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People are always looking for more eco-friendly weed killers to use in their yards, but vinegar is simply not the best option. In fact, using vinegar can be downright dangerous. This article will explore the dangers of using vinegar as a weed killer and why you should avoid it at all costs!
It’s not hard to understand the appeal of a “natural” or “organic” weed killer. The chemicals used in commercial weed killers can potentially be harmful to the environment, and many people often express concerns about the safety of their children and pets as they run around the yard.
Vinegar, on the other hand, is a completely natural substance. It’s no surprise that people believe vinegar can be used as a weed killer without any harmful side effects. It’s made from water and acetic acid, and it has been used for centuries in cooking and cleaning. For these reasons, many DIYers simply reach into their kitchen cabinets and pull out the vinegar when they spot weeds in their yards.
Proponents of vinegar as weed killer will tell you that it works by burning the weed’s leaves. This is partially true, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. Vinegar does “burn” the leaves of weeds and can sometimes kill them quickly. The acetic acid in vinegar essentially depletes weed leaves of moisture and nutrients as soon as it makes contact. To help improve efficacy, it is often recommended that people mix a gallon vinegar (5% acetic acid) with a cup of salt and a cup of dish soap, which help to break down and dry out plant matter. However, what proponents won’t tell you is that these vinegar mixtures also kill any other plants they touch, including the grass in your lawn.
The Perceived Pros:
Unfortunately, the reality of vinegar as weed control is far different from what you may have heard. Vinegar may be a natural substance, but that doesn’t make it safe to use on your lawn. In fact, using vinegar as a weed killer can have some very serious consequences, especially if you are inexperienced at lawn care or have never used vinegar in the past.
The primary danger of using vinegar as a weed killer is that it will also kill your lawn or garden plants if you’re not careful. If you spray too much vinegar on your yard, or if there is a light wind blowing when you do so, some of it might drift onto neighboring plants (including grass) and damage them as well. Vinegar is an acid, and, as such, it can damage any organic matter it contacts. This is especially true of young plants or seedlings that are just beginning to grow. Spray vinegar on them, and you may be killing your lawn before it even has a chance to get off the ground.
If you’ve ever followed instructions for using vinegar as weed killer, then you probably discovered how ineffective vinegar is at only 5% acetic acid. Oftentimes, people have to upgrade from everyday vinegar to a natural vinegar herbicide, which can be concentrated as highly as 20% to 30% acetic acid. The problem with this upgrade is that it makes the vinegar much more dangerous to not only plants, but also to people and wildlife.
Concentrated vinegar can be deadly to the beneficial insects that surround your yard and garden, such as ladybugs, bees, and butterflies, and it can even be lethal to smaller creatures like worms or frogs. It can also cause problems if you breathe it in or get it in your eyes or on your skin, especially if you or a loved one has asthma. You will also have to reapply this mixture every two weeks through the entire growing season in order to keep weeds from reemerging.
The Convincing Cons:
Vinegar, on its own, will only attack the leaves of weeds. It will not penetrate down to the roots, so while it may make a weed look dead, its root system is still intact and can easily regenerate. This means that you have to reapply the vinegar over and over to keep the weed from returning. Salt is used to remedy this because the salt will dry out and hopefully kill the roots of broadleaf weeds. The issue with this method is that salt will also kill the roots of your lawn and any other plant matter it comes into contact with, which largely negates the intended purpose of a “natural” weed killer.
When it comes to vinegar and weed control, many homeowners wonder, “does white vinegar kill weeds?” When considering the use of vinegar weed killer, there are several options to consider. Understanding the different types of vinegar and the impact they have on your grass, plants, and weeds will help you make the right choice for your lawn and property. Here are some different types of vinegar to consider:
Readily available in grocery stores, white vinegar contains 5% acetic acid and can work well on young and small weeds. As a bonus, you can also use this vinegar for cooking and cleaning. It’s a triple threat and multi-purpose solution for many household tasks.
You can find horticultural vinegar at certain gardening or home improvement stores. As the name implies, this vinegar is designed specifically for weed control and typically contains 10 to 20% acetic acid. Horticultural vinegar can be a good option for killing tough, mature weeds, but it can also cause damage to plants, flowers, shrubs, and your lawn if not used carefully.
This level of acetic acid can cause chemical burns, so you’ll need to handle this vinegar with caution and wear gloves and protective eyewear when applying it.
If you find yourself in possession of industrial vinegar, you’ve taken your war against the weeds a little too far. With an acetic acid concentration of 20 to 30%, industrial vinegar is nearly always used for commercial applications. It’s not advisable to use industrial vinegar for residential weed control, especially if you lack experience and training on how to use, apply, and store it. Use of this type of vinegar is best left to the pros.
Before you declare war on your weeds and start loading up a spray bottle with vinegar, it’s crucial to know that your grass and plants could become collateral damage. Vinegar is a non-selective herbicide, meaning it can harm or even kill any plants it comes into contact with. That includes your grass, flowers, shrubs, and other plants that make up your landscape.
Will vinegar kill plants? Yes, we can’t stress this enough. When applying vinegar to weeds, take precautions to protect all the areas you want to keep safe from the effects of vinegar. Even small amounts of vinegar can cause brown spots and curling on the leaves of your plants and flowers.
If your vinegar solution contains salt, it could also damage your soil, harming the root systems of nearby plants and making it more difficult to grow new plants. It can also cause brown patches on your lawn. So use your new found weed killer wisely and with care to avoid damaging other plants, flowers, and your lawn.
Does vinegar kill grass? As mentioned above, yes, vinegar will damage and kill your grass if used incorrectly. This means you need to be extremely careful when applying vinegar for weed control on your property. Here are some tips and advice to follow to minimize the risks and damage that can be caused by using vinegar:
Vinegar can be an effective and non-toxic weed killer that can combat small clusters of weeds in your lawn, but it does have some drawbacks. Most notably, it can harm your grass, plants, and soil if you don’t apply it correctly and carefully. Also, vinegar often doesn’t kill the roots of weeds, so they often come back to haunt you season after season.
When you spray the vinegar onto weeds, make sure it isn’t hitting nearby plants. If you want to be extra-careful about avoiding spread, paint the vinegar onto the weeds with a brush, make sure the vinegar makes contact with all the foliage. Do not use vinegar to kill weeds in planted beds or in the lawn. In those areas, it’s best to remove weeds by hand, with mulch, or other methods.
How long does it take vinegar to kill weeds?
When used on the right kind of weeds, vinegar works within 24 hours. Other weeds may need a few applications.
Yes, it’s safe. Household vinegar won’t harm either children or pets once it’s sprayed. Always take safety precautions, however, when applying vinegar, particularly in higher concentration solutions.
It can kill ants, spiders, and mosquitos. Vinegar can be lethal to bees, so if you grow plants to attract pollinators to your garden, it’s better not to use vinegar to kill weeds where they grow.
Vinegar is an acid and can damage wood and marble, so it’s a good idea to not spray it near planters or patios with these surfaces. It should not damage concete.
A homemade vinegar solution can effectively kill younger weeds, but is not a permanent solution for tougher weeds, unless you are diligent about reapplying and soaking the roots. Horticultural vinegar can be more of a long-term solution because it kills the root after a couple applications.
