There are tons of different recipes for simple, DIY weed killers on the market. And, much like products you can find on the shelves, some are more effective than others. One of the trending recipes right now is a natural weed killer with Epsom salt.
Is this actually an effective way to manage your weeds? We’ll answer that question in this article.
How to Make a Natural Weed Killer With Epsom Salt
The most popular recipe that includes Epsom salt is a simple, 3-ingredient, DIY weed killer. The three ingredients are:
- Vinegar – a gallon of white vinegar
- Dish soap – a quarter cup
- Epsom salt – two cups (some recipes say you can substitute regular salt for Epsom salt if you don’t have any kicking around).
All you have to do is mix the ingredients together in a sealable container, shake them until combined, and then add them into a spray bottle. After the mixture settles for a couple of minutes you can start spraying your weeds.
How Effective Is Natural Weed Killer With Epsom Salt?
Different people have had different experiences working with this weed killer. Naturally, it depends on the hardiness of the weeds that you’re trying to kill.
However, even considering this, you can’t expect this natural herbicide to be as strong as more toxic products like Roundup. Nonetheless, it’s much more responsible and wholesome to use something natural. In this way you won’t damage your garden or any of the animals who live nearby.
Furthermore, some proponents such as this author from Southern Living, are vehemently opposed to the use of such natural weed killers. Since natural weed killers aren’t actually absorbed into the plant and carried down into the root system, they claim that they’re as good as worthless.
Nonetheless, these natural weed killers can certainly kill the top, leafy growth of a plant. This makes them highly effective for plants that don’t have hardy or established root systems.
The author also expresses concern about the fact that Epsom salts – which are chemically known as magnesium sulphate – have actually been used as plant food for decades. She cautions that this might actually help your weeds grow rather than hinder them.
In either case, as long as you weren’t expecting a cheap DIY weed killer to be as effective as the highly toxic Roundup, you may still be in for a pleasant surprise.
Just remember that weed killers, natural or otherwise, are often nonselective. This is definitely true in this case. Nonselective means that it will target any plants it comes into contact with, not just weeds.
Moreover, high concentrations of salt can damage soil structure and integrity, making it tough for future plants to grow. Be cautious of how much you use and make sure not to use it excessively in areas where you want to grow flowers or food.
Conclusion
There are lots of natural weed killers that you can use. One popular recipe involves the use of Epsom salt, dish soap, and vinegar. However, the response to this particular recipe is not always positive.
Lucky for you, that’s not the only recipe for DIY weed killer. Here’s an article we’ve penned on how you can make some eco-friendly weed killers. Or if you’d prefer to just buy some natural products, here’s a review of Pulverize natural weed killer.