Gardening experts reveal the pros and cons of using common household items to get rid of your weeds

It’s almost that time of year when gardeners across the country begin digging up soil and pulling out weeds in preparation for spending the summer outdoors.

Getting rid of weeds can be a tedious task, as different variants survive and grow in different ways throughout the year, meaning they often return as soon as you remove them.

However, gardening experts are available to provide you with some helpful solutions to keep them at bay, with methods you may not have considered before.

Horticultural experts have suggested three chemical-free, sustainable and cost-effective ways to destroy weeds invading flowerbeds, vegetable gardens and borders.

speaking to Houses and gardenshave revealed the products you’ll need (all three are found in homes every day) to start getting rid of those weeds for good.

1. boiling water

You may have heard of the method of boiling a kettle and pouring boiling water over weeds to kill them instantly, but does it really work?

According to gardening experts, boiling hot water will kill the part of the weed it comes into contact with, but it won’t reach the root.

If the root is not completely removed and removed, the weed is likely to return.

Jamie Mitri, environmental engineer and founder of Moss Pure, said Houses and gardens: ‘The higher water temperature will temporarily damage the weeds, but this will not be enough to 100% kill the weed roots and the weeds will grow back.’

Drew Swainston Homes & Gardens content editor and former professional gardener, does not recommend this method, since although younger weeds will likely be affected by boiling water, older, stronger weeds will survive.

He said: ‘The truth is that you haven’t killed them, you may have scalded and damaged it, but the roots of the plant will not have been affected.

“Established, taprooted, perennial weeds will still be alive below the surface and will simply sprout again in the near future.”

Another disadvantage of using boiling water is the risk of damaging the health of the soil and any other plants or grass nearby, as well as the health and safety risk of being burned, so it is worth considering the method before trying it.

2. Vinegar

Among the various ways to kill weeds in your garden, you may have heard of using vinegar and wondered if it can really kill them.

According to experts, vinegar is a very effective tool for killing weeds, and Ward Dilmore, founder and CEO of Petrus Landscaping, explains that the liquid contains acetic acid, a natural herbicide.

speaking to Houses and gardenssaid Dilmore: “The effectiveness of vinegar as a herbicide is related to its concentration of acetic acid.”

“Household vinegar usually contains about 5% acetic acid, which may work for small weeds, but may not be as effective for larger or more established ones.”

The landscaping expert suggested using horticultural vinegar for the most resistant weeds, since it has a higher concentration of acetic acid, around 20%.

Dilmore also recommended applying vinegar to weeds on hot, sunny days.

Despite being one of the most effective methods for eliminating weeds, using vinegar also has a number of disadvantages.

Gene Caballero, co-founder of GreenPal, said the solution may need to be reapplied several times and the effectiveness of the method depends on what weeds are growing.

He explained: “Vinegar may not be as effective against older, established weeds or perennial weeds, which may regrow from their roots even after the foliage is killed.”

Vinegar can also cause damage to vegetation within the perimeter of where you are treating weeds, so it is important to be careful where the solution goes.

While vinegar is commonly found in homes and is considered safe for culinary use, concentrated or undiluted forms can cause skin and eye irritation if handled incorrectly.

If you decide to use vinegar in your garden, we recommend that you wear appropriate protective equipment to avoid injury or irritation.

3. cardboard

If you are looking for a solution to kill or eliminate weeds without using chemicals, then cardboard may be your best option.

John D. Thomas, owner of Backyard Garden Geek, told Homes & Gardens, “When planning new garden beds, or if you’re battling weeds in your lawn, cardboard is key to controlling weeds.”

However, he warned, “It’s thick enough to smother weeds, but unlike landscape fabric, it will rot over time.”

According to John, this means that your plants will eventually draw nutrients from their native soil, while beneficial insects, such as earthworms, have the potential to find their way into your garden beds.

To effectively use cardboard as a method of preventing weed growth, first fill a large box with cardboard before placing the box on top of the weed you want to control and loading it with rocks or bricks.

Make sure all sides of the cardboard are covered and that it does not come into direct contact with the soil or disturb other plants in your garden.

Cardboard can take up to a year to completely decompose, but it depends on the type you used.

Corrugated cardboard, which contains polyethylene, is very resistant to decomposition, while cardboard made from recycled paper tends to decompose more quickly.

Plant roots can still grow through cardboard, but only under certain conditions.

The cardboard should be moist enough to allow the roots to penetrate it, and it should be placed where there is no light or air circulation, which will prevent the plant from drying out before it can take root and begin to grow.

Once a plant has started to grow through the cardboard, it is helpful to guide it towards more water and light using some type of support structure; This will ensure that it does not intertwine with other plants and at the same time reduce the risk of weed growth.