8 Natural Ways To Kill And Prevent Weeds

It’s that time of year. Weeds are sprouting up everywhere and before you know it, they can quickly take over your garden or flower beds.

While there are plenty of products like RoundUp that will kill weeds, many of them contain harsh chemicals. The good news is that there are plenty of natural remedies that will do just as good of job.

Here are 8 all-natural ways to get rid of those weeds.

1. Salt

For those weeds that pop up in cracks, try using old fashioned salt. Make a solution of 1 cup salt and 2 cups water and bring to boil. Pour it directly on the weeds and say goodbye to those unsightly things.

You can also just sprinkle rock salt directly on the weeds and when it rains it will soak down into the root system. Be careful not sprinkle the salt on areas that you don’t want killed.

2. Vinegar

Make your own spray that’s one part water and one part vinegar. Put it into a spray bottle and you have your own weed killer. Just spray on the weeds and they should be gone within a few days. Penny Pinchin Mom says this works great on dandelions.

3.  WD-40

This magic product can do a lot more than stop squeaks and lube things up. Spray it on your weeds and they should be gone soon.

4.  Soap Mixture

Make your own DIY weed killer by mixing equal parts salt, dish soap, and vinegar. Be careful because this will kill any plant it touches. So keep it away from your award winning rose bushes.

5. Mulch

One easy way to keep the weeds away is to apply a thick layer of mulch.  This will prevent the weeds from getting the needed sunlight and they won’t be able to push through. Apply 2-3 inches of mulch and that should be enough to suppress weeds from coming through.

6. Add A Barrier

Before you put your mulch down, you can put an old shower curtain, newspaper, or carpet scraps on the ground. The weeds won’t be able to grow and will just die. If you use the carpet scraps, Reader’s Digest says to place the carpet upside down.

7.  Corn Meal Gluten

Corn meal gluten will prevent weeds from growing in the first place. However, it won’t kill existing weeds. You get another benefit as the corn meal gluten breaks down into nitrogen and will help fertilize your lawn and garden.

8.  The Old Fashioned Way – By Hand

If all else fails, you can just pull them by hand. If you take this approach make sure you get all the roots when pulling them up.  If you don’t they will just keep coming back.