Homemade Natural & Safe Weed Killer Recipes
Weeds are going to grow…..in the garden, in the lawn, in the flower bed and in any crack in the concrete surface around your home. But, with a conscientious effort, you can keep them under control.
Discover these simple yet safe weed killer recipes to try today!
Since weeds are persistent and can ruin the health and appearance of a garden or lawn, we have to be equally persistent!
Homemade weed killers are safer and effective in the garden. Plus, when carefully applied are safer around other vegetation, pets, and children than chemical weed killers.
Homemade Weed Killer Recipes
Weeds serve a purpose…..they are great at covering the bare ground and protecting the soil from erosion and wind damage. But, when unwanted, they are unsightly when growing in your garden, yard, sidewalks, driveways and walkways.
Natural and Safe Weed Killer Recipes
The natural ingredients are safer for the environment when used correctly and won’t add poisonous chemicals to the garden vegetables, soil, water, or air.
These safe weed killer recipes will help you mix up some homemade natural products that will help to keep your garden weed-free.
It is important to understand how and when to use the various natural products when leaning toward safer chemical alternatives.
Read more on how vinegar is an option to use instead of glyphosate, the chemical in Round-Up. Also, find out more about the dangers of glyphosates.
Beginning Rule of Thumb: Never Ever Let Garden Weeds Go to SEED! This will just MULTIPLY your WEED problem in the FUTURE!
Original Homesteading
More Gardening Information:
- GARDEN SEED STARTING IDEAS: 10 Ways You Must Try
- USDA Growing Zones Map of the USA: Helpful Garden Information
- Raised Garden Bed: Planting Design Ideas to Get You Started
- Top 10 Fastest-Growing Vegetables of All Time for Your Garden
Precautions for Natural Weed Killer Applications
Natural weed killer solutions can be just as damaging to your desired plants as they are to weeds!
Always use precautions when applying any weed killer.
- Watch for lateral drift when spraying. This is when the weed killer droplets move side-to-side, causing unintended damage to your desirable plants.
- Cover desirable plants with pots or buckets to protect them from any direct or lateral spray.
- Do not spray plants when the wind is blowing to protect all the desirable plants and vegetation.
- Always try a small test area first to make sure your DIY weed killer recipe is working properly.
1. Vinegar, Salt, and Dish Soap
Weed Killer recipe with Vinegar and Salt: here is a natural recipe for weed killer that has three ingredients with unique properties that combine to kill weeds.
For example, both vinegar and salt contain acetic acid, which will cause the weeds to dehydrate.
The acetic acid breaks down the cell walls of the weeds, and the internal fluids begin to leak out slowly.
Applying vinegar or salt alone is an effective weed killer, but dish soap accelerates the process, so the weeds die faster.
The liquid dish soap softens the weed’s foliage and stem, so the acetic acid quickly enters the plant’s pores.
To make this DIY weed killer, mix one cup of salt and one tablespoon of dish soap into one gallon of vinegar.
- Gallon White Vinegar
- One Cup Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Dishsoap
Dissolve the salt in the vinegar first, then add 1 tablespoon of dish soap. Remember, if you shake this mixture, it will have bubbles from the dish soap!
Mix well, then pour the mixture into a spray bottle for easy application. Saturate weed plants with this natural dehydrating mix.
2. Salty Water
Mix 1-part salt to 2-parts water.
Salt water works well as a natural weed killer.
Stir until the salt is completely dissolved. Put it in a spray bottle and saturate the weeds. The soil will remain fertile after the weeds are killed by diluting the salt with water.
You can pour table salt directly onto the weed. However, leaving too much salt on the ground and in the dirt will hinder future plant growth in that spot for a few years.
Saltwater is fine for walkways, driveways or other cracked concrete surfaces where vegetation is not desired.
For a more robust solution of salty water for weeds in sidewalks, driveways or where you will never be planting, mix 2-parts salt to 1-part water.
3. Lemon Juice and Vinegar Spray
Lemon juice is an effective and safe weed killer. The citric acid in lemons will burn the leaves and cause the plant to dehydrate.
When lemon juice and white vinegar are combined, it creates a more potent weed killer that will kill the weed within two days.
This weed-killing recipe calls for the juice of two lemons to be combined with two cups of white vinegar.
- Juice from 2 lemons
- 2-cups of white vinegar
Pour into a quart spray bottle and finish filling the bottle with water. Mix well to combine the ingredients and spray the weeds. Make sure to spray the underside of the weed leaves, too.
4. Boiling Water
Plain, simple boiling water is highly effective on weeds that grow in the cracks of sidewalks, driveways, and between patio pavers.
Simply boil water and pour it on the weeds while the water is still extremely hot. Be careful not to burn yourself.
Using an extra large tea kettle is the best way to pour the boiling water on the weeds while staying safe.
5. Baking Soda
Baking soda is an effective weed killer and is suitable for use on an area with nothing but weeds growing on it.
This is a simple way of using baking soda to control weeds in-between paver stones or in cracks in the sidewalk or driveway.
Always use caution when applying baking soda or any type of weed killer when desirable plants are nearby. Even though baking soda is readily available in most homes, it can still damage grasses and flowers that you are growing, so use with caution.
Sprinkle the baking soda generously on the weeds and, they will die. The sodium bicarbonate acts slower than the other DIY weed killers, but it will clear the soil section of weeds.
You must cover the entire weed for the baking soda to be effective. Apply the baking soda at the rate of approximately one tablespoon per plant.
Remember, baking soda is salt, so it will also raise the pH of the soil.
When and How to Apply for All Types of DIY Weed Killer Recipes
1. On a bright, sunny morning or afternoon, apply any of the above safe liquid weed killer recipes. Be sure all the dew has dried off the foliage and that rain is not in the forecast for the next 24 hours.
2. Make sure to saturate the plant. Be sure to soak the underside of the leaves and the soil at the base of the plant.
3. To prevent the spray from getting onto nearby plants, cut both ends out of a tin can or milk carton and place them over the weed plant before spraying.
4. Store all remaining mixtures in a cool location and use them as needed. Label spray bottle.
5. If using the dry baking soda, sprinkle on the weeds when the leaves are damp but when there is no rain in the forecast.
4. Store all remaining mixtures in a cool location and use as needed. Label spray bottle.
In Conclusion:
These simple yet effective homemade weed killers made from natural ingredients are the perfect way to combat weeds and unwanted vegetation to help maintain a lovely garden, sidewalk or lawn!
Natural ingredients are safer for the environment and effectively keep your garden vegetables, soil, water, or air chemical-free.
So, keep these handy and practical yet safe options in your garden shed or garage!
