Let’s not be so quick to judge the humble weed. After all, they are green, native and an important part of a diverse, stable ecosystem. We have been blessed recently with plenty of rain to make everything grow lush and green. Of course, with all this extra time staying home and working from home, we find ourselves gazing upon our lush, green yard — of weeds.
But let’s not be so quick to judge the humble weed. After all, weeds are green, natural and an important part of a diverse, stable ecosystem. And they’re certainly resilient. In fact, a few of our experts have written about the benefits of weeds (don’t laugh, there are some).
Gail Gallegos discussed at length about when “To Weed or Not To Weed” and even has a helpful video on the subject. Cleve Powell introduced us to common weeds that are blooming now and how they’re important to pollinators. And both Sarah Gorton and I have sung the praises of horse herb and how it is an ideal alternative to turf grass.
If you still insist on eliminating these native, resilient plants, here are a few tips and tricks to try:
> While the soil is moist, pull firmly and consistently on the weed to remove as much of the root as possible. If tug too quickly, you’ll break the root and the weed will regrow.
> Spread a layer of mulch over the weeds to smother them and make it easier to pull them out.
> Try this simple recipe for a natural, effective way to kill weeds. This is a non-selective herbicide so protect non-target plants with cardboard or plastic.
> Prevent the germination of warm season weeds now with an even layer of corn gluten meal. It prevents the germination of many weeds, but also wildflowers so avoid using in areas you want wildflowers to bloom in the fall or following spring.
Regardless of which method you choose, have patience and keep after it. Persistence does pay off.
December Newsletter 2023
2 Comments
You stated, “Try this simple recipe for a natural, effective way to kill weeds. This is a non-selective herbicide so protect non-target plants with cardboard or plastic.” – so what is the simple recipe? There was no follow-up commentary nor a link for the recipe.
HOW TO KILL WEEDS WITH ORANGE OIL AND VINEGAR
1: Pour 1 gallon of 10- or 20-percent white vinegar into a bucket. While even 5-percent household vinegar is effective against weeds, it doesn’t work as potently or quickly as more highly concentrated products. 2: Add 2 ounces of orange oil or cleanser containing d-limonene and 2 ounces of liquid dishwashing detergent. Stir well with a long-handled spoon to combine thoroughly. 3: Funnel the weed killer into a plastic spray bottle. Shake it well as you use it, as the orange oil will tend to separate. Drench all surfaces of the weed with the solution during the hottest part of a sunny day. The weed will show signs of distress or die completely within two to four days. 4: Repeat the application in two days. Reapply following rainfall, or if new shoots appear. 5: Drench the roots of stubborn weeds with the herbicide after the tops begin to die. 6: Give perennial weeds such as dandelions a good shot of the weed killer in the spring, before they have the chance to set seeds. Pick seed heads off and destroy them as they appear throughout the growing season. Don’t add them to your compost heap. Zap perennials with the herbicide in the fall to fully utilize the weed’s life cycle and send the material to the stems and roots to aid in killing the plants. 7: Pour leftover weed killer into a clear glass jar. Cap it tightly and label it clearly. Store it in a cool, dark spot indefinitely.
Things You Will Need
10- or 20-percent white vinegar
Bucket
Orange oil (or cleanser containing d-limonene)
Liquid dishwashing detergent
Long-handled spoon
Funnel
Plastic spray bottle
Tips
The weed-killing properties of vinegar are well known and natural orange oil is commonly used in commercial herbicides. Everyday dishwashing detergent serves as a surfactant, making your homemade weed killer adhere well to weeds that you spray it on. This herbicide is a contact killer, which means that it will kill any part of a weed that it touches, so complete coverage is necessary. The material has no residual action, so it doesn’t provide long-term weed control.
Warnings
Wear gloves, eye protection and protective clothing when handling homemade herbicides. Even natural and plant-based materials can irritate your skin, lungs and eyes. Vinegar in concentrations higher than 10 percent can burn the skin of sensitive individuals.
This material doesn’t discriminate between good plants and bad weeds — it kills them all. Take care to protect other plants from the herbicide