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Weeds are everywhere in lawns, driveways, my garden and your garden. They’re even pushing their way through asphalt and cracks in the sidewalks. If you don’t want weeds to take over your garden or yard, you need a reliable and inexpensive way to take them out.

There are several effective ways to kill weeds. Some involve chemicals or require digging; the problem with chemicals is they don’t always work and can cause health problems. Sure, digging is always an option, but this requires hard labor. Oh, my aching back! So, let’s explore other methods of weed elimination that really work and are nonchemical.

Before I get into the specifics of other methods, I want to make it completely clear that these weed-killing methods are generally nonselective. That means they will kill any vegetation they touch, including lawn grass. So be wise: use these following methods carefully, and keep them out of the reach of children and pets.

The first method is a vinegar solution. This is one of the most common homemade weed killers. You need distilled white vinegar and a bit of dishwashing liquid, such as Blue Dawn. The solution has been researched and tested to confirm that acetic acid in the vinegar is effective at killing some common weed species including thistle, lamb’s quarters, giant foxtail and pigweed. The acetic acid in the vinegar should be higher than 11% to burn and kill the plant. The dishwashing liquid acts as the surfactant to help the vinegar cling to the weed’s surface. The distilled white vinegar found in the supermarket is weak at 5% acidity; it will kill weeds but may need retreating. The “cleaning vinegar” is typically 30% acidity and can be found in home improvement stores and online. In a spray bottle, add about one tablespoon of Blue Dawn per gallon of vinegar and mix.

Another method is Ultra Blue Dawn soap, a popular choice for many gardeners. For a general weed killer, mix one cup of Ultra Blue Dawn dish soap with two cups of water in a spray bottle. Shake well and spray on weeds, being careful not to spray on a plant you want to save.

Rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol works to kill weeds as it removes moisture from the weed’s foliage, causing the weed to die. In a spray bottle, mix two tablespoons of rubbing alcohol for every one quart of water.

A couple of other methods you might want to try: boiling water and a propane torch.

Boiling water must be the cheapest of all nontoxic effective methods to kill weeds. It is easy to prepare and use, no mixing required; however, you must be very careful and not burn yourself. Carefully pour enough boiling water on the leaves so it seeps deep into the roots. It’s helpful to use a tea kettle with a spout; that way, you can target the weed with the boiling water.

The last weed killing method is the propane torch. This method is better used if you have a large area of weeds to eliminate, and much more efficient than heating up many kettles of water, making a big job more doable in a short period of time. When I had the ranch, I used the propane torch for large weed jobs, and the long handle means you can kill weeds without stooping. Oh, save the back. But remember, this involves an investment of the torch which isn’t cheap, and also you are dealing with a hot torch. So, be very careful when using this method; don’t use this tool on windy days, in dry conditions or in brushy areas.

If you have a moss problem in the lawn, mix four ounces of Ultra Dawn dish soap with one gallon of water in a sprayer and apply directly to the moss; it will turn brown and die within a week or so. Moss can be hard to eliminate, and the conditions causing its growth need to be changed, but with an old recipe such as dish soap and water, moss can be dealt with safely and cheaply.

The vinegar method, dish soap method, and the rubbing alcohol method need to be applied when there are several days of sunshine following the treatment since each method works with the heat of the sun. The boiling water and the propane torch methods can be applied any time of year (sun or shade). All these weed killing methods are non-selective. I can’t repeat this enough, so please be careful to cover plants you want to save.

If you want to use a commercial non-selective herbicide (chemical weed killer), that is okay too. However, there are weed killer methods that are nonchemical as you can see, so try one.

If you have any questions, text or call me at (916) 719-9020.

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