Vinegar is a natural and effective way to kill weeds in your garden without using harmful chemicals. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which can dry out and kill weeds, and is an eco-friendly alternative to commercial weed killers.  By following these simple steps, you can use vinegar to keep your garden weed-free without resorting to harmful chemicals.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT VINEGAR

While household vinegar (5%) can be used, not all vinegars are created equal when it comes to weed killing. For best results, use horticultural vinegar with a higher concentration of acetic acid (20-30%), which is more effective. For example, Billy Goat 20% Vinegar - Indoor & Outdoor or Billy Goat 30% Vinegar - Indoor & Outdoor.

MIX THE VINEGAR SOLUTION

After choosing your desired vinegar strength, add 1 tablespoon of dish soap and 1 cup of salt to 1 gallon of vinegar. The salt and vinegar work together to break down the weeds cell walls, and the dish soap helps the mixture stick to the weeds.

*Optional if using 20-30% concentration*

SPRAY THE WEEDS

Spray the vinegar solution directly onto the weeds, making sure to cover the leaves and stems thoroughly. Spraying on a dry sunny day will help dry the weeds out faster. Be careful not to spray the solution on any plants you want to keep.

REPEAT IF NEEDED

The vinegar solution will start to kill the weeds within a few hours, but it may take several applications to completely kill the roots. Be persistent and keep spraying the weeds if needed until they are gone.

There are a few things to keep in mind when using vinegar to kill weeds. Vinegar is non-selective, meaning it will kill any plant it comes into contact with, so be careful not to spray it on desirable plants. When handling any chemical, please follow the safety instructions on the label.

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