Vinegar Makes a Cheap and Easy Weed Killer

It's spring!  We're starting to see buds on the trees and the grass is greening up (our neighbor has mowed his lawn twice already....he's retired).  But, with the sure signs of summer around the corner also comes weeds!  With the weeds, questions.  How do I get rid of them?  Will they come back?  How long until it's safe for my pets to walk on the lawn again?!?!  If you use this inexpensive concoction of things you already have in the house, it will be safe AND cost effective.

On the website One Good Thing by Jillee, I found the perfect solution to those nasty chemical-filled weed killers.  Vinegar, she swear by it.

Undiluted, store-brand white vinegar that you buy at your favorite grocery store.  It's less than $3 a gallon and is a POWERFUL all-natural herbicide. Jillee cautions to be careful not to accidentally splash it on plants you want to keep, only on the weeds!

Here are her before and after pics:

Jillee suggests to do this when the weeds are dry and the sun is out. Make your application on a warm, sunny, calm (not windy) day. Don’t use on a cool, cloudy or wet day.

Jillee adds, the acetic acid in the vinegar does two things:  it burns the weedson contact and it lowers the pHof the soil (at least temporarily), making it hard for the weed to make a comeback. The benefits are plenty:

•  inexpensive
•  non-toxic (safe for kids and pets)
• fast acting
• easy to use

Oh, and if you add a teaspoon of dish soap it helps the solution to “cling” to the foliage better.  Here's to a better looking sidewalk crack and lawn this summer.  Thanks, Jillee!