Use vinegar to kill weeds It is a classic practice in the world of gardening and agriculture. This product that we all have at home can be a good ally for our plants, but it must always be used with caution.
If you have weeds in your garden that you want to get rid of, it can help, but pay close attention to how to use it so that you don't end up damaging your plants.
Why is vinegar so useful in gardening?
Vinegar naturally has Acetic Acid, which is precisely what gives it its acidic properties. For this reason, it turns out to be an extraordinary regulator of the soil pH and a great ally for plants such as hydrangeas, which prefer slightly acidic soils.
Acetic acid also has antibacterial and antifungal properties, which is why it is used to combat plant diseases caused by both fungi and bacteria.
It also works very well as insect repellent such as aphids, and is very useful for cleaning both flower pots and gardening tools.
In addition, as we will see in this article, if used in adequate concentrations it can be very effective as a herbicide.
Whatever use we are going to give it in the garden, when using vinegar we must take into account a series of precautions:
- The product is always applied diluted. If we give pure vinegar to our plants we can damage both the leaves and the roots.
- Before applying a large-scale treatment, it is advisable to do a test on a small area of the garden.
- There are some plants that are more sensitive to acid than others. For this reason, we will not use vinegar near acid-loving varieties such as azaleas or gardenias.
How does vinegar work to kill weeds?
Acetic acid, which we have already talked about, is the main component of vinegar and is a powerful herbicide. Because when it comes into contact with plants, it triggers a series of reactions that end up causing their death:
Dehydration
acetic acid extracts water from cells, causing the leaves to dry out and turn brown. This happens because it causes a dehydration process.
Protein denaturation
As it also denatures proteins, it disrupts the biological processes which are essential for plants to survive.
pH alteration
Vinegar acidifies the plant's cellular environment and this affects the functioning of your enzymes, altering the balance of nutrients.
All this causes the plant to begin to lose vitality and die in a period of time that is quite short.
Advantages and disadvantages of vinegar to eliminate weeds
There are already many specific products on the market to treat weeds, so why resort to vinegar? Basically, because it has three very notable benefits:
- It is a natural and biodegradable product, so it does not leave toxic residues in the soil or contaminate the water.
- It is easy to get and very cheap.
- It is applied in a simple way.
However, it is important to note that it also has some drawbacks:
- It is not selective and kills any plant it comes into contact with., which forces us to be very careful in its application.
- Its action is mainly superficial. The roots of the weeds may survive, so the plant will sprout again.
- Its effectiveness may be affected by weather conditions. For example, if we apply it on a very hot and dry day, the vinegar can evaporate before it has time to act.
- It is not effective against all weeds. Perennial varieties with deep roots may resist application of this product.
Tips for using vinegar to eliminate weeds
To be successful in using this natural herbicide we will follow these steps:
Preparing the vinegar-based solution
As we have mentioned before, it should always be used diluted. The most convenient thing in these cases is to use distilled white vinegar. Because flavored or balsamic vinegars contain additives that reduce their effectiveness as herbicides.
The concentration of vinegar that we have to use will vary depending on the type of weed to be treated and its size. But it is advisable to create a 5% or 10% vinegar solution mixed with water.
If we are dealing with particularly resistant weeds, we can increase the concentration of vinegar up to a maximum of 20%.
As an extra trick, we can add a little bit of dishwashing soap. This makes the liquid adhere better to the leaves of the plants to be treated and be more effective.
Product Application
The ideal is to apply the solution in a warm and sunny day, because sunlight will help the vinegar evaporate quickly and penetrate the leaves of the weeds.
If there is weed around plants you want to keep, cover them with a little newspaper or plastic, so that they do not come into contact with the vinegar.
Apply the solution directly to the weed to be treated using a sprayer. Spray the leaves, stems and root zoneFor a greater effect, direct the stream of vinegar towards the base of the plant, which is where the growing cells are located.
Please note that although vinegar-based herbicide is very effective, you may need to repeat the application several times to achieve a good result.
Here are some extra tips to help you get better results:
- Avoid applying this solution on windy days, because it can disperse to plants that you do not want to treat with herbicide.
- Protect your eyes with glasses and your hands with vinegar to avoid damage.
As you can see, vinegar is an effective and inexpensive solution for eliminating weeds, but you should always apply it carefully. However, if the weed problem is serious, you may want to consider other options such as using commercial herbicides.