Homemade Weed Killer - Useful Natural Recipes and Home Remedies

Do you wish to make your own homemade weed killer?

One of the most popular home remedies for weed killers is a common household product found in almost every kitchen - vinegar.

Vinegar works because during the distillation process of apples, grapes or grain, fermentation takes place. This gives vinegar its active ingredient acetic acid. It is generally diluted and labeled to a 5% acidity concentration.

Like any strong acid, acetic acid is a desiccant (removes moisture) and when it is sprayed on the foliage of a plant, it kills the top layer of that plant. It does this by sucking out the moisture so caution must be exercised as it will kill flowering or vegetable producing plants along with weeds - also includes grass. This homemade weed killer does not necessarily kill the roots though - this depends on the maturity of the plants as well as the type.

The strength of the acetic acid in the vinegar used is also a determining factor as to how fast or how completely it works. Full strength (undiluted with water) will be the strongest, of course, and works the best. It is, however, not as readily available. Plants with a waxy foliage or hairy covering will be less susceptible, suffering less damage. If you do decide to use a homemade weed killer with a vinegar base, limited application will be required.

Other homemade weed killers include salt in their formulas - some regular table, others water softening salt, and a few suggest rock. Final word - salt is salt and no matter what the form, it kills plants. It can be added to recipes where vinegar has not worked alone.

Being a desiccant as well, salt works in much the same way as vinegar. Many of the formulas using salt are used as a foliar spray. It is often used by drenching the soil all around the undesired plants. Though salt does the job, it also affects everything around it, so caution again must be taken when working around flowers and vegetable plants. Too much and your plants will die - even distant plants.

Many formulas for homemade weed killer use soap to improve the absorption of the spray on the tough cuticles or waxy surfaces of weeds. This works best when using liquid dish soap rather than dishwasher or hand soap, as it breaks the surface tension of water the best. This in turn helps the weed killer to stick to the leaves instead of quickly running off.

Soap is also an oil derivative which kills plants when mixed into your formula at a ratio of one ounce per gallon of solution. Citrus oil - either orange or lemon oil, is acidic. Any of these, when used with ingredients like acetic acid found in vinegar, would be very effective.

An effective salt and vinegar recipe combines 1-1/4 cups of common salt with one gallon of household vinegar. Use this homemade weed killer as a spray where and as needed.

For a good vinegar and dish soap solution, use a spray bottle full of vinegar to which a few squirts of liquid dish soap has been added. For best results, this solution should be used as a spray while it is hot outside. Dish soap in water - one part to ten parts, can be used as a soak.

Read More: Garden Pest Control | Garden Ideas | Do It Yourself Pest Control - Effective Home Remedies | Home Page | Site Search

Click here for more pages and articles on Garden Pest Control.

	Get a health-promoting or eco-friendly gift for someone special. Thousands of choices available. $5 or $10 discount for new customers.

Some Related Garden Pest Control Pages

Gardening Pests - Tips, Ideas and Remedies to Keep Them Away

Organic Garden Pest Control Tips and Remedies

Homemade Weed Killer - Useful Natural Recipes and Home Remedies