I have the Ryobi 31 cc unit that Burger eluded to; it is the multi-attachment unit. I hate the string trimmer head for all the reasons this thread got started. I picked it up for $100 at H Depot. I have the brush cutting head and the mini roto-tiller head, also. They both rock, albeit in small doses due to their small size. The brush cutter hacks thru saplings up to about 1.250" dia....takes a couple of "whacks". I like it for small jobs.
Past that, tho, it's chemicals for me, yessirree. Round up comes in various levels of concentration, so do your math WRT $ vs volume. Their big marketing push over other generics is the "rain proof" thing. I was just talking with the farmer that has been helping me with the pond project. He farms about 1000 ac. He says that veg killer really only needs to be on the plant a few hours before a rain and dismisses the "rain proof" advantage as needless.
Me, personally...I went to Rural King and bought a 2.5 gal jug of their veg killer concentrate. They have 55 gal barrels, too. It's not rain proof, but I will "play the weather". I have never been disappointed...it kills it dead.
