DEWEEDING has to be one of the most tedious gardening jobs but luckily an expert has shared their tip for banishing them in an instant.
Garden experts from PriceYourJob have revealed how a simple kitchen staple will see your driveway weeds disappear overnight.
The tip, which has become popular on social media, involves mixing 1 part salt to 2 parts water, stirring then pouring over weeds growing through driveway and pavement gaps to kill vegetation.
Gardening expert Harry Bodell, explains, “This method works by ultimately dehydrating weeds.
“Salt interferes with the weed’s ability to absorb essential nutrients such as potassium, magnesium and calcium.
“The disruption in nutrient uptake weakens the plant’s overall health, causing it to dry out from dehydration and die.
“The salt method prevents further growth of weeds. There are certain ions present in salt which can be toxic to plants when accumulated in high concentrations, interferes with natural processes such as photosynthesis, leading to cell damage and dehydration of the plant.”
When it comes to using the solution, Bodell has a couple of tips.
“Once you’ve prepared your salt solution, lightly pour the solution over gaps in between paving slabs on garden paths, specifically concentrating over areas that have weeds currently growing through,” he added.
“It’s important to do this on a particularly dry day so humidity and rain doesn’t wash away the solution.”
“Overnight, the solution will work on drying out the plant to the root, making the weed easy to remove the next day.
However, Bodell also recommends using the solution sparingly to avoid it affecting other plants.
He adds: “While salt can effectively kill weeds, it can also accumulate in sand and soil and affect the growth of other plants.
“Use it sparingly and only on areas you wish to have no plants growing through, as it could impact future growth of other plants.”
Hornets and wasps – hate the smell of peppermint oil so spraying this liberally around your patio or balcony can help to keep them at bay.
Moths – acidic household white vinegar is effective for deterring moths. Soak some kitchen roll in vinegar and leave it in your wardrobe as a deterrent.
Flying ants – herbs and spices, such as cinnamon, mint, chilli pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cloves, or garlic act as deterrents.
Mosquitoes – plants, herbs and essential oil fragrances can help deter mossies inside and out. Try eucalyptus, lavender and lemongrass.
