Non-toxic weed killer that really works

[RenoHuskerDu]

I hate Goat Head. We have one kid who loves to go barefoot. Goat Head hurts her feet a lot. We also have trouble with wild grasses getting into our garden.

I found this mix and tested it on grasses invading our veggie garden. It works well for that. You do have to reapply once a week or so.

Goat Head is starting to come out now in Texas. I gave this mix a try and at first I thought it had failed to kill it, because I saw no shriveled Goat Head. Looking closer, it works so well that it turns the Goat Head into tiny gray clumps that are hard to see. It worked in one sunny day.

Here's the mix:

Homemade non-toxic weedkiller

5 liter spray bottle

• 12 cups 9% vinegar = 3 liters
  
  
• ½ cup salt
  
  
• 1 cup dish detergent
  
  
• 15 drops essential citrus oil
  
  
• top with water, agitate
  

1 gallon

• 2 liters 9% vinegar
  
  
• 1/3 cup salt
  
  
• 3/4 cup dish detergent
  
  
• 12 drops essential citrus oil
  
  
• top with water, agitate
  

32 oz spray bottle

• 2 cups vinegar with a funnel
  
  
• 1.5 TBSP salt
  
  
• 3 TBSP dish detergent
  
  
• 3 drops citrus based essential oil
  
  
• 1 more cup vinegar to clean funnel
  
  
• Top up with water, shake well

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I appreciate you posing these recipes.
However, I have found that vinegar alone works great. 10%+ gets about 80% control of most annual broadleaf weeds. You'll get burndown on perennials but it won't kill the roots. I imagine continuous burnowns would eventually have a negative effect on the roots.
Grasses are tougher to kill with acetic acid.
I've considered buying a 55 gallon drum of 20 or 25%.

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

It just wouldn't be the same without the essential oils. I used to be a hippy.