Even in the best of plots, weeds will grow, marring your otherwise perfect garden, yard, or patio oasis. Frankly, the only sure fire natural way to kill weeds is by pulling them out by the root, but it’s understandable that sometimes you just don’t have the time, and sometimes you just don’t feel like crawling around on your hands and knees pulling weeds on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. If you are fighting the good fight against those unwelcome visitors, there is no shortage of chemical options for clearing the decks, but many are now seeking alternatives to commercial herbicides as we enjoy a long-overdue trend toward “greener” living. Fortunately, a cheap and easy natural alternative using ingredients from the pantry will get the job done most of the time.
Here is a Simple and Natural Weed Killer Recipe, courtesy the experts at HGTV.com.
Combine ingredients in a spray bottle and treat weeds at the sunniest time of day for best results.
According to HGTV.com, when looking for a natural alternative to herbicides, this homemade cocktail of vinegar, salt and liquid dish soap has all of the ingredients needed to quickly kill weeds. Acetic acid in the vinegar and the salt are both very good at drawing moisture from weeds. Dish soap acts as a surfactant, which is an agent that will reduce the surface tension that can cause the weed-killing concoction to bead on the leaves instead of being absorbed by the plant. On a warm, sunny day, the results of this homemade spray will be obvious in a matter of hours as weeds turn brown and wither.
Depending on the weeds and the season, the results can be speedy and effective. But there are downsides. Unlike some chemical solutions, this formula is not built to work its way into the root system, meaning multiple treatments will probably be necessary to keep weeds at bay. Additionally, when looking for a quick fix, sunshine makes a big difference and the 5 percent acetic acid in most household vinegars may fall short of expectations against hardier weeds.
Shortcomings aside, keeping a spray bottle of this homemade solution on hand is an inexpensive and often effective weapon against weeds that may pop up along walkways, fences or house foundations. Spray the targeted weeds and avoid dousing the soil or nearby plants. This weed killer doesn’t have its Master Gardener certification and can’t tell the difference between weeds and the plants you’d prefer to keep around.
