Request: Natural Weed Killer
Archived on 08/24/2009
Ingredients
- 1 litre (35 fl. oz) of boiling water (hot tap water will also work, but not quite as well)
- 5 tsp. vinegar
- 6 tsp. salt (regular table salt)
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 tsp. dishwasher (machine) detergent (powder is better than liquid, but liquid will work ok)
Directions
Mix all together. Take care with hot water.
Natural Weed Killers are simple substances with a direct and obvious action. They destroy plant life for a short period. They are substances encountered naturally, but in small quantities. Their presence is well-known and normally not harmful. But when applied in larger doses the results are usually obvious in a very short time. As always, these methods need due caution so please wear protective eye/hand/body protection.
This weed killer acts at the point they are used. After treatment their damaging effect is dissipated. Vinegar is made of Acetic Acid along with other weak organic acids. It has become a popular "cottage garden" alternative for those who dislike modern herbicides. This mixture works by disrupting membranes and causing leakage of plant cells. The damage to plants appears rapidly and even quicker on hot days. The acid is not around long enough to have any lasting effect on earthworms, soil invertebrates or organic matter breakdown. The good news is that it won't cause any lasting or apparent harm to pets or children.
This mixture can kill: Canadian Thistle, Clover, Dandelion, Foxtail, Ivy Leaf, Milkweed, Pigweed, Poison Hemlock, Ragweed, Quackgrass, Bluegrass, plus mosses, liverworts, and more. However it is not selective and harms all the plants it touches so take care.
Excess salt poisons the soil. Many important organisms: bacteria, fungi, earthworms; will be killed by salinity. It will eventually wash out, even so I would not use it on land intended for cultivating plants. For some gardeners it is an option to consider with drives and gravel areas where plants are not intended to grow and where run off can be contained. NB: Remember, salt is not biodegradable, so overuse use will eventually be detrimental to surrounding areas.
By Joycie from Maitland, NSW, Australia
Feedback:
RE: Natural Weed Killer
We use borax to kill weeds and grass on our brick patio. Works great even on nutgrass and doesn't seem to spread it's effect to the grass off the patio and lasts for months. You can water it in and it won't bother your animals, we have cats and dogs who haven't gotten sick by us using borax yet. (10/28/2007)
By piki viki
RE: Bamboo banishing
To the folks who have the bamboo dilemma, you've definitely got a tenacious plant you're dealing with. Bamboo, as you've come to know it a super tough resilient plant that is tougher than a Timex watch, because of its incredibly expansive root system. When you chop bamboo down to the ground and dig it up to a depth of 1 ft. and even twice as wide as the plant was on the surface, you've only slowed it down. What you did is scratch the surface. The plant has so much more stored energy in its root system which will allow it to pop up again in a matter of weeks. When it does pop back up and reaches sunlight, it's storing even more energy and growing it's root system. The only effective way to kill bamboo is to exhaust the hell out of it by digging and digging and digging until the root system has had enough. No sunlight, no energy, but it will take repeated "timely" attempts to finally win the battle. I've done it myself so trust me, if you're more stubborn than the bamboo, you'll win. Good luck. (01/26/2008)
By Rob H.
RE: Natural Weed Killer
What ever happened to good old fashioned pulling them out? Would love to do that, but extensive arthritis prevents that. Thanks to all the natural weedkiller remedies. (02/21/2008)
By Maz
Re:Vinegar
Will vinegar also kill any flowers that you may accidentally get an overspray on?
Editor's Note: Yes, it could. So make sure to rinse them off if you get some on them. (05/19/2008)
By CindyW
RE: Natural Weed Killer
I have heard that Listerine kills weeds. So if you are able to snag some through rebates or whatever, then try it. (06/03/2008)
By Mare
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Request: Natural Weed Killer
Archived on 10/23/2007
My neighbor has weeds that are so high that they are starting to cover my fence. I have two big dogs and don't want them sick. Can you give me a reicpe for a good, safe weed killer?
cpics9c
Answers:
RE: Natural Weed Killer Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 Squirts Liquid Dish Detergent
- 1 Gallon Vinegar
- 1 lb. Salt
Directions:
Stir salt in just enough water to dissolve. Add rest of ingredients after the salt dissolves or the salt will clog your sprayer. Also, do not spray this mixture anywhere that you might want to grow anything in the future.
By T.H. (03/29/2005)
RE: Natural Weed Killer Recipe
You need to boil that down to concentrate it. Regular store bought vinegar is diluted way too much and you might as well fertilize your driveway. That recipe seems to activate dormant weed seeds. It sure did on my driveway.
Simmer that mixture on an outside barbecue, otherwise the vinegar smell can get strong enough to bother you.
To make that mixture effective, you need to simmer it down to half the volume. Have FUN!
DearWebby http://webby.com/humor (03/29/2005)
By DearWebby
RE: Natural Weed Killer Recipe
I need SOMETHING , ANYTHING that will kill MOSS on my patio, any suggestions?
(03/30/2005)
By angela hresan
RE: Natural Weed Killer Recipe
To kill moss, take dolomite lime or baking soda and spread over the moss. Lime you can get at the gardening store. You can get large bags or boxes of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) at Costco or Sam's Club. Take small shovelfuls or a garden spreader and sprinkle it over the moss. It will kill it. Then wait a day and sweep it off. Baking soda will also kill grass and weeds because it is highly alkaline as will lime if you use too much.
Susan from ThriftyFun (03/30/2005)
RE: Natural Weed Killer Recipe
The following recipe is at base 2 forms of acid so if you really soak the ground well nothing will grow for months. Be carefull you only spray what you want to kill.
Put 4 oz lemon juice in 1 quart spray bottle. Fill to top with white vinegar (10%-20% acididity is best). Shake well. (04/02/2005)
By Sartasia
RE: Natural Weed Killer Recipe
Nifty tips....thanks! (04/15/2005)
By morelia
RE: Natural Weed Killer Recipe
thanks for the tips. i am anxious to try some of the ideas. Weed killer at the store is so expensive and are dangerous for you and animals (05/13/2005)
By Julie
RE: Natural Weed Killer Recipe
How about clover?? Anyone have a mix to kill clover but not hurt my grass? I have nasty patches of clover in my lawn and can't seem to get rid of it. I am almost to the point of brush killer and new grass seed. (06/07/2005)
By FreddiePhuzz
RE: Natural Weed Killer
i would really like something i can use to kill sage brush and weeds, but still be able to landscape later. (06/13/2005)
By aztrixie
RE: Natural Weed Killer
what mixture will kill bamboo??we've cut it down, dug up lots of roots, keep mowing over new growth used roundup...and it keeps sprouting up (07/29/2005)
By mer serkel
RE: Natural Weed Killer
How much do I need to cover 17,000 square feet. Are you really looking at using 1 gallon of vinegar?
How long should I wait until I try to put down grass seed to grow grass?
By husky21
salt....?
Hi I have to do a biology assignment on this question..."Why does salt make a good weed killer?" Do you think you could give me any tips on where to fnd this information?
By Paige
RE: Natural Weed Killer
I need a natural weed killer that will kill sand burrs, some people call them goat heads, They are those horrible weeds that when dry have the most awful pointed stickers on them, These are tough enough to poke you through a sandle. I have them all over my yard and I can't get rid of them. This is a ground running weed that spreads like all get out.!!! (05/06/2006)
By Tricia G
RE: Natural Weed Killer
I have experimented on some of the ways suggested in other gardening sites and vinegar can cause fungi growth in colder regions, though being the most damaging out of the solutions i tested. Salt is the best, though a 20% baking soda solution was VERY effective and burned through my Arenaria norvegica plant. I also tried boiling water-not effective at all, and salt water-dehydration was in the first 48 hours but the plant still had a reasonably firm rooting. (05/07/2006)
By Guest
RE: Natural Weed Killer
this is a product that doesn't have any chemicals. very good. all 100% natural. good on your animals and the environment
this is the link
http://www.twedistributor.com/
(08/07/2006)
By isaac .twe distributors
RE: Natural Weed Killer
What ever happened to good old fashioned pulling them out. I know I'd rather spray half my back yard with Agent Orange, but like eveyone says, 'that stuff is bad for the kids,' 'this stuff is so good but rots a hole in the ground so big you can fall in!' I borrow my neighbours shovel and have at all the weeds around the place. Works fine and gives you something to do ouddoors. (12/13/2006)
By Texas T
RE: Natural Weed Killer
To the man who mentioned wanting to get rid of clover... why not keep it. Many eco-friendly yards encourage clover growth, some people plant it instead of grass. It's great for putting nitrogen into the soil and doesn't need to be watered. All around better for our planet than grass. (05/16/2007)
By Michelle
RE: Natural Weed Killer
How do I get rid of poison ivy? My neightbor doesn't care what his porch looks like but I do. Plus I have to walk on the grass to get past all the Ivy. Please help if you can.... (07/25/2007)
By JJ
RE: Natural Weed Killer
I just mixed a spray bottle of 1 cup salt, 1 tablespoon dish soap and the rest vinegar. I then sprayed the weeds with this mixture. AFter that, I poured straight salt on the weeds. That night the weeds were dying. This is a great safe way to kill weeds. I used round up 2 years ago and my cat got sick. My dogs chew on weeds so I don't think roundup is safe even after 24 hours.
Plus roundup is more expensive than vinegar,salt and dish soap. Just make sure you only do not spray or salt anywhere you don't want to kill plants or grass. They say the salt lasts longer than roundup and results are as quick or quicker than roundup. (08/26/2007)
By skyerose
RE: Natural Weed Killer
Hi, would love to hear responses on killing bamboo. My grandmothers home built somewhere around 1908 is the fifth oldest home in Spencer, NC with the first doctors office (5X5 foot) built in back. It held the first wagon drawn fire truck and kept a mule in the barn. The mule also worked at Spencer Stations, a popular old Southern Railroad workshop. The place is being overtaken by bamboo. I hope you can see how important it is to know what to do if you please would e-mail me. Like the gentleman above, we have sprayed dug and it has replenished itself. It also had the first meeting by four different religious associations meet there and start the city park with each church having a garden at all four corners, pretty cool.
Thank you, (09/12/2007)
By Kathleen
RE: Natural Weed Killer
control clover in lawn by fertilising with nitrogen. Lawn grows stronger clover tends to weaken in nitrogen rich soils.
(10/12/2007)
By red
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