Homemade weedkiller

[Jessey]

I tried this yesterday thinking it will never work and blow me I have dead nettles around my hay shed this morning so figured I'd share as its super simple, vinagar, salt and dish soap, thats it! I used perhaps 1l of vinegar with about 1 cup of salt and a good squirt of good ole fairy. The only thing is it apparently stops anything from growing for a while so I wouldn't use where you want grass, great for around buildings though.

 

[joellie]

Thanks for that Jessey, I will give it a go at the weekend as I have weeds coming up through my stoned driveway going in to the field and up to the yard..

 

[Trewsers]

What a super idea! I too must try this as ours are just peeping through down the sides of the stables.

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

I have to tell you that they will be back next year as they sprout again from the roots. If you want 'em gone, once they are dead, pull them up SLOWLY wearing gloves until the long roots are lifted. They aren't deep rooters so it's worth a go.

 

[Kite_Rider]

Be careful where you use it, it will kill everything, and as Jane says above it will only kill the leaves, not the roots so you'll need to keep it up regularly, salt and vinegar are desiccants so that's why they work as for the soap, not sure unless as it's a de greaser it might help the salt and vinegar stick. Sounds useful though

 

[horseandgoatmom]

I think the soap makes it stick to the LEAVES

I will have to try that too where I dont need roots killed like on the trails

 

[Kite_Rider]

I think the soap makes it stick to the LEAVES

I will have to try that too where I dont need roots killed like on the trails

Yes that's what I thought, especially useful on waxy or hairy leaves I imagine.

 

[Jessey]

Yep the soap is to get it to stick, the info I had said it will stop anything from growing in that soil for some time, regardless, if it saves me hours hand chopping nettles and docks several times a summer I'm happy

 

[Bodshi]

How funny, it was on the news yesterday that Bristol council have started using vinegar as an alternative to pesticides but loads of people are complaining about the smell! Personally I'd rather have the smell than some carcinogenic pesticide.

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

Yes I heard that too Bodshi (on Gardeners' Question Time, not the news) which is why I knew about the roots!