DIY GRASS & WEED KILLER

What Kills Weeds Permanently?

VINEGAR ~ SALT

Will VINEGAR kill weeds?

• YES...vinegar does kill weeds permanently and is a viable alternative to synthetic chemicals. Distilled, white, and malt vinegar all work well to stop weed growth. 
• The active ingredient in vinegar is acetic acid. Household vinegar has an acetic acid concentration of about 5 percent. Acetic acid is a desiccant, meaning that when sprayed on the surface of a plant, it draws moisture out of the leaves, killing the top growth. 
• Acetic acid breaks down quickly in the soil, and the negative impact of vinegar on the soil lasts for only a short period. 
• Most effective on small or new weeds, it kills the top easily enough. 
• Tap Rooted plants such as dandelions usually survive an application of vinegar. 
• A stray drop of vinegar on a desirable neighboring plant will cause some browning, but probably will not kill it.

Will table salt kill weeds?

• Yes, table salt will kill weeds. Salt. 
• Sodium chloride, or table salt, is also a dessicant.
• Salt is added to weed killer recipes because it is stronger, and kills some plants that vinegar won’t kill.
• It negatively impacts the soil for a longer period of time than vinegar, and it may affect the roots of other nearby plants, as well.

Does Vinegar, Epsom Salt, and Dawn dish soap really kill weeds? 

• Mixing Vinegar with Epsom Salts and Dawn liquid dish soap can make a safe, effective weed killer. The more concentrated the vinegar is, the more effective it will be at killing weeds
• Soap is a “surfactant,” meaning it increases the spread of vinegar or salt onto a weed’s leaves. It also can increase the absorption of desiccants because it can break down the protective waxy surfaces of some leaves.

What kills weeds down to the root?

• Boiling water and flaming will kill the roots of weeds. Vinegar kills roots, but it may take a few days for the roots to die off after the vinegar solution is applied.

RECIPE:

• Pour 1 gallon of white vinegar into a bucket. 5-percent household white vinegar is fine. It may take two or three days longer to kill the weeds with the lower concentration, but it does work. *Heat to dissolve salt quicker.
• Add 1 cup of table salt. Stir the solution with a long-handled spoon until all the salt dissolves completely.
• Stir in 1 tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap. The soap helps the vinegar and salt solution coat and adhere to the weeds. 
• Blend all thoroughly and then funnel the weed killer into a plastic spray bottle.

Application and Use

This homemade weed killer recipe is “nonselective,” which means that it will kill any plant it is applied to. Apply the solution on a dry, sunny day, by thoroughly spray coating all surfaces of the weed. Plants soaked with this solution will die within a week. It is important to understand that in large doses, any chemical or compound plant killer will be toxic beyond the plant itself. A salt and vinegar solution is toxic to small mammals. It can destroy the soil microbiome, too, and care should be taken to avoid spilling the mixture directly onto the ground. If you are repeat-spraying a large solid patch of weeds, consider following up with a soil-building and watering strategy, after the weeds have been eliminated, to rebuild the soil health. Any leftover weed killer can be funneled into an empty plastic container, capped  tightly and labeled. Store the leftover solution in a cool dark spot indefinitely.