Are you once again plagued by lots of weeds in your garden and are you looking for an environmentally friendly option that saves you the hassle of picking? In this case, many people opt for various home remedies with which they can make a weed killer themselves. And if you look online for a few ideas, sooner or later you will come across the suggestion of using vinegar for this purpose. You too? Then you may have read on one site or another that this is harmful and even forbidden. Today we would like to explain to you in more detail and list why this is actually not a good idea and whether vinegar is forbidden against weeds.
Is vinegar against weeds forbidden?
Can you spray vinegar against weeds? In principle, there is no law that prohibits its use in the garden. However, you should be aware that this is not an officially approved weed killer, which should play a role if you value proper plant protection. That wasn't always the case. In the past, the product was allowed to be used in agriculture or in the garden and was still considered a suitable herbicide. Its use was only prohibited on paved areas. We explain why below.
So if you use vinegar against weeds, there will be no fine, but you can cause damage. You are still violating the Plant Protection Act if you use products that are not approved. However, vinegar-based hebicides are commercially available. Their use is permitted because the mixing ratio has been tested and approved.
Why you use acetic acidnotPermanently remove weeds from between paving stones
The exception is use on surfaces that are sealed, as in this case you can also expect a penalty. The reason for this is that the herbicide is then washed away when it rains and enters the groundwater and changes it. Of course, this also affects other plants. It can also be flushed into the sewer system and then ends up in the sewage treatment plants. Instead you canto these meansgrab.
Why the home remedy for weeds is not suitable
Does vinegar help against weeds? We admit that thisnatural meansis quite effective, even against a variety of weed species (the younger the better), but more in combination with sun. As a herbicide alone, acetic acid is useless in the shade, for example, because it can only dry well and work through exposure to sunlight. And if it is theoretically suitable, why is it discouraged? We have summarized the reasons for you:
Vinegar for weeds also dries out crops
- When you use acetic acid against weeds, the plants are deprived of water, causing them to dry out. Destroying weeds with vinegar does not occur immediately, but after several applications, after which the dead plants only need to be scraped off and disposed of. However, in this way you not only destroy the unwanted plants, but also surrounding ones that are useful. After all, acetic acid does not “know” what is a weed and what is not.
Harms living creatures in the soil
- It is still an acid, albeit a relatively weak one. The agent therefore has the power to kill or damage valuable microorganisms in the soil, as well as other living beings.
Vinegar against weeds affects the pH value
- When you spray vinegar against weeds, the acid it contains stays in the soil. This has the consequence that hispH value influencedbecomes – the soil becomes acidic over time. This in turn also affects the growth of all plants in the area, which have previously thrived, among other things, because of the ideal soil conditions for them.
Doesn't work long term
- Usually only the above-ground parts of the plant are damaged, but not the roots. This means that the remedy only has a temporary effect, as the plant will soon sprout again. This means you have to repeat the process again and again, which of course means that the pH value remains changed and the soil cannot recover.
Under what conditions can you still use the product?
If you take it with caution, you canHome remedies for weed controlstill apply. Here's what you should keep in mind:
- Never use the product pure. Regardless of whether it is vinegar or essence, dilute it with water: vinegar in a ratio of 1:3 and essence in a ratio of 1:15.
- Instead of spraying, apply the homemade herbicide in a more concentrated area to only damage the unwanted plants.
- If weed plants and crops are close to each other, it is not recommended to use it.
- The combination of vinegar water and salt is even more harmful to the environment and is not recommended if you want to remove weeds.
- To be able to work particularly precisely (e.g. to destroy unwanted plants in joints), use a brush and apply the weed vinegar to each leaf individually. This way you don't run the risk of acetic acid being washed away from the stones the next time it rains and ending up in the groundwater or sewage system.
- Natural stone should not come into contact with the acid at all if youdestroy weeds,as this can ruin the material.
