Vinegar and Salt weed killer?

soulphish

Hey,

I read recently that mixing vinegar and salt together makes a great weed killer. And that it is safe because when it washes away with rain, it gets diluted, and doesn't effect the environment.

But what about the soil directly around it? Does the salt destroy the earth? Prevent things from growing? On a pure paving stone garden, this is fine. But the paving stones I want to clear are surrounded by a garden bed. And I do wamt to plant something in them.

I thought about just flooding the garden with water so it will wash away once the weeds are dead, but I don't want to then wash it into the bushes nearby if it is going to kill them too.

Had anyone used this before? Does it work? Is it safe? Should I only use it on the driveway kind of areas? Any other advice?

(please excuse any spelling mistakes, I am using my phone)

looksee

I was wondering the same thing myself, but didn't get round to trying it. I have some paving that weeds grow between and would love to be able to keep it clean. What I can't understand is how, if salt is so bad for soil and vegetation, how people made gardens using seaweed?

My Potatoes

Or just salt:
http://www.gardenplansireland.com/forum/post-38413.html#38413

redser7

looksee wrote: »

I was wondering the same thing myself, but didn't get round to trying it. I have some paving that weeds grow between and would love to be able to keep it clean. What I can't understand is how, if salt is so bad for soil and vegetation, how people made gardens using seaweed?

The concentration of salt just isn't high enough to do damage and washes through the soil.

eggox

redser7 wrote: »

The concentration of salt just isn't high enough to do damage and washes through the soil.

Vinegar and salt isnt that good as a weed killer seemed to work more like a tonic for weeds when i used it. For paving i found pouring boiling hot water on them from the kettle was better

soulphish

redser7 wrote: »

The concentration of salt just isn't high enough to do damage and washes through the soil.

Really?? That's what I was hoping to hear. But didn't want to assume! (especially since I'm renting)

soulphish

eggox wrote: »

Vinegar and salt isnt that good as a weed killer seemed to work more like a tonic for weeds when i used it. For paving i found pouring boiling hot water on them from the kettle was better

I heard this was good too. But didn't believe it. Is it really that good? Couldn't hurt to do both. Boild the **** out of them, then burn them with salty vinegar! Mwah ha ha ha ha!

magicbastarder

looksee wrote: »

if salt is so bad for soil and vegetation, how people made gardens using seaweed?

i understood the seaweed was left out so the rain would wash the salt off.

redser7

soulphish wrote: »

Really?? That's what I was hoping to hear. But didn't want to assume! (especially since I'm renting)

Just want to be clear that I was saying that the concentration of salt in seaweed is not strong enough to damage the soil. I imagine pouring neat salt onto the ground would not be a good idea. Wasn't that what the Roman's did all over Europe to force conquered people off their lands? Salting the earth. But maybe used sparingly and directly on a weed would be ok???

It's often said that you need to wash seaweed. It sounds like good common sense but in fact it just doesn't matter. The concentrations are not high enough. I don't wash it and use it and stuff grows just fine. But I did a lot of searching around before doing it that way (I used to wash it) and found plenty of references saying it was fine to use as is. Just like Island and coastal farmers have been doing forever.

looksee

That business of salting the earth seems a bit odd, considering how expensive salt was - they were paid 'salaries' same word.

My Potatoes

Leaving seaweed out in a shower of rain is enough to rinse the salt off it. The seaweed itself contains no salt.

EAFC_rdfl

I have a salt filter on my water system, and it flushes into a soak pit in the lawn. there is a patch now around that area where you can see the grass has been killed off. didnt realise it would do that! I am moving the filters at the end of the summer so will sort out the soak pit properly for the flush then.

CJhaughey

You need to add some washing up liquid to break the waxy coating on the weeds leaves down. Otherwise the vinegar salt can't penetrate.

Macy0161

iirc the vinegar is what kills the weeds, the salt is to kill the ground. I've had limited success with vinegar weed killer (didn't add salt as I wanted to plant the ground). Don't be expecting roundup style results. However, I am a bit skeptical that the salt is that effective - doesn't seem to do much on the edges of gritted roads for example!

I'm also never entirely sure how organic washing up liquid is - it's in a lot of "organic" options. Perhaps there's other organic soaps that could be used.

evolving_doors

Think I heard something about salt turning your soil acidic!