's no chance of rain within 6 hours of application.

To further reduce environmental risks, only use the amount as directed on the bottle - using more won't kill the weeds any faster or more effectively. Also invest in a hand pump sprayer - the money you outlay on the sprayer will be offset by the reduction of glyphosate you'll need to use if, for example, you use a watering can to apply it. Less chemical - less collateral damage on the environment and less damage to your wallet also. By using it sparingly, you'll also reduce the risks of weeds building up resistance.

As always, prevention is better than cure. One of the best ways to prevent weeds from growing is to use mulch, which has the added benefit of providing nutrients to plants and saving water in your garden.

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