Gardening expert on how to keep your garden free of weeds
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Weeds can be a nuisance all year round, especially in summer when plants struggle to compete with unwanted growth. Using strong chemical products can be harsh on surrounding shrubs, flowers and grass, but is vinegar really the best alternative? According to Gardeners’ World, timing is crucial to successfully get rid of weeds using vinegar – but when exactly should you try it? Why is salt so important?
Does vinegar really kill weeds?
Acetic acid is the main ingredient in vinegar, which makes it so effective for household cleaning, and it has been claimed to work wonders on garden weeds too.
This cupboard staple has even been trialled as a long-term solution for removing weeds across the UK, but its effectiveness is still unclear.
According to Gardeners’ World, white vinegar can be used as an alternative to commercial weed killers, though it should be noted that it “doesn’t work well on its own”.
For this reason, it is recommended that white vinegar is mixed with other naturally powerful ingredients to create a more successful solution.
Salt is one of the best ingredients to use on young or annual weeds in paved areas, though it should be avoided on lawns and other live surfaces.
Gardeners’ World said: “Salt (sodium chloride) can be very harmful to plants if applied in high enough doses, as it dehydrates them.
“Salt is not good for the garden, however, as it will also kill other plants and will ultimately affect the pH of the soil.”
For the best results, mix one-part table salt with two parts white vinegar for a natural yet effective weed killer.
The salt and vinegar mixture will work best when applied directly onto the weeds in a spray form.
To do this, add some water into a spray bottle to dilute the acidic weed killer and spray directly onto the affected area.
Leave the liquid to sit undisturbed for a few hours before reapplying.
As the liquid seeps into the surface weeds, the plant will become dehydrated as the salt and acetic acid sucks out the water.
This process will help to break down the plant, eventually killing it off.
At this point, the weed can be lifted from the ground to remove the root.
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When is the best time to apply vinegar weed killer?
Mixing the salt and white vinegar together is the only half of the battle when it comes to creating a successful weed killer.
Timing the application right is essential to get the best results.
According to Gardeners’ World, the key time to apply homemade weed killer is on a dry day – otherwise, it could be washed away by rain.
While the salt and vinegar solution will be effective eventually, you will also need to be patient when it comes to enjoying the visible results.
Several applications will work best, as natural solutions are generally less powerful than glyphosate-based products.
Gardeners’ World said: “It’s therefore a good idea to use more than one application over the course of a few weeks, as one dose of homemade weed killer may not be enough to completely kill the weed.”
Hand weeding can also make vinegar solutions more effective, so be sure to dig up as much as you can in between treatments.
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