Why should we use aggressive chemicals to get rid of the weeds in our lawns and gardens when we have natural and healthy remedies available in our homes?
As the spring has arrived, the temperature is favoring the flowering plants to bloom. We want our gardens to look good too, which means we have to start getting rid of some weeds. The weeds not only make our gardens look shabby, but they steal nutrients from our favorite plants. Thus, our fruit and flowering plants look weak and do not flower to their full. We don’t really want to spray all kinds of chemicals into our garden, so these tips are great for us! There are tons of natural products you can use to get rid of the unwanted plants in our garden, and we already have them in your kitchen cabinet!
Preparation
Plants have a natural layer that protects them from negative outside influences. To break through this protective layer you can prepare the weeds with a mixture of water and soap. Mix together two cups of water and a few drops of dish soap in a spray bottle and spray this on the weeds. If we do this before trying any of the other techniques mentioned below, they’ll be much more effective. Check the 5 easy and natural tricks which help us get rid of the weeds in our garden on the next page!
1. Dry out
The first method is to simply let the weeds dry out. Take a spray bottle and mix together two cups of water and one tablespoon of pure alcohol (96%). Spray this on the weeds. This will cause the plants to dry out through and through, which makes them easy to remove.
2. Burn them
By pouring boiling water over weeds, they’ll burn and the roots will die. We need to use this method in a spot without any other plants, like the driveway or the patio, because the hot water might spread and kill other plants as well.
3. Use acid
Weeds absolutely detest acid. That’s why so many chemical weed-killing products contain acid. We don’t need all of the chemicals, though: you can just mix together two tablespoons of lemon juice and one cup of white vinegar to get the same effect. Spray this mixture onto the unwanted plants in order to kill them. This method won’t affect the soil, so you won’t risk killing other plants and flowers.
4. Baking soda
There it is once more, the all-round champ: baking soda. Sprinkle about a teaspoon of baking soda onto the plant you want to remove, especially on the root at the bottom. This will prevent any other weeds from growing there in the future. That means this trick is especially useful in places where no plants should grow in the first place, like the driveway.
5. Vinegar
This is what you’ll need:
– 3.5 liters of cleaning vinegar
– 1/2 cup of salt
– Generous squirt of washing up liquid
– Spray bottle
This is how it’s done:
Mix the 3.5 liters of cleaning vinegar with the ½ cup of salt and the squirt of washing-up liquid together (tip: buy a jerry can with cleaning vinegar and add the salt and the washing-up liquid to this). Put part of the mixture in an empty spray can and spray it over the weeds. Repeat several times until the weeds have disappeared.
It’s so easy! Do you have any tips for a summer-ready garden?
The author is Associate Professor, Zoology, Higher Education Department, J&K

Sajad Sarvar