Is Vinegar Really A Good Weed Killer?
August 11, 2021
source: The Spruce/Almar Creative
I love so many things about spring and summer, mainly watching as the flowers in my garden begin to sprout and bloom. But part of maintaining a flourishing garden is dealing with weeds, which certainly isn’t my favorite weekend hobby. Because we have kids and pets, I try to avoid using harsh chemicals wherever possible. But how do you get rid of persistent weeds without using products that contain those harsh chemicals? Why, with some vinegar of course!
You probably have at least one type of vinegar in your home, and it turns out that pretty much any variety will do when it comes to killing weeds. Vinegar has proven to not only kill many weeds, but to also prevent their return. As a plus, vinegar is a completely natural product, and is safe to use both in your home and in your garden. Something to keep in mind before using vinegar in the garden is that it will generally kill any kind of plant it comes in contact with – so you’ll want to be extra careful you’re not exposing your non-weed plants to the vinegar.
How To Use Vinegar To Kill Weeds
Although using vinegar on its own will generally kill weeds in the short term, you’ll want to mix together vinegar and salt in order to penetrate the weed’s roots, and prevent it from growing back. In a bucket, mix together about one gallon of distilled vinegar (though apple cider vinegar will also work) and one cup of table salt. Stir well to combine. Pour some of the mixture into a spray bottle.
You’ll want to choose a sunny day that isn’t windy to ensure your vinegar solution isn’t getting washed away by rain, and isn’t getting accidentally sprayed onto neighboring plants. Within close proximity, spray the solution directly onto the weed in question, ensuring you are not spraying it onto plants you want to protect. Within the hour, the weed will begin to die, and it should be fully dead in one day.
Keep In Mind
As a word of caution, using this method in your garden repeatedly can cause extensive soil damage, as plants won’t be able to grow in the highly acidic soil you’ve sprayed with the vinegar solution. If your weed problem persists, you’ll have to either weed by hand, or hire a professional weed removal service. You definitely don’t want to jeopardize the health of your entire garden just to get rid of some pesky weeds!
What About Dish Soap?
I’ve already told you that salt should be added to vinegar to make the solution more effective at killing weeds from the root to the tip of the plant. Well, some people also swear by adding a small amount of liquid dish soap into the vinegar before spraying onto the weeds. As with trying all new methods and solutions, it’s a good idea to test the solution on a small, inconspicuous area of weeds before spraying the weeds throughout your entire garden. Better safe than sorry!
In Conclusion
To sum it up, using vinegar to kill weeds has proven to be quite effective in a very short amount of time. As long as you’re taking care not to get the solution on your other plants, this is a quick and easy way to get rid of weeds in your garden. Plus, all of the ingredients involved are super cheap, and safe to you, your family, pets, and the environment. I always try to use natural solutions wherever possible, so I’ll definitely turn to vinegar to help tackle the weeds this season!