Organic Herbicide Made at Home
With all the talk of going "green", the benefits of organic fruits and vegetables, and the knowledge of knowing exactly what is in the food you eat is propelling more home gardeners into looking for alternatives to chemical herbicides in their gardens. While you can purchase a number of different organic solutions at your local garden center, the only herbicide you need is probably sitting on a shelf in your kitchen pantry.
List:
White Vinegar
Sprayer bottle
Fill a spray bottle with full strength white vinegar. You can purchase this same vinegar at any grocery store.
Pick a hot, sunny afternoon to spray the unwanted plants. To be effective, no moisture, i.e., dew, rain, should be remaining on the plant.
Spray undesired plants heavily with the vinegar in the late afternoon. Each undesired weed should be coated with vinegar for best results.
Words to the Wise:
Vinegar as an herbicide should be applied before planting vegetables and other desired plants.
With care, vinegar can be used as an herbicide in the garden while vegetables are growing. Select a day with low wind, configure the spray nozzle of the sprayer to a stream and carefully spray between growing vegetables.
Corn gluten meal, a byproduct of corn processing, can also be used as a natural herbicide. Apply corn gluten meal using a spreader at a rate of 20 pounds per 1000 square feet. Corn gluten meal prevents weed seed from developing but does not affect existing plants.
