Home Made Wee Killer

Bill Lauto is an Environmental Scientist and Energy Consultant who has been 
teaching how we can save our money, 
energy, environment, and health, since 1982. Mr. Lauto operates GoingTrueGreen.com and his work has been published in magazines such as: Consumer Report, Kiplinger's Financial and Business Ethics.

Summer 2015 will be upon us in just a few days and weeds are already everywhere! We go through great lengths to eliminate weeds. However, what we must ask is: How do we dispose of the weeds in our lawn?

A) Do you whack them with a noisy gasoline and oil operated weed whacker?
B) Do you spray them with one of the many weed killers on the market?
C) Do you pull them out manually?
D) Do you use an electric operated cutter or edger?

Best answer is: NONE OF THE ABOVE

I refuse to use my hands to pull out weeds, just as much as I refuse to use a noisy weed whacker or poisonous weed killer sprays. So before you go to the stores and buy the latest batch of weed killer, you may wish to consider this effective recipe:

Mix 80 percent organic vinegar, 15 percent sea salt, 5 percent dish-washing liquid. You can use a spray bottle to apply. I pour my mixture onto the weeds very carefully for the best results. By the next day, the weeds and grass in the cracks are shriveled up.

FYI: The dish-washing liquid cuts through the weed's protective coating of oil on the leaves, thus allowing the salty vinegar to be absorbed better. Vinegar alone does not kill off some stronger weeds. Especially if it rains within a day or two.
By adding sodium chloride (NaCl) aka salt, plus a little dish-washing liquid, your success rate will be far greater.
The studies on weed killer sprays show one of the three worst toxic chemicals in weed killer sprays is being found in many groundwater locations. In New York, the DEC stated 124 detections of atrazine in 51 locations of groundwater, just on Long Island, New York. Our groundwater is our "Drinking" water!

Atrazine is dangerous and is an unacceptable risk to our health and our environment. After being banned in the European Union back in 2004, the United States is just starting to follow with banning the product. This chemical has the largest use, 76 million pounds dumped on our soil each year.
Scientific studies proved atrazine is an endocrine disruptor and has the potential for birth defects. The other two pesticides used in weed killers are metalaxyl and imidacloprid. Neither have been
addressed as of yet.

Now everything is relative and yes, this home made recipe is a STRONG chemical mixture and must NOT be left around the house within reach of children and animals. When I mix some, I use the following three steps:

First: I only make what I use.

Second: Spray onto weeds when small and young, if a few drops land on some nearby flowers, they will not die off. The leaf may dry up, but unlike weed killers in stores, the flowering plant will not be killed. If a drop of store bought brands lands on a leaf, it will spread throughout the plant and probably kill the whole plant.

Third: I spray or pour on in sensible amounts with no rain for a few days. The lingering effect depends on how much was applied and how fast that amount will dissipate. The home made mix does dissipate after a few rainy days and will not hinder the growth of new flowers or grass in the future.