When faced with weeds taking hold, one question always comes up: should you use a selective herbicide or a total herbicide? Both herbicides eliminate weeds, but they are not used in the same situations, and choosing wrong can be costly, for example by killing an entire lawn.
This article clearly explains the difference between a selective herbicide and a total herbicide, their advantages and disadvantages, and especially which product to choose depending on your situation: lawn, driveway, vegetable garden, gravel yard, or large area.
Selective herbicide: definition and how it works
A selective herbicide is an herbicide that eliminates certain weeds without destroying neighboring plants. Specifically, on a lawn, it targets broadleaf weeds like clover, dandelion, or plantain, while preserving the grasses that make up the lawn. The targeted weeds absorb the product and wither, while the other plants remain intact.
Its secret lies in a biological difference: the broad leaves of weeds retain the product and are sensitive to it, while the fine, vertical leaves of grasses let the liquid slide off and tolerate the substance. This selective action allows you to weed a lawn without damaging it. Most of these selective herbicides are systemic: they reach the roots for long-lasting weed control.
Total herbicide: definition and how it works
A total herbicide, like a glyphosate product, is non-selective: it destroys almost all plants it touches, without distinguishing a weed from a cultivated plant. It is the radical tool to clear an area completely.
It is also generally systemic: once sprayed on the foliage, it travels down to the roots and eliminates the entire plant, which limits regrowth and makes all the vegetation cover disappear. Its strength is its asset, but also its limitation: it is impossible to use on a lawn or near plants you want to keep without destroying everything.
Selective or total herbicide: the difference in brief
The difference can be summed up in one sentence: the selective herbicide sorts, the total herbicide does not.
- The selective herbicide eliminates weeds while keeping the grass or crop intact.
- The total herbicide destroys all vegetation, both weeds and desirable plants.
The first is a tool for targeted maintenance, the second a tool for complete cleaning. They are therefore not competitors, but two solutions to two different problems. The range of selective herbicides corresponds to the first use, maintaining a lawn without damage.
When to choose a selective herbicide?
The selective herbicide is the right choice whenever there are plants to preserve around the weeds.
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On a lawn or turf invaded by clover, dandelions, or plantain: this is the prime use of selective herbicide, which eliminates weeds without
- In a grassy flowerbed where you want to remove unwanted plants without harming the grasses.
- For regular maintenance of the lawn, where targeted weeding avoids having to redo everything.
It’s the instinct of the gardener who wants to target a specific problem without sacrificing their lawn. Choosing a selective herbicide in these cases ensures clean maintenance without unpleasant surprises.
Conversely, a selective herbicide is not suitable for clearing an area you want to completely clean, nor against unwanted grasses, as it spares them by design.
When to choose a total herbicide?
The total herbicide is necessary when no plants are to be preserved and everything must be eliminated.
- On a gravel path, courtyard, or terrace, where you want to eliminate all weeds without exception.
- On a wasteland, embankment, or area to be restored, overrun with persistent weeds, brambles, or brush.
- Before replanting a large area, to start with a clean soil.
Its strength requires precautions: a total herbicide must never be sprayed near grass, vegetable gardens, or neighboring crops, as it will also destroy them. On a gravel courtyard or driveway, however, it is the most effective and fastest tool to clear the surface. Often sold as a concentrate to dilute, it is used with a sprayer, and pulling out the largest roots can complement the treatment once the vegetation is dry. Glyphosate is the best-known total herbicide: to use it properly, consult our guide on how to use a glyphosate herbicide.
Summary table: selective or total depending on the situation
| Situation | Recommended product |
|---|---|
| Lawn or turf with clover, dandelion, plantain | Selective herbicide |
| Grassed flowerbed to clean without damaging grasses | Selective herbicide |
| Regular lawn maintenance | Selective herbicide |
| Gravel driveway, courtyard, terrace | Total herbicide |
| Waste land, embankments, brambles, and brush | Total herbicide |
| Large area before replanting | Total herbicide |
Advantages and disadvantages of each herbicide
Each type of herbicide has its strengths and limitations.
The selective herbicide has the advantage of preserving grass and crops by protecting grasses while eliminating unwanted plants. It offers targeted weed control and limits damage. Its drawback: it only acts on certain broadleaf weeds and has no effect on unwanted grasses.
The total herbicide has the advantage of maximum effectiveness on all vegetation, ideal for cleaning mineral surfaces and overgrown areas. Its drawback: it destroys everything, so it cannot be used near plants you want to keep, and these chemical products require more precautions.
Usage precautions and environmental impact
Whether you choose a selective herbicide or a total herbicide, the proper gardening habits are the same.
- Read the label and follow the indicated dosage.
- Apply in dry, windless weather to avoid drift onto neighboring plants.
- Do not treat vegetable gardens or the edges of crops with a product not intended for them.
- Keep children and pets away until dry.
- Wear gloves and rinse the sprayer after use, without disposing of the tank residues into the gutters.
Regarding environmental impact, these synthetic herbicides reduce spontaneous vegetation and should be reserved for uses where they are truly necessary. This is also why, in France, the sale and use of chemical herbicides are strictly regulated and reserved for authorized users, and are no longer freely available in garden centers for private individuals. For uses where possible, alternatives exist: manual weeding, pulling, hoeing, white vinegar based on acetic acid on driveways, or biocontrol products. After weeding a lawn, a suitable fertilizer helps to densify the grass and suppress new unwanted weeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a selective herbicide and a total herbicide?
The selective herbicide eliminates certain weeds while sparing the grass and crops, whereas the total herbicide destroys all vegetation it touches, without distinction.
In which situations to use a selective herbicide?
On a lawn, grass, or grassed flower bed, whenever there are plants to preserve around the weeds to be eliminated.
When to favor a total herbicide?
On driveways, gravel yards, terraces, wastelands, and large areas to be completely cleaned, where no plants are to be preserved.
Which one to choose for my vegetable garden?
Neither should be applied directly on vegetable garden crops. Prefer manual weeding or hoeing between rows, and reserve chemical herbicides for uncultivated areas.
What is the environmental impact of these products?
Like any synthetic herbicide, they reduce vegetation and should be limited to essential uses, in compliance with regulations.
Choosing between a selective herbicide and a total herbicide therefore does not depend on the "best" product, but on your situation: a selective herbicide to weed a lawn or grass without damaging it, a total herbicide to clean a driveway, a gravel yard, or wasteland. By first identifying what you want to preserve, the choice becomes obvious. For maintaining a lawn, discover the range of selective herbicides and select the solution suited to your garden.
