How can I kill weeds without using dangerous chemicals?

Hi Rosie,

Boiling water or Burning Lance.

Here's the recipe:

Natural Weed Killer Recipe

• 1 gallon white vinegar
• 1 cup salt
• 1 tablespoon liquid dish soap

Combine ingredients in a spray bottle and treat weeds at the sunniest time of day for best results.

Be aware it cannot tell the difference between weeds and what you want growing, wo you will need to protect.

I used a similar mixture to the above recipe, but substituted epsom salts for salt. Prior to spraying, I cut weeds down to about 4-6" high. Spray/pour over selected weeds on a very hot day. Leave to sit. May need to be done again in two weeks and another two weeks, on hot days. Once ready to remove, use a garden 'claw' to loosen up the dirt then dig out weeds; this way you will have far fewer come back up next year. It's not perfect, but way less to deal with. **To be doubly sure of the mixture I have a separate, labelled, watering can that is exclusively for it "Weed Killer Only"; I don't want even a bit to accidentally mix into the pure water that I use for the plants I want to keep!

Hi Rosie, here's a few organic weed killing recipes you can try - https://www.gardenandhome.co.za/gardening/how-tos/homemade-weed-killers/

Here's what I use: Take a spray bottle and cover the bottom with salt and fill it up with vinegar. Add a few drops of dish soap and shake. Spray on the weeds.

https://www.hometalk.com/diy/outdoor/pest-repeller/all-natural-weed-killer-43299149

The mixture I always use with great results is: 1 gallon white vinegar, 1/2-1 cup of table or epsom salt, and about 1/4 cup of Dawn dishwashing liquid. Mix well and use a garden sprayer or spray bottle to apply to the weeds. The soap helps the mixture stay on the weeds longer. Within 2-3 days the weeds will shrivel up and die and can be raked raked or swept away. Do not apply or overspray on to other plants. you want to thrive.

I use the vinegar method listed above but use cleaning vinegar instead of cooking vinegar. The increased acidity in the cleaning vinegar seems to be more effective at killing the weeds.

I use one cup of vinegar, one cup of salt to two gallons water in a garden sprayer. Saturate the weeds till dripping. Do not use on lawn or in garden. Will kill everything. Boiling water on weeds in lawn and garden.

Hello Rosie: You might not have thought of using this kitchen must-have in your garden, but it’s very helpful for killing unwanted weeds. All you have to do is add 10 ounces to 2 ½ gallons of water, mix thoroughly, and spray onto the weeds thoroughly. Watching them wither away smugly, optional.

Cornmeal

The proteins in cornmeal – or specially-processed corn gluten meal – stop any seed from germinating and growing. You can also sprinkle cornmeal on grown weeds, it’ll kill them just as well as it’ll stop them from growing.

Vinegar

One quick way to get rid of weeds? Pouring or spraying a little white vinegar on the offending weeds. This acidic masterpiece is perfect for shriveling weeds, just be careful of your flowers. A little excess spray won’t hurt them, but accidentally pouring the same amount of vinegar on your flowers as your weeds could kill them. This has not worked for me.

Or, what I have used with great success:

Homemade Weed Killer:

The recipe I use is:

1 gallon of white vinegar

2 cups of Epsom salts

1/4 cup of dish washing detergent, like Dawn.

Mix the vinegar and salt until the salt is completely dissolved.

Mix in the Dawn until mixed well, but not all fuzzy and sudsy, sort of swirl it around.

Put in a spray bottle and spray the weeds liberally, in the morning after the dew has gone. Then, by evening the weeds should be dead or on their way out. Don't spray anything you want to keep or it will die too. I have used this and it works quite well. Also, it's good for making an edging as it kills only what it touches. If you have something like a piece of cardboard, hold it up and down, edgewise, and spray the area you want as an edge. Just be careful not to spray your flowers and/or bushes.

WEED KILLER WITH DAWN

1 gallon white vinegar

1 cup of salt

1 Tbsp liquid Dawn

Combine ingredients and put into a spray bottle and spray the weeds at the sunniest time of day. This mix is very effective so make sure it doesn’t spray on something you DON’T want to kill.

Good luck

Hi Rosie, this has three household ingredients, hope it helps you

https://myheavenlyrecipes.com/3-ingredient-weed-killer-recipe/

Hello. Handpicking is always an option to eradicate. Selective herbicides ( wont harm grass) can be purchased at most retail venues —if you do not wish to use commercial chemicals preparations -there are diy homemade alternatives.

Recipes using natural household products can be a way to eliminate your weeds, these very helpful links from Hometalk are a great a great synopsis.

https://www.hometalk.com/diy/outdoor/pest-repeller/diy-weed-killer-38537988?

https://www.hometalk.com/diy/outdoor/pest-repeller/s-9-natural-weed-killers-that-will-save-your-summer-garden-17001086?

https://www.hometalk.com/diy/outdoor/pest-repeller/natural-weed-killer-20665086?

2 cups white vinegar

¼ cup salt

Squirt of dawn

Mix in a spray bottle. If you have a larger area, you can mix in a garden sprayer with larger quantities. Use when it will not be raining for a few hours so that it isn’t washed away.

Here's my post that might help you https://chascrazycreations.com/save-your-garden-sprays-2/

Natural weed killer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7WeNyx0nSU&t=199s

Try this formula: https://www.hometalk.com/diy/outdoor/pest-repeller/natural-weed-killer-20665086

Pick up a stand up weeder -- they work so easily, no bending, and they pull the weeds up by the roots which is the best way to do it.

Just combine vinegar, salt and liquid dish soap to kill weeds without using chemicals.

Good news. With repeated applications this even will kill ivy but you have to be very patient and reapply every few days in the morning on a hot sunny day. But it will work!!!

I am surprised.