Weed Killer

Watch Reply
More
Mark unread Print Skip to new
snidley American Fork, UT Jun 23, 2014

Has anyone had any experience with either of these two herbicide recipes:

One gallon vinegar
one cup salt
one tablespoon dishwashing liquid

one gallon vinegar
two cups Epsom Salt
one quarter cup dishwashing liquid

One of them works very definitely. I'm just not sure which.

Would certainly appreciate an help anyone has.

Post #9875195
Quote
Diana_K Contra Costa County, CA(Zone 9b) Jun 23, 2014

Vinegar can kill plants. It also breaks down in the soil, so you can replant after the weeds are dead.
Salt (sodium chloride) can kill plants. It does not break down in the soil. Once it has been used it has to get flushed away with LOTS of water (rain, irrigation). Conversely, it is water soluble, and can get washed down hill, or into streams. It might be very diluted by then, but I would be VERY cautious about where to use salt.
Dishwashing liquid is a surfactant. It helps water stick to things, especially waxy things like the coating on leaves. At the rate of 1 tablespoon per gallon it can be added to certain treatments being used on many ornamental plants to help a pesticide stick. At doses over 1T/gal. it can burn plants. Delicate plants cannot take even that low dose. I would suppose 1/4 cup per gallon might even affect something as tough as weeds.
Epsom salt is mostly magnesium. Used in moderation it is a fertilizer, and can help correct a magnesium deficiency in the soil. If you already have plenty of magnesium it is a waste of time and money. I have no idea if it can be used to kill weeds, but a low dose, used on a test area is not going to do any lasting damage.

If you cannot get any other answer, then I would try the second mix (with Epsom salt) in a small area, see if it kills the weeds you want to kill.

Post #9875707
Quote
rteets Stroudsburg, PA(Zone 6a) Jun 30, 2014

I use the Epson Salts solution to kill weed in my gravel sidewalk. It helps. I wouldn't say it is wonderful and I've never tried it on large weeds but I'd give it a definite ok.

Post #9881235
Quote

Post a Reply to this Thread

Please or sign up to post.
Back to Forum Homepage

More Garden Pests and Diseases Threads

Go to all Garden Pests and Diseases threads
BACK TO TOP