When you work every week to rake, trim, and feed your lawn, the last thing you want to see are weeds. While there are many weed control products you can buy, most of them contain harsh chemicals. If you have kids or pets who love playing in the yard, the last thing you want is for them to get exposed to compounds that are possibly carcinogenic.
A better option is to use natural ingredients to kill weeds around your garden. You’ll also be surprised that many of these ingredients are probably already in your pantry! Here are 10 easy DIY ways to kill weeds naturally! If you’re looking for gardening ideas, don’t miss these DIY garden ideas.
1) Make them a drink.
Alcohol has a dehydrating effect on plants (and humans for that matter) and is especially effective on plants growing in direct sunlight. Take an ounce of vodka, a drop of dish soap, and mix it together with a couple of cups of water. Place the mixture in a spray bottle and spray it generously on weeds during a sunny day. This works only on plants in direct sunlight and not in the shade.
2) Sprinkle some baking soda.
Baking soda is great to use on sidewalks or your patio as it is safe and plants hate too much sodium. Sprinkle handfuls of baking soda on weed patches or on your concrete and sweep it into any cracks to prevent weeds from growing. Do the same thing again in about a month if some weeds remain.
3) Prevent weeds from getting sunlight.
If some weeds are out of control, prevent them from getting what they need…sunlight! Place 4 or 5 sheets of newspaper over them and add a couple of handfuls of soil to keep it in place.
4) Grow a thick and healthy lawn
If your lawn is thick and full, weeds won’t have a chance to grow! Grow a healthy lawn by following the directions on your favorite brand of lawn fertilizer and don’t go overboard as doing so can be counterproductive and actually destroy your lawn. Also, don’t mow your lawn too short and try to keep your lawn within 3-4 inches in length.
5) Season them.
Mix together 1 cup of salt and 1 cup of vinegar and add a few drops of dish soap and clove or citrus oil. Pour into a spray bottle and generously coat the foliage or every weed and they’ll disintegrate in hours.
6) Use boiling water.
When in doubt, cook them into extinction by pouring boiling water over troublesome weeds. As an added bonus, the boiling water will also most likely kill the roots of weeds as well and prevent them from growing back.
7) Prevent seeds from sprouting with cornmeal.
Cornmeal won’t kill them but it will help stop them from growing. Corn gluten acts as a natural “pre-emergent.” In other words, it prevents seeds from germinating by drying out a seed as soon as it cracks open; therefore, it essentially stops seeds from growing into plants. Sprinkle cornmeal on an area you wish to plant and add your grown plants.
8) Give weeds some salt.
Add 1 part salt to two parts water and bring to a boil to dissolve. Pour or spray on weeds to quickly dry them out and eradicate them.
9) Feed weeds some bleach.
You may use bleach to whiten whites or as a spot remover but it’s also a great weed remover too! Place bleach in a spray bottle and spray it on weeds but if you do accidentally get some on other plants, simply rinse them with water.
10) Take out the gardening gloves.
While time-consuming, the very best way to naturally remove weeds from your lawn is to use a garden trowel or a hand fork and yank the entire weed including its roots from the ground. Reseed the area if possible to encourage additional growth.
Having a weed-free lawn is satisfying, worth the effort, AND safe if you use natural ingredients and some elbow grease. Please share these natural ways to kill weeds with your friends and family.
