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A little basic chemistry: the pH of vinegar is 2.5-- that's pretty acidic for plants to grow in, but by adding the salt (NaCl) the concoction has been turned into a sodium acetate buffer solution--pH 6.5- perfect for most weeds.
The solution worked because it essentially "salted the field"- a dirty trick used by guys like Alexander & Hannibal to permanently starve their enemies.
Better to just spray the vinegar on the weeds you want to eliminate. Frequent use of the salt may cause long term problems.
The soap is used as an emulsifying agent to help poisons penetrate the wax coatings on leaves (theoretically- it may not really work).
A home made brew like this is great for small, urban type gardens where the over-spray of commercial herbicides is hard to control and may cause unwanted damage.
A little basic chemistry: the pH of vinegar is 2.5-- that's pretty acidic for plants to grow in, but by adding the salt (NaCl) the concoction has been turned into a sodium acetate buffer solution--pH 6.5- perfect for most weeds.
The solution worked because it essentially "salted the field"- a dirty trick used by guys like Alexander & Hannibal to permanently starve their enemies.
Better to just spray the vinegar on the weeds you want to eliminate. Frequent use of the salt may cause long term problems.
The soap is used as an emulsifying agent to help poisons penetrate the wax coatings on leaves (theoretically- it may not really work).
A home made brew like this is great for small, urban type gardens where the over-spray of commercial herbicides is hard to control and may cause unwanted damage.
There should be a Top comment on this forum, b/c certainly this is one. Well done, guidoLaMoto!
Vinegar kills EVERYTHING. I know first hand. How you managed to kill weeds and not grass with it - is mystery to me. Now, I know what I am talking about as I used vinegar solution for years. It's basically RoundUp, just without its toxicity.
Plain boiled water straight for the tea kettle works reasonably well. Tedious to apply to a large area though.
But I agree, vinegar on its own works reasonably well, and can be used on larger areas. You should dilute it though, not use it straight from the bottle. Google around for the recommended dilution.
One caveat, since neither boiled water nor vinegar is a longterm solution, you will have to apply every few weeks. They don't result in a maintenance free yard.
I got rid of moss growing between the bricks in my patio with salt solution. It was a long time ago but I do remember it worked.
It worked because it ruins the soil for new plants. Sometimes for a long time, depending on rainfall or irrigation.
Whether or not to use it depends on whether you want to use the soil to grow something else. If you don't, then yes, it's an inexpensive and easy DIY herbicide.
I got rid of moss growing between the bricks in my patio with salt solution. It was a long time ago but I do remember it worked.
That's all my mother ever used on their sidewalk and brick patio. Table salt in warm water. Took care of the weeds quick. I asked her how much salt. "I don't know. Just whatever seems right to you". lol
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