Everyone has vinegar somewhere in their kitchen, but not everyone knows the applications that vinegar has in the garden. Some of you may be wondering, “does vinegar help plants grow? This article hopes to address that issue and more. If you're a regular green thumb or just want to improve your garden, here are some tips on what vinegar can do for you.
Men are like wine - some turn to vinegar, but the best improve with age. - Pope John XXIII
Kills Weeds
What does vinegar do to plants? The first thing to know about vinegar is that it has very unique pH levels, both in terms of being acidic and affecting soil. Vinegar will pretty much kill anything you pour it on simply from being so acidic. To make the most of it however, you can add a few things to make sure the liquid knocks out weeds. Try the following cocktail out on unsuspecting weeds:
- 1 gallon vinegar
- 1 cup salt (table or rock)
- 1 tablespoon liquid dishwasher soap
Acid Loving Plants
Some plants actually thrive in acidic soil. It's a win-win, because most organisms that want to harm your plants hate acid. So why not grow some pH funky plants in your garden? They still look good and can form a protective barrier against bugs, animals, and weeds that want to hurt your garden. Alternatively you can select only these plants for a fool-proof garden. Here's our list of craving-vinegar house plants.
- Gardenias
- Begonias
- Holly
- Azaleas
- Hydrangeas
- Rhododendrons
Ant Repell-Ant
Ants hate the strong scent of vinegar. This can be very helpful for when you have a bit of an ant problem and don't want to have to resort to chemicals or pest control services. So here's a completely safe pesticide made with vinegar. Simply combine equal parts vinegar and water and spray it all over the ant mounds. It will keep the ants away and keep your home safe.
Keep Animals Out
Here's a very low-tech solution to any animals that are intruding on your garden. Most animals don't like vinegar. So you can form essentially a barrier of vinegar in the garden. Just soak either old clothes or rags in vinegar and lay them around your plants to form a protective shield. This force field works best if reapplied every week or so. This will keep the following animals out.
- Cats
- Dogs
- Deer
- Moles
- Rabbits
- Rodents
- Volis
Clean a Bird Bath
Yes, you can even make that bird bath a cleaner, happier place for your winged visitors. Simply pouring this liquid onto the bird bath can act like pouring bleach onto mold. It just washes everything away. This is one of the more oddball uses for vinegar in the garden, but it's incredibly effective.
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