Weed invasion is a common concern for home gardeners. They take nutrients from the soil, compete for space, and use your plants as hosts.
At the first signs of an invasion, many novice gardeners would reach for expensive weed killers. But did you know there are cheap and natural ways to control weeds without costly chemicals?
With tools and materials already available in your home, you can cut the cost of herbicides and boost your garden yields, all at the same time!
3 Natural Ways to Control Weed Invasion
I’m sure weed control without using chemicals made you picture yourself kneeling on a hot day, pulling the weeds off as if you’re life depended on it. Luckily, suppressing pesky weeds doesn’t need to be so primitive.
Here are three easy ways to control garden weeds without investing in herbicides or your grip strength:
1 – Squirting White Vinegar
Besides being a fantastic window cleaner and stain remover, white vinegar is a superb weed killer. If you have a few unused bottles in your pantry, it may be time to put them to good use.
Regular vinegar with 5% acetic acid and 95% water can clear out small, annual weeds. This solution is most effective against weed growth that is less than two weeks old.
You can also amp up the potency of your vinegar by adding one tablespoon of dishwashing liquid and a cup of salt.
You may need to drench older weeds with your vinegar mixture to kill them. But even then, the roots can regrow so you’ll need to reapply frequently.
So, if you’re dealing with tough, perennial weeds, I’d suggest using a 20% vinegar solution. You can easily purchase this type of vinegar from farm stores and garden centers.
Spray this homemade solution to unwanted guests during daylight hours for the best results.
However, ensure you aren’t hitting your garden flora when spraying vinegar. The solution doesn’t discriminate and will kill any plant material it touches!
2 – Sprinkling Dish Soap
Applying dish soap is a safe, effective, and affordable way to contain weed invasion. It breaks the protective cell walls of the weeds, dehydrating and killing them.
Mix one cup of dish soap with two cups of water in a spray bottle. Shake the mixture and spray it on unwanted weeds around your garden or lawn.
Sprinkle the dish soap solution on a sunny day. Like herbicides, this pantry weed control method works best when the weeds are actively growing and cycling nutrients.
Be careful not to spray on your treasured flora, though.
Dish soap is especially effective against moss. To eliminate these unsightly patches, mix 4 ounces of dish soap with one gallon of water and spray directly.
Are you out of dish soap? Hot water works on weed, too! Pour boiling water on the pesky invaders and watch them wither from tip to root.
3 – Mulching Your Garden
Setting the groundwork is just as important as your weed control methods. By preparing the lot in question, you can considerably minimize weed growth, saving you time and resources in the long run.
Mulching is a handy practice to fend off unwanted weeds in your garden. It involves covering the soil with organic materials, including tree bark, wood chips, straws, leaves, and other organic materials to prevent weeds from growing underneath.
Besides weed control, mulch helps plants by providing needed nutrients as the organic material decomposes. It also offers pest protection, prevents erosion, and maintains moisture, minimizing your garden’s water requirements.
Fallen leaves, newspapers, grass clippings, and cardboard are the most readily available mulching materials.
Chop your mulch choice using a lawnmower or an electric leaf shredder. Layer several inches of mulch around your plants and enjoy a weed-free gardening experience.
Final Thoughts
There you go! Those are the three cheapest yet most effective ways to contain weed invasion. I’m sure you won’t look at everyday ingredients like vinegar, dish soap, salt, and water the same way again.
Of course, I’d also highly recommend mulching your garden for better weed management. While it doesn’t prevent all weeds from growing, mulching does make uprooting them easier!
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.