Finding a dog-friendly weed killer may be easier than you think.
Using weed treatment products on your lawn can be a risk if you have pets. Dogs may spend a great deal of time in the yard, picking up toxic chemicals on their paws. If you prefer a more dog-friendly type of weed killer, consider using a natural, homemade herbicide that has no harmful effects on pets or the environment. Does this Spark an idea?
About Homemade Weed Killer
Homemade weed killers use ordinary household products that are safe to use around children, pets and wildlife. These products were once used routinely by previous generations to manage weed growth on their properties, before the days of large pesticide and herbicide manufacturing companies. The advantage of these products is that they break down quickly in the environment into harmless substances, and do not pollute waterways and cause ecological disturbances. They have no health effects on children or pets, including dogs.
Salt
Rock salt has long been used to kill weeds on contact. It is often used during the hottest part of the day to magnify the effect. It works by burning weed plant surfaces which disrupts the cellular processes. The plant cannot distribute moisture and nutrients effectively, and quickly dies. The salt should be removed after use so that it does not penetrate into the soil, making it inhospitable for other plants.
Vinegar
Vinegar is a mild, 5-percent solution of acetic acid in water. Though a mild acid, acetic acid is strong enough to eat through the waxy layer on plants that protects them, according to the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Center specialist Barbara Bellows. The plant cannot continue the normal photosynthesis and other processes needed to sustain it, and it dies. Sunlight will intensify the action of the vinegar. If necessary, more concentrated solutions of vinegar can be used for thick-leaved weeds.
Combinations of Products
Other homemade recipes for weed killer combine some of these ingredients for a greater effect. Salt can be combined with boiling water, which will burn weed plants even more effectively than either substance alone. Another recipe mixes 1 lb. of salt with 1 gallon of common 5-percent household vinegar, according to the National Gardening Association writer John Cretti. Pour into a 2-gallon sprayer tank and spot-treat the weeds. This will allow the salt to seep into soil, however, and may not be a good choice for areas with other plants. Lemon juice can be added to vinegar solutions to increase the acidity for greater effectiveness on weed plants.
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