How to weed your garden?

[Chuck]

Good to know! I never would have thought that salt or vinegar would kill weeds. Does it keep them away for a long time?
I know that salt keeps bugs away too!

Salt will leach through the soil and sterlize it but it does kill weeds. Vinegar kill weeds and grasses too but it normally takes multiple applications to kill roots and all.

 

[KimmyMarkks]

Salt will leach through the soil and sterlize it but it does kill weeds. Vinegar kill weeds and grasses too but it normally takes multiple applications to kill roots and all.

Thank you. I am shocked that I never knew this before. I am always reading magazines and articles about natural ways to kill bacteria, using household items that don't have toxins. I've never heard about this before but I will definitely do it come spring time!

 

[Jonathan Tebbutt]

Some weeds are hard to get rid of, Taproot weed are far the hardest like for example Dandelions and dock leafs whose roots will go deep into the ground, Sometimes the root can be 3-4 times in depth than the height of the plant... Gulp. Most weeds will come out easily, but the best way to to do a weekly nose around to see and remove problem weeds when they are small and not allow them to grow so large. I have a cottage garden so most weeds die out as they are out competed by the tall perennials that are around the garden. I know many people don't like to use weedkillers these days and most here in the Uk are not that strong anyway and can be pretty much useless.

 

[gata montes]

I never would have thought that salt or vinegar would kill weeds.

To be fair - although it is true that vinegar is a natural herbicide and it is something that has been used by organic gardeners and farmers for decades and it does to some degree work.

It is not 5% household white vinegar dilated with water that is used - as although that may - if you are lucky burn the tops of some young non established weeds - especially if the sun is shining on them - they will be back in next to no time - simply because that solution - its just not strong enough to kill even the weakest of weeds.

Which is why - if wishing to use vinegar to kill weeds - it would be way better - not to use the household vinegar you put on your chips or salad - but use the much stronger solution that organic gardeners generally use - which is

a gallon of undiluted 20% horticultural grade vinegar, mixed with 1-2 ozs of horticultural grade orange oil and a squirt of dish-washing detergent

which when applied in full sunlight on a hot day - will burn back some weed species quite quickly with one application - but for more resistant weeds - repeated applications will be needed in order to get the weeds to fully die back.

I would also just add - that although vinegar is generally thought of as natural and quite safe - as vinegar contains acetic acid - which is a chemical - yes a chemical - with well-known herbicidal properties - it should be treated and handled in just the same way as any other chemical - meaning - always store in a safe place, wear gloves and goggles when applying - as well as - keep pets, young children and those with respiratory problems - well away from any areas that have been treated - until all residue on foliage has fully dried.

Salt however is something that should be used with extreme caution in the garden - especially as - not only does salt raise soil salinity - thereby stopping plants from absorbing necessary nutrients from the soil - but more importantly as salt leaches into the ground and can stay in the soil for many, many years - preventing any kind of vegetative growth - its highly unlikely that anything will grow in a salt treated spot for a seriously long time.

Its also worth bearing in mind - that as salt doesn’t always stay where its been put or discriminate between weeds and other plants - as it can be washed off into vegetable patches, flower beds or lawns - it could very easily - especially during periods of heavy rain - wipe out huge swaths of plants that you want to keep.

 

[Bootsy]

Using salt on gardens is not recommended. It can become a permanent nuisance in the soil and inhibit other plants.

In ancient times and the Middle Ages it was used by invading forces to ruin farm land!