Easy Ways to Kill Weeds Naturally
Weeds are the scourge of every home gardener. They are unsightly and can quickly crowd out the roots of your flowers, plants and vegetables. Weeds can prevent your plants from getting enough water and nourishment from the soil, but using harsh chemicals is not environmentally friendly and can be just as toxic to your garden as it is to the weeds. Thankfully, there are natural techniques to kill weeds and leave your garden healthy. Does this Spark an idea?
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Hand-Pulling
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It may sound too simple, but it's free, natural, instant and guaranteed to get the job done to your satisfaction. Hand-pulling your weeds is great exercise, too. Many people forget that this was the only method for thousands of years. Although it may take a little time and patience, you can break it up over a period of days. One of the most under-appreciated aspects of hand-pulling your weeds is that it forces you to pay close attention to the plants in your garden. You are far more likely to notice any problems with disease or pests if you are down there and up close to your plants. Just make sure you remove all the roots with the weed to prevent regrowth.
Vinegar
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Vinegar is a natural product made by distilling grain, apples or grapes. The active ingredient in vinegar is acetic acid. It kills weeds by removing moisture from the weed. You can dilute 1 tbsp. of vinegar to a gallon of water for small weeds, but the stronger the solution you use, the more effective the treatment.
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Square-Foot Gardening
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One of the most natural and easiest ways to kill weeds is to plan your garden so that weeds don't have enough room to grow. Square-foot gardening uses the principle that every plant only needs a small, specific amount of soil per square foot to grow into a healthy mature plant. In effect, this reverses the same mechanism that weeds use by crowding them out and preventing them from getting enough sunlight to grow.
Mulching
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Adding a layer of mulch will help prevent the germination of many weeds by preventing them from getting any sunlight. Without sun to nourish them, the weeds die off naturally. Organic mulches such as wood chips or grass clippings also help improve the soil by adding organic matter as they decompose.
Salt
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Salt acts as a desiccant, drawing moisture out of the plant. Although not very useful in the garden since it can kill your plants, it works well in killing the weeds that grow out of cracks in cement or around stepping stones.
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References
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