Clean sprinkler donuts
 

What does everyone do to keep the cement sprinkler donuts free of weeds?
I was wondering if I spray a weed killer in each one, if there’s a tool, or if i just go around with a small landscape rake?

Thanks

Purchase a donut cleaner at Lowe’s, Home Depot, Ace…..

Round-Up

I also use Round Up.

I use my hands. Grab it, pull it out, rip out the weeds around the sprinkler head, level the area out, and put it back.

a couple times a year I apply 'checkbook maintenance'

plenty of folks around that will do that work for you....

but any weed killer will do the job too

Checkbook maintenance is now in my mental vocabulary folder. Thanks.

I stopped using RoundUp and other vegetation killers in favor of an idea I saw online. I bought a spray bottle at Walmart. I put vinegar and water with a couple of tablespoons of dish soap. I find that the vinegar formula kills on contact but doesn't spread as easily as vegetation killers. The commercial vegetation killers will kill the surrounding grass much easier which I didn't like. I use that spray on the donuts, pavers, and the area between the driveway and the street asphalt.

I use the donuts to protect the sprinkler head, I do not clean out grass or weeds, the irrigation heads seem to work just fine.

Donut hole cutting tool and Spectricide. Spray from about 2-3 inches directly above head (takes a little practice to get exact) Buy the more expensive donut cutter as I had the handle of the cheaper model completely twist off in my hands cutting a couple of my fingers. You will probably need to use the cutter every month or month and a half to keep it nice and neat. Purchased cutter at Ace Hardware Southern Trace.

I just take a pair of lawn shears and cut around the outside of them. The inside seems to take care of itself.

We use agricultural strength vinegar straight up with some dish soap. It can be ordered from Amazon. The dish soap makes it stick to whatever vegetation you want to kill. Your yard will smell like strong salad dressing after you do an application, but your weeds will be history without spraying with a proven carcinogen.

Remove the donut and clean any weeds/grass. Cut a circle of weed block larger than the donut and cut an X in the center to allow for the sprinkler head. Replace donut .Check weekly for debris/grass clippings that may accumulate.

I have a neighbor that bought those 24" square landscaping stones.

Took a 2" cement key hole saw, drilled a hole in the center, painted them green and wha-la, covers enough with no move trimming
around his sprinkler heads.

Grass and weed killer not just weed killer

Safe weed killer
 

I use 1 gallon of vinegar, 1 tbs salt and 1 cup water. Mix in a sprayer. Kills all weeds quickly. Do not spray on grass or any plants you do not want to kill. Simple, safe and inexpensive.

Yes, buy the good donut cutter from ACE. The cheap ones will definitely twist off.
:bigbow::bigbow:

That's a lot of 2 foot square stones. I think I have about 50 donuts in my oversized CYV lot.
:ohdear::ohdear:

I clean out all the dirt down to the elbow or tee in the line which the raiser comes up from, then I cut 4" pvc pipe lengths from the base of the raiser to the sprinkler head. There is no dirt around the sprinkler head for weeds to grow from. It also has another advantage by using the 4" pvc pipes. When you have a leaky fitting below and or replace the popup sprinkler you don't have to dig it out. It is easily replaced. The donut will sit nicely on top of the pvc raiser.

My recipe for a safe weed killer instead of Round-up or Spectricide is, 1 gallon of Vinegar, 8oz of Epsom Salts, 1/4 cup of blue Dawn dish soap. Mix well, put into spray bottle and have at it. Great for weeds in your landscaping also. Spray in the AM and dead in the PM.

DONT USE Round up or Commercial Weed killer.. Whoever repairs your irrigation system will be EXPOSED to these dangerous chemicals... The people using vinegar are considerate and successful at killing the bindweed and grasses that grow near the doughnuts...

I call Mr Ben Dover to pull the weeds by hand. Or like a huge number of neighbors you can let the weeds take over your sprinkler heads. BTW none of the lawn companies take care of those as part of the mowing service contrary to what some guys think.

I like Dunkin Donuts….

I have been a licensed commercial applicator for 35 years, still cancer free, imagine that... The EPA says Roundup is fine, until that changes, I'll keep using it. Vinegar is also fine, but it only kills the vegetation, not the roots. So you'll have to reapply sooner, no big deal.

I would really like to see a photo or diagram of this. Sounds like my type of project, a "do it once, do it right, never do it again, makes future jobs much easier" way of doing things. Right down my alley.

Circle cutter
 

If you want a circle cutter that is heavy metal and will last forever, I recommend

Buy Sprinkler Heads


It is expensive at $70 but the cheaper ones at big box stores fail after a few uses.

After you remove the donut and clean up the hole, cut a circle from a black heavy trashbag and make it about 1” larger dia than the donut. Punch a 1” dia hole in rhe center for the pop up sprayer.
Then put the plastic liner in the hole, put the donut on top.
That should help keep the grass or weeds from growing over the head

My method as well.

Ben Dover! Love it :coolsmiley: Getterdone

Very good idea! :clap2::clap2::clap2:

I cut out a small square of weed cloth, then make hole in center of square then place the weed cloth square with hole over the sprinkler head. Now put donut back in place over the weed cloth square and sprinkler head. This will help prevent weeds from growing around sprinkler head, though I still spray with weed killer occasionally.

Ok, not home currently. What is the diameter of those donuts? Maybe I'll make some before we go back.

The Ace in Wildwood didn’t have any of the cleaners in stock.
I made the vinegar solution and sprayed.
Will order the tool from Toro.
Seems like the weeds come from the ground, but over/around the donuts.

Ace Hardware in Spanish Springs has a tool that.

I spray Ortho weed killer in them and trip around them if needed. I do not use Round up since it was announced it causes cancer. Actually joined the lawsuit against them.

Clean sprinkler donuts
 

No Round-up PLEASE!! It's killing our planet and us! The cleaning tool works great.

Check book. Best lawn tool ever!

Vinegar/Epsom Salts/Dawn for weeds
 

Do you use household vinegar or industrial strength and is it safe for flowers?