While you may be thinking pure when it comes to controlling ticks and mosquitoes in your yard, there are commonly used gardening chemicals that can also cause potential harm. Weed killers in particular can be extremely toxic to pets and humans, while also affecting the good bacteria living in our soil. Here are five ways to kill weeds naturally, without killing the environment!
- Cover low-growing weeds like crabgrass with layers of newspaper (it’s biodegradable) to block sunlight. Also, you can layer newspaper and then cover it with mulch to keep weeds from sprouting up.
- Douse weeds with vinegar and in a few days they’ll be dead. This method is recommended for exterminating weeds with long taproots, including dandelions, dock, and plantain.
- Pour boiling water directly onto weeds. A splash of scalding water will shrivel even the toughest weeds in a couple of days.
- Salt makes a good weed barrier along the perimeter of your garden. Just be careful when applying, as it can kill other ground vegetation.
- Many weeds are edible and/or have medicinal uses. Things like dandelions and clovers, if you picked early, can be an incredibly sweet, nutritious addition to your next meal. Here are 8 weeds you can eat.
We love drinking herbal teas, and one weed in particular packs great flavor and health benefits. Dandelion tea is an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, diuretic, and can promote good kidney and liver health. Instead of tossing dandelions away, try one of these tea recipes!
Even if you don’t decide to consume the weeds growing in your backyard, we hope you tackle managing them with less harmful solutions.
Happy Outdooring!