Eco Friendly Weed Killers
As the weather begins to shift into the warmer climate of spring, gardeners everywhere are looking to revitalise their outdoor spaces.
If you’ve let your garden lie dormant over winter, it’s likely that you’ll have some weeds that need clearing.
If you’re not keen to splurge on expensive weed killers or would just prefer to use something more sustainable on your garden, you can try DIY eco-friendly weed killers to ensure your garden is weed-free ready for summer.
Why DIY?
Eco-Friendly DIY weed killers are great alternatives to standard chemical-based solutions- they have a better environmental impact, save money and have a lower health risk. For eco-friendly weed killers to be fully effective, however, it depends on the type of weed you’re targeting, the quantity of them and the specific conditions of the outbreak you’re dealing with. You may want to do some research into the best way of targeting specific weeds or check out our tailored weed control guides.
You should always aim to prevent the growth of weeds, rather than try and tackle them when they’re rampant. You also may have to re-apply and be more persistent with the eco-friendly solutions to get the full effect. It may seem more tedious / more work initially but it's worth it when you assess the long-term benefits like being significantly better for both yours & your garden’s health.
Vinegar or Lemon Juice
- The acidic nature of vinegar and lemon juice will dry out the surrounding area of the plant, shutting off moisture absorption from the roots and slowly killing it.
- Vinegar or lemon juice are great DIY alternatives as they’re household items that are usually readily available to use.
- This method will work on most weeds & is quite an effective solution. However, you will want to use this in a targeted manner to minimise damage to surrounding areas.
Boiling Water or Steam
- Using boiling water or steam will thermally shock the weed, damaging the cells and killing the plant from the roots.
Hot water has no environmental risks & leaves behind no residue in the soil, meaning it is a safe and sustainable option for weed control. It is best used with the correct safety equipment to minimise injury.
- Hot water or steam is best used on early growth weeds to wipe it out before it has grown. For more advanced weeds, you may need to re-apply.
Salt
- Salt can severely dehydrate a plant, so will kill weeds effectively but does have potential to harm the surrounding soil and plants if used in excess.
- Salt can be applied either as a brine solution or in its raw, granular form directly to the base of the plant. It will then dissolve into the soil and be absorbed by the plant's root system.
- Salt can remain in the soil long after the weed you intended to remove has died- this will prevent re-growth of that weed but also may prevent the growth of other desirable plants in that area.
