Homemade herbicides are a popular choice among many gardeners who wish to save money or to avoid harsh chemicals found in many commercial products. Vinegar is a common base to use when creating your own weed killer. The addition of a few other ingredients and the right recipe is all it takes to make an herbicide that will keep your garden weed-free.
The Vinegar
Vinegar typically contains about 5 percent acetic acid, which is the ingredient that enables it to kill weeds. Any type of vinegar is suitable for an herbicide, but white vinegar is likely used the most due to its low price and availability. Vinegar draws the moisture out of the leaves of the weed and eventually dries it up. Whether the root is killed or not depends on the type of weed and its maturity, according to The Garden Counselor. Vinegar can be used exclusively, or diluted with other ingredients, but it is nonselective and will kill any plant it is sprayed on.
Salt
Salt kills weeds much the same way vinegar does, by drawing moisture out of the leaves. Salt is often included in an herbicide when vinegar alone can't get the job done. Different types of salt may be called for in different herbicide recipes, but they are all salt and any one of them will work. Salt becomes a problem when used in herbicides because it will linger in the soil and inhibit future plants you may want to grow in that spot. Salt works best for treating weeds in driveway cracks and sidewalks.
Liquid Dish Soap
Liquid dish soap is added to a vinegar-based herbicide to help improve the absorption of the spray. It also works to break down the waxy surfaces that are found on many weed species. This weakens the weed's defense system, so the acetic acid of the vinegar is more effective. Only a small amount needs to be added to the overall recipe to work effectively.
Lemon Juice
Citrus juices and oils are acidic in nature like vinegar, and will help dry out the leaves when added to the herbicide. Lemon will also add a pleasant, natural fragrance to your herbicide, especially if you used the rind.
Water
Water may or may not be used in your herbicide mixture. Some recipes call for mostly water, some call for none. It all depends on the concentration of acids you want in your weed killer. If you'd like the solution to be more mellow, dilute with water. If you'd like it to be stronger, only add a little water or none at all.
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