Vinegar is known as an effective and cheap herbicide. Although vinegar has been shown to have good results, the reality is that it does not work equally well on all the weeds that you can find in the garden. Vinegar will be effective depending on the type of weed you have, how old it is, and the concentration of acetic acid in the vinegar.
Kitchen vinegar is a solution that has 5% acetic acid, but there are other solutions with stronger concentrations such as 15%, 20% and even 30% and they are also commercially available and work well for kill weeds, but they should always be used with care, since just as they can burn plants, they can damage your skin and eyes.
All concentrations of acetic acid, including household vinegar, should cause weeds to turn brown, dry out, and die in about 24 hours. But keep in mind that sometimes the roots are often not completely killed and can reappear within a few weeks. That is why you will need to make sure that you have enough concentration so that the weeds do not grow back. Discover in this EcologíaVerde article all the details about vinegar, acetic acid and weeds.
Acetic acid and vinegar
acetic acid It is created by the fermentation of alcohol and cooking vinegar has a 5% solution of acetic acid from the fermentation of plant products such as grapes and apples. Strong concentrations of acetic acid are available even if it has been created synthetically. Any vinegar contains acetic acidbut not all acetic acid is vinegar.
If the acetic acid in the product is created by distillation or freezing – evaporation of plant sources, such as cooking vinegar or stronger concentrations – it can be sold for home canning and can be considered organic.
Vinegar on the ground or earth
Vinegar being an acid can lower soil pH a little, although it is a temporary effect. The acetic acid that breaks down quickly in the water can be washed away and will not have too much of a negative impact, as any residue may wash away after the first watering or rain.
How to use acetic acid as a herbicide
Vinegar is not labeled for use as an herbicide or pesticide, so it’s not easy to find people who recommend its use. However, you can experiment to see the results, since the kitchen vinegar works fine on the youngest weeds. Many people have proven its effectiveness.
It’s as easy as spray directly on weeds and treat them by wetting them completely but without letting them drip. Do not spray the plants with if it looks like it is going to rain or if you are going to water, because then you will be making the acetic acid do nothing because it will disappear completely.
You should also avoid spraying any herbicide on windy days to prevent the product from landing on other plants you don’t want to kill. You can also spray vinegar on weeds that grow between the tiles in your garden, on the sidewalk of your house, or anywhere weeds shouldn’t grow. If they recover and are born again, you should spray them a couple of times every two days until you finish them off completely.
Remember that if you use a vinegar with a higher concentration you should use it very carefully and also protect your eyes and skin. Another option is to use commercial herbicides that you know on the market.
If you want to read more articles similar to Vinegar, acetic acid and weedswe recommend that you enter our Garden Care category.
