Is there anything more unsightly than weeds mucking up your beautiful lawn or garden? Those pesky unwelcome guests steal your plant’s essential nutrients and space. But, you can rid of them without using harsh chemicals in order to protect both your family and pets.
Say goodbye to weeds forever. Here are six sure-fire ways to kill weeds chemical-free with things you probably already have around the house.
Vinegar contains acetic acid which is a desiccant that literally sucks the life right out of the leaves of plants. It works best on young, immature plants like thistle or pennywort.
Be sure to cover anything desirable prior to spraying since vinegar doesn’t discriminate against what it kills. In order to spray only the weeds and nothing else, cut out the bottom of a 2-liter plastic bottle and simply place it over the weed. Spray the vinegar directly into the top of the bottle, which keeps it from splashing on your vegetables or flowers.
Newspaper works like carpet to block oxygen and sunlight from penetrating the soil to kill the weeds. Eventually, it will smother them and prevent new weeds from popping up. Lay down about 8 to 10 sheets of newspaper, just wet enough to hold them down, and use a few inches of mulch to cover. If you notice any weeds growing through the mulch, just add more layers making a sandwich out of the mulch and newspaper. Eventually, it will naturally decompose and nurture the soil.
Upon drinking your morning tea, take your tea kettle outdoors and pour the remaining hot boiling water on the weeds, which will instantly burn. This is a great way to eliminate walkway and driveway weeds since the water can simply run off impermeable surfaces and cool down before it reaches any plants and shrubs.
Corn meal stops seedlings from developing into weeds. Because the meal will stop germination, toss some around well-established plants and after transplants and seeds have taken root in the soil. Once you harvest, spread a little more to kill any late-blooming weeds.
Vodka makes weeds fall down just like when people drink it. Mix 2 cups of water and 1 oz. of vodka together along with a few drops of regular dish soap to dry out any weeds living directly in the sun. This formula isn’t very effective on weeds that dwell in the shade – only ones in the sun. Protect your plants since vodka will affect them as well.
Soap contains oil and breaks down the hairy or waxy surfaces of weeds, making them defenseless against desiccants. Just add a couple of drops of liquid dish soap to either vodka or vinegar sprays to help keep it on the leaves. Since soap makes the leaves shiny, it lets you know what you have and haven’t sprayed.
- Vinegar
- Newspaper
- Boiling Water
- Corn Meal
- Vodka
- Soap
Try some of these tips to get rid of those ugly weeds without jeopardizing your health or the natural ecosystem of the earth. Your lawn, garden, and flowers will thank you.
