Homemade Weed Killer With Vinegar

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Things You'll Need

  • 1 gallon vinegar

  • 1/8 cup liquid dish soap

  • 5-gallon bucket

  • Wooden spoon

  • Spray bottle

  • Permanent marker

Weeds like this dandelion should be killed prior to going to seed.

In order to avoid expensive and toxic chemical herbicides in your garden, make your own weed killer with vinegar and dish soap. All vinegars contains acetic acid normally at about 5 percent. This gives it its tart flavor as well as its ability to desiccate the leaves of plants. Vinegar weed killer will work effectively for most weeds when used properly. Fortunately, vinegar's acidity does not permanently affect the pH of the soil, as it is not bioaccumulative.

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Step 1

Pour 1 gallon of vinegar and 1/8 cup of liquid soap into a 5-gallon bucket and stir until thoroughly mixed.

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Step 2

Fill a spray bottle with the solution. Cap and mark contents with a permanent marker.

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Step 3

On a sunny day, spray annual weeds on the foliage using the mist spray option. Be sure that it will continue to be sunny for a couple days for maximum effectiveness.

Step 4

For perennial weeds, spray twice a week for a month beginning at the start of fall. This will ensure that the vinegar not only penetrates the leaves, but also flows into the roots as the plant prepares for winter dormancy.

Step 5

Repeat as needed for all types of weeds.

Tip

Do not spray on a windy day or allow the weed killer to reach any desirable plants, as these will also be affected negatively by the weed killer.

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