2 Organic Weed Killer Recipes That Kick Ass

2 Organic Weed Killer Recipes That Your Lawn Will Love You For Using

If you’re like most people, chances are you have pesky weeds in your lawn and garden. Our first instinct is usually to grab the weed killer and go to town on them before they get out of control. It might surprise you to know that ingredients like glyphosate, which is found in many over the counter weed killers, is highly toxic and is a known carcinogen! Glyphosate is toxic to the soil, micro/macro organisms, minerals, food, etc. Crops that are grow around this chemical end up compromised and their nutrients are depleted. Another toxic ingredient, among many others, is polyethoxylated tallowamine. (aka POEA) This has been found to be more deadly to human embryonic, placental, and umbilical cord cells than the Roundup itself! Using organic weed killer is so much better for your health, your yard, your pets, and the air. Before you go to reach for something toxic like Roundup to kill them, let’s go over some organic weed control options instead.

Making your own organic weed killer for lawns is pretty easy. It’s as simple as following a 3-4 ingredient organic weed killer recipe, using a pump-up sprayer, and treating your yard where needed. One great option is a vinegar mixture.

Recipe #1 You’ll Need:

1 gallon 20%-30% garden vinegar
1-1/2 cup of salt
¼ cup orange essential oil
¼ cup liquid dish soap

Add the ingredients to your pump-up sprayer and shake it long enough to dissolve as much salt as possible.

Another great option is lemon juice mixed with vinegar. The combination of the two creates an acidity level that will kill weeds usually within a day.

Recipe #2 You’ll Need:

½ cup vinegar
1 quart of 20%-30% vinegar

Put the mixture into your pump-up sprayer, shake it up, and spray it directly onto the weeds. Repeat the process the next day if needed until the weeds have died.

Make sure to check the weather before you spray your lawn and garden. You’ll want to spray in the morning, on a sunny day, as the heat from the sun will assist in killing the weeds. Avoid spraying the area on a rainy day, as the rain will wash the mixture away before it has time to set on the weeds and cause them to wither from top to root. Some areas may need to be re-treated multiple times before the weed dies completely. If you need to spot treat here and there along the way, you can do so by pouring vinegar, saltwater, or boiling water directly onto the random weeds you need to kill. Just make sure not to kill the surrounding plants you want to keep.

Want to try out some other homemade weed killers? Here are a few other ideas:

Landscape fabric: try laying this down covered with mulch or straw to stop those unwanted plants from popping through
Mulch: with or without the landscape fabric, mulch is a must for keeping away pesky weeds. It keeps your soil cool, wet, and eliminates the type of light that weeds need to grow
Salt: use a bit of rock salt or table salt and sprinkle in the garden in the spring to fight weeds
Boiling water: boiling hot tap water is a great way to kill those young weeds found in the cracks of sidewalk
Newspaper: Cover low-growing weeds like clover or crabgrass with newspaper and eventually the lack of light will kill them off. Extra tip: as the newspaper decomposes, it will help to feed the soil

These are just a few of the ways you can get creative and use homemade solutions to protect your yard from pesky weeds.