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A
Safe Way to Battle Weeds
by Monica Brandies, Gardening Editor
Tampa Tribune
Many
gardeners, even those who do not use pesticides, resort to
herbicide sprays when weeds threaten to take over. Perhaps
the best gardeners are those who use them before weeds get
out of hand, but until now there has always been the worry
of sprays drifting to nearby treasured plants. On the RoundUp
label, under how to apply, it says in large letters, “When
treating weeds around desirable plants, shield plants from
drift with a piece of cardboard or plastic.
So John
Randle, a dedicated gardener from Lake Mary, Florida decided
to follow the directions carefully.
He went to work with tin snips and a fruit juice can later
came up with his first prototype for what is now the IsoWeeder.
Even at that rudimentary stage it worked incredibly well.
He scooped or tucked the weed to be sprayed into the slot
on the side of the funnel shaped IsoWeeder and found he could
safely and effectively use
herbicide on weeds in even the tightest spots, even in brand
new sod.
John
has a successful graphic design studio in Orlando and one
of his clients liked the idea so much he suggested patenting
and producing it. To date, thousands have been sold in Florida
and nationwide. Not a single one has ever been returned!
“IsoWeeder
is a simple, yellow plastic herbicide spray shield that protects
desirable plants from weed killing sprays. Exactly what herbicide
manufacturers have been recommending to residential landscapers
and gardeners on their package backs for 20 years. So it's
about time you might say!” Randle said.
“I think the idea may have started about 1956 when my
Dad, who took great pride in his 3-acre lawn's appearance,
said ‘Here are the keys, son.’ Not to the car,
but rather to his riding mower. At age 11, it took a while
to match his skill, but for about 14 years thereafter, I also
took pride in that lawn. My Mother, Eileen, mowed the same
lawn in Centralia, Illinois until she was 89 years old. She
and the lawn always looked beautiful.”
Four homes
later, Randle still enjoys tending a lovely lawn in Lake Mary:
mowing, landscaping, pruning... and weeding. “It's all
a relief from the stress of my daily business. A few years
ago weeds began getting the best of my floritam lawn and planting
beds. Bermuda was impossible to halt in the turf. RoundUp
killed it all right along with weeds. Weeds pulled from the
beds came back quickly. So spray herbicides in the middle
of flowers, ornamentals and ground cover? Not unless you are
looking for a good reason to replace them.” So he invented
the IsoWeeder and it has the endorsements of experts such
as noted radio garden hosts as Tom McCubben, Vince Sims -
the nationally syndicated Garden Rebel - and Raymond Crawford,
past President of the Orlando Garden Club.
Roger
Swain, science and new products editor of Horticulture Magazine
says, “A lot of RoundUp just evaporates in the garage
because it is so frustrating to use.” I'll go along
with that. One woman I know even takes a paintbrush, dips
it in full strength RoundUp and paints it on weeds! In any
case you should wash your hands immediately after using herbicides
before you swat a mosquito on your face. It always helps to
protect the gardener. Using the IsoWeeder reminds us of that
even before it protects the other plants. Photos of the IsoWeeder
in use shows John's wife's gloved hands as she sprays a spurge
that is going to seed among blooming azaleas. It's so inexpensive
there's no reason not to use one.
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