Having a beautiful lawn doesn't become by itself. Many homeowners spend a lot of time maintaining it to achieve their desired lawn. But even the most well-attended lawn can have problems. Weeds and pests are the most common issues homeowners face when keeping a lawn. Using vinegar as a weed killer has been around for some time. Vinegar is often used at home as a disinfectant to kill bacteria. As for gardening, vinegar is used as a base ingredient for homemade weed killer. This technique has been used by many organic gardeners as it's proven to be safe and effective as well as minimize introducing harmful chemicals into your lawn. Homemade weed killer is organic and easy to make, perfect for sustainable-lawn lovers and course, saves you a lot of money. It's the most inexpensive way to get rid of weeds since the ingredients are readily available at home. Vinegar weed killer mixture, when used properly, can work to eliminate the weed in your garden. A homemade natural weed killer comes in different variations. Read more below to know the details you need to be aware of and the limitations on how to use it.
Types of Vinegar
The main ingredient for homemade weed killer is vinegar. But not all kinds of vinegar can be used as you also need to take note of the acidity to prevent it from damaging the grassroots when you start applying it. The most common type of vinegar used for the homemade weed killer recipe is the white vinegar. If you are using it to eliminate mild weed, the type of vinegar you have at home will work since the acidity is lower than those labeled for industrial use. Common household vinegar contains 4% - 7% acidity compared to horticultural vinegar which contains around 10% - 20% acidity. Knowing the difference between the acidity of the vinegar will help you understand which one to use, so you'll know what to expect with the outcome. The stronger the acidity level of vinegar, the stronger the vinegar's weed-killing power will be. It is the acetic acid in vinegar is what makes it a weed killer.
Make Your Own Natural Vinegar Weed Killer
There are numerous variations to the recipes. While the recipe varies, the most common ingredients are vinegar, salt, and liquid soap with vinegar as the primary ingredient. Some of the recipes are given below:
Vinegar Alone - Undiluted vinegar, with at least 10% acidity, can be used alone as a natural weed killer.
Vinegar and Liquid Soap Mixture- Mixing one ounce of liquid soap per gallon of vinegar with 10% – 20% acidity will help eliminate weeds. This mixture also works as an insecticide.
Note: Be sure not to spray this mixture to your flowers or vegetable plants. This potent mixture can kill good plants because of the chemicals in the detergent.
Vinegar, Salt and Soap Mixture - Mix together a gallon of vinegar with 10% – 20% acidity, a cup of Epsom salt and one tablespoon of liquid soap.
Additives
If you want your homemade natural weed killer to work as quickly as possible, you can add some of these ingredients to the mixture to increase the potency.
Rubbing Alcohol – Adding a cup of rubbing alcohol to the mixture will help take out common weeds.
Citrus Oils – A few drops of oils such as lemon or orange can help strengthen the mixture as the oil seeps down into the roots.
Water - If you are using concentrated vinegar, adding water will help dilute the acidity. Some prefer to add water to avoid applying a strong mixture of vinegar to the plant. Some don't add water at all to retain the full strength of the mixture. You can try using both and see what works best for you.
Note:
The amount of the ingredients, when mixed together, needs to be considered also. The amount for each ingredient in the mixture will affect the formula of the homemade weed killer. Some combinations may or may not work depending on the type of ingredient, how often you apply the mixture and the weeds you have in your lawn or garden. There is a lot of available information on the internet, or you can take help from the best lawn care services. But it is still best to try sampling first the homemade mixture in small amounts before using it on a broad scale.
How To Use
With these ingredients combined together and poured into a spray bottle, apply the mixture during the daytime, when the weather is sunny and the plants are dry. Spray it directly to the plants you want to kill. Take note that the homemade natural weed killer is nonselective. It might kill anything it touches. Make sure you apply carefully in areas where there are good plants. If possible, try to cover plants with tarps to avoid splashes from landing on the leaves or stems of the good plants.
Things To Remember:
When using vinegar with 10% – 20% acidity, wear goggles, rubber gloves, and a long-sleeved top to protect yourself from burning if any splashes come in contact with your skin.
If you will be using vinegar with 10% – 20% acidity, use a heavy-duty spray bottle that has the same quality as the container that comes with the vinegar. Remember the vinegar you are using is very concentrated. Low-quality spray bottles will corrode easily and when the mixture comes in contact with your skin, the acetic acid on it can cause eye irritation, burns or trigger an allergic reaction.
It is important to know the limitations and proper use of vinegar as a weed killer. Keep in mind that when you are using any treatment to your garden, whether its homemade, organic or store-bought, it can also harm the plants you want to keep and your pets. The result will also vary depending on the weeds, weather and season. How often you apply also affects the speed and effectivity of the homemade natural weed killer mixture. Multiple treatments may be needed to keep weeds at bay.
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