Weeds are the bane of every gardener’s existence. They seem to pop up overnight, grow faster than your favorite plants, and steal essential nutrients from the soil. But what if I told you there’s a simple, affordable, and natural solution sitting in your kitchen right now? Yep, it’s vinegar!
Read on to learn how you can use this common household item to wipe out those pesky weeds in no time. It’s chemical-free and safe for your garden when used properly. And best of all, it only takes 30 minutes of your time to completely transform your garden.
Step 1: Choose the Right Vinegar
Before you run outside and start dousing your garden with vinegar, you need to make sure you’re using the right kind. For weed-killing purposes, regular household white vinegar (5% acetic acid) can work for small, young weeds. However, for tougher, well-established weeds, you may want to opt for horticultural vinegar (20% acetic acid). You can find this stronger variety at most garden centers or online.
Why vinegar works: Vinegar is highly acidic, and this acid essentially dries out and kills the weed on contact.
Step 2: Apply Vinegar Directly to the Weeds
On a warm, sunny day (this part is important!), pour the vinegar directly onto the weeds. You can use a spray bottle for smaller areas, or pour it carefully for more control. Make sure to target the base of the weeds, since these are the areas that absorb the vinegar most effectively. It also makes sure that the roots dry out, so the plant doesn’t sprout anywhere else.
After applying, sit back and relax. You should start seeing results within 30 minutes. The weeds will begin to wilt, turning brown as the acid dries them out. The heat from the sun speeds up the process, making it even more effective.
Tip: Try not to use this method on a windy day, as the vinegar might accidentally blow onto nearby plants you want to keep. Precision is key here!
Reapply as Needed, But Be Careful
While vinegar is effective at killing many types of weeds, some stubborn weeds may require a second or even third application. This is especially true for perennial weeds with deep root systems, like dandelions or crabgrass. You may see the top portion of the weed wilt and die after the first application, but if the roots are still intact, the weed will return. So apply extra as needed.
Wait about a week before doing a second treatment. If any green shoots appear, hit them again with a dose of vinegar. The goal is to weaken the weed over time until it no longer has the energy to regrow.
However, Vinegar is not selective, so be careful not to spray your prized plants, so precise application is necessary when treating all your weeds’ roots. The ground around these weed roots will absorb a little bit of vinegar as well. And this sucked up liquid will affect approximately 10 centimeters around the plant. So don’t pour too close to your desired garden plants—at least not if you want to keep them.
Bonus Tip: Use Vinegar to Clean Garden Tools
Now that your garden is free of weeds, let’s talk about another useful way to use vinegar in your gardening routine. After a long day of working in the garden, your tools can get pretty grimy with dirt, sap, and rust. You can use vinegar to clean them!
Here’s how: Soak your garden tools in a bucket of white vinegar for about 30 minutes, then scrub them with a brush to remove any rust or residue. Rinse them off with water, and they’ll be good as new! This will help prolong the life of your tools, saving you money in the long run.