Vinegar in the garden can be usedas a simple and natural remedy for many garden problems and pests. Just as housewives commonly use vinegar at home, we gardeners can use this cheap and widely available product. Here are the7 proven uses for vinegar in the garden!
How to use vinegar in the garden?
Vinegar in the garden is a proven methodfor many garden problems, often recommended in ecological guides and books. It is worth reaching for when we have nothing else at hand.Another advantage is the low price of vinegar. However, remember to usevinegar in the garden with caution and moderation , because not everything that is natural is always safe. Too strongly concentrated vinegar can damage plants, and a strong smell of vinegar floating above the gardencan disturb us
Good to know!
Vinegar is on the list of basic substances allowed for use in organic farming. This is a proven method for weeds and plant pests.
1. Vinegar for cleaning garden pots and vases
Vinegar is known as a home remedy to clean the kitchen and bathroom of stubborn deposits and limescale. In a similar way, we canuse vinegar in the garden and use it to clean glass vases and ceramic potsTo do this, dip the dishes in a sink or a bowl filled with lukewarm water with the addition of vinegar (preferably ordinary spirit vinegar). After an hour of such a bath, all sediments should be dissolved and the vessels should be shiny.If there are still any deposits, we can easily clean them with a brush.
2. Vinegar spraying on weeds
For weed spraying, I recommend plain spirit vinegar . It is the cheapest and usually the most acidic, and it is the acidic pH of the vinegar that is harmful to weeds.
For spraying weeds, mix vinegar with water in the ratio 2: 1(i.e. for 2 liters of vinegar we give 1 liter of water). We pour it into the sprayer and spray the weeds on the paths, cobblestones or rocky bands around the house with this solution. Be careful not toaccidentally sprinkle the vinegar on the cultivated plants , because such a strong concentration of vinegar will also be lethal for them. And although vinegar is considered harmless to paved surfaces and concrete products, it is worth trying first in an inconspicuous place.
It is very important tospray the weeds on a dry and sunny dayas this is when they start to dry out the fastest. If any of the weeds do not want to be sprayed, they can be treated with vinegar only (without dilution). The vinegar destroys the green parts of the weeds , so some of them will grow back from the roots. Then we repeat the vinegar spraying, and we notice that after a few such spraying, less and less weeds grow back.
3. Vinegar spraying on aphids and other pests
Vinegar in the garden is also useful for controlling aphids , spider mites and other plant pests. The strong smell of vinegar has a repellent effect on insects, and plants will not be harmed if the vinegar is diluted properly.
As you already know from the previous point, vinegar undiluted destroys plants and can therefore be a remedy for weeds. In turn, in order to be able to spray crops against pests with it, you needdilute the vinegar with water in the ratio 1: 10(e.g. for 100 ml of vinegar we give a liter of water). For this we add a teaspoon of gray soap or a few drops of dishwashing liquid (thanks to this, the spraying will stick better to the plant tissues).
Spray the leaves of the plantsfrom the bottom and top, as well as their stems with the vinegar solution.Avoid spraying flowers, however, as the delicate flower petals can be damaged by the vinegar. Very delicate plants (e.g. violets) should not be sprayed with vinegar. In case of doubt, make a test on a fragment of the plant.
Ants are also pests that we can scare away with vinegarThese vinegar can be fought in places where ants go home or on paths along the terrace. Such places are sprayed with undiluted vinegar. The smell of vinegar will discourage ants from further walks along these paths.
4. Vinegar for scales and bowls
Many houseplants can be attacked by pests from the scarlet group, such as scale, cup and mealybugs. The first two pests of houseplants appear as small hard discs on the shoots and leaves, while the mealybugs are surrounded by a wool-like discharge. You can get rid of these pestsby wiping the leaves and stems with a cotton ball soaked in vinegar solution After collecting the pests on a cotton pad, replace it with a new one.
If we do not have vinegar, the swab can also be soaked with denatured alcohol or spirit. The effect will be the same. After such cleaning, it is worth rinsing the entire plant in the shower and remember to repeat such cleaning after 7-10 days, because pests often return.
5. Vinegar trap for fruit flies
Fruit flies, i.e. tiny black insects that make our lives unpleasant by flying over the fruit, can also be combated with vinegar.Apple cider vinegar will be the most useful to make a trap for fruit flies , because the fruity smell of this vinegar attracts bothersome flies. It is worth adding a few drops of washing-up liquid to the vinegar, which will reduce the surface tension (the flies will melt more easily in the vinegar).
Pour the vinegar into the jar and place it next to the fruit with the flies flying over them. If a bow tie doesn't drown in vinegar, a paper funnel will cut its way. How to mount it is shown in the picture below.
Vinegar trap for fruit flies
Fig. depositphotos.com
6. Vinegar to repel cats and rabbits
Cats and rabbits do not like the smell of vinegarTherefore, if we suffer from unwanted visits from these animals, it is worth putting cloth soaked in vinegar in several places in the garden or placing old pots in which she puts cotton wool soaked in vinegar. Of course, it is best to place the pots in those places where unwanted animals most often hang out. Remember, however, that the strong smell of vinegar in the garden can also bother us.
If we have a sandbox for children in the garden, which cats can contaminate with their faeces,it is worth wiping its sides with vinegar so that the cats stay away from the sandbox .
7. Acidifying the ground with vinegar
In order to acidify the soil for garden plants, the vinegar is diluted with water in the ratio 1: 8(i.e. 8 liters of water per liter of vinegar) and the soil is watered with this solution.The ecological guide in which I found this recipe, however, orders to perform such acidification at least 3 weeks before the planned date of planting.You should not water the plants already planted with vinegar, as this may damage their roots.
Justbefore planting the plants in vinegar-acidified soil , it is worth measuring the pH of the soil to make sure that the pH obtained is appropriate. Unfortunately, there are no standards in what exactly to use vinegar to acidify the garden soil and how it affects the pH change, so we must be very careful.
More proven recipes!
If you are interested in this articleand want to use natural methods of garden care, read our e-book DO IT DIFFERENTLY! Smart solutions from Mother Nature, which have saved many gardener, whom wehave prepared for people like you !
You will find in itlots of recipes for organic fertilizers and spraying , prepared on the basis of simple substances available in every home, as well as weeds and herbs.
- Sometimes it is enough to add some baking soda, vinegar or gray soap to the water to prepare a perfect spray against pests in less than a minuteon plants;
- If you have garlic or onion in your kitchen,you can spray against plant diseases in a few moments ;
- By using unwanted weeds you can gethuge amounts of fertilizer for free .
This e-book will show you how to care for your garden in a natural way, while saving time and money: -)
