Ditch the Chemicals: Homemade Weed Killers to the Rescue

2 May 2024 63 5

Ditch the Chemicals: Homemade Weed Killers to the Rescue

Are weeds taking over your garden, allotment, or patio? A simple, homemade weed killer can be effective at killing weeds.

LISTEN TO ANGELA’S FEATURE!

Top Tips | Weeds Ginger and Nuts

Written by Angela

Today, I thought I’d share some simple homemade solutions to one of the banes of gardeners’ lives: yes, weeds!

Now that spring is here, you’re probably looking forward to enjoying your outdoor space this summer, but after all the wet winter months, you may have weeds growing in your garden, allotment, or patio that you want to tackle before they get too much of a hold?…

3-Ingredient Homemade Weed Killer That Packs a Punch

One of the most successful homemade weed killers uses only three ingredients that you may already have in your kitchen cupboard.

And they are…

1 ltr of White vinegar
3 large tablespoons of cooking salt
2 tablespoons of washing-up liquid
…and an empty spray bottle

(…I’ve stated white vinegar because it has a higher acidity than malt vinegar, and so is more effective)

Simply fill your empty spray bottle with these three ingredients and swirl it around to dissolve the salt. Then, the solution can be sprayed directly onto weeds to kill them.

This weed killer works because vinegar contains acetic acid, which acts as a desiccant, drawing the moisture out of the plant leaves. Salt dehydrates the plant further and travels down to the root system, and the washing-up liquid helps the solution adhere to the weeds.
Spray directly onto the leaves of the weeds, but not the soil. Be careful not to spray on plants you want to keep or your lawn because the solution will kill them, too.

For maximum effectiveness, use the weedkiller on a dry, warm, sunny day when rain isn’t forecast for a couple of days.

Weed-Free Gardening: Eco-Friendly Tricks to Banish Pesky Plants

Another way of tackling weeds is to simply pour some boiling water on them and then put a pinch of salt at the centre of the weed, again being careful not to get salt on other plants.

I use this method when I only have a few lone weeds rather than a lot.

I find both methods work and neither use strong chemicals… they’re also very economical!

I hope you find they work for you too!