$aving Your Hard Earned Dollar With This Method
I believe using natural methods is always better because going natural can not only save us money but help in keeping our surroundings and environment safe from contamination.
What I love are the many ways that are being sorted out and use once proven to be effective to bring solutions to issues we may be facing. In this article, we will be looking at effective ways of eliminating weeds naturally.
I have written several articles on weeds which you can view here beneficial weeds for your garden, soil solarization, homemade weed killer, and weed control. Weeds are an eyesore and can take away the beauty of a well-designed landscape and garden.
Weeds are not only an eyesore but weeds compete for light, water, and nutrients and can be a real menace to our garden plants. Weeds are also a breathing place for disease and garden insect pests so we should do all that we can to eliminate them from our gardens.
Methods of eliminating weeds
There are many methods of eliminating weeds which includes
- Chemical Control
- Hand Weeding
- Hoeing
- Grazing
- Soil tilling or cultivating
Chemical Control is a method in which chemicals are used to eliminate weeds. There are many weed killers that are sold on the market from selective to non-selective, systemic to residual.
While this post is on eliminating weeds with hot water we will be summarizing some of these weed killers and other methods.
1. Selective weed killers are weed killers that can be used to eliminate weeds around garden areas that consist of non-editable plants. However, caution should be taken so as to avoid drift off as these weed killers are being applied. These weed killers are also known as contact sprays.
2. Non-selective weed killers are highly dangerous and should only be handled by the professional that has a license to apply this type of weed killer. These weed killers should be applied in an area where there are no garden plants only weeds. Kids and pets should not be allowed in these treated areas. Wait a few days before allowing activities in these areas. These weed killers are also known as contact sprays.
3. Systemic weed killers are weed killers that are absorbed through the plant’s foliage (leaves) and roots and are translocated throughout the entire weed system. These weed killers may take a while or may take up to two weeks before weeds are totally eliminated.
These types of weedkillers are best on mature grass without causing harm. weedkillers such as these can be applied to certain plants without causing harm to other plants that are in the same area.
4. Residual weedkillers are weedkillers that poison the soil, areas that are treated with this type of weedkiller also inhibit weed seeds that are in the ground causing them not to germinate.
These weedkillers are most effective along walkways, driveways, and other walking paths. Caution should be taken when using these weedkillers along plant beds. Areas that have been treated with these weedkillers should be allowed to sit for a while before replanting or reseeding.
Hand weeding
Hand weeding has to do with pulling weeds by hand. This practice is really back-breaking and hard depending on the type and the number of weeds that must be removed.
Hoeing
Weed hoeing has to do with the use of manual tools that are designed for removing weeds that are small. These tools are best used in garden areas to lightly tilt or turn the soil.
Grazing
Grazing is a great biological control method that is used on farmland that has acres of land. The use of animals such as cows, goats, and horses are used to keep weeds down by making a meal out of them.
Soil tilting or Cultivating
When it comes to tilting the soil there is also specialized equipment that can be used that involves turning the soil or plowing the weeds under.
How to use hot water for weed control
Now we have come to the section why this post was written and that is how do we control weeds with hot water. Well first what I want to say here is using hot water is and an environmentally safe way of eliminating weeds.
But caution must be taken because you are handling hot water safety is always first ensuring that you safeguard yourself from getting burnt by taking the right measures which include.
1. Make sure that the tea kettle you are using is in good repair or working order.
2. A long sleeve shirt should also be worn.
3. Long pants to protect your legs in case there is a spill.
4. Heavy-duty gloves or mittens to protect your hands.
5. Closed-toe boots to protect your feet.
Put on protective clothing before removing hot water from your stove. When attempting to pour water on weeds the teakettle should be placed near the weeds and then carefully and slowly begin pouring the water over the entire weed before you move to the next one. Before you know it you would have completed weeding with hot water.
Caution
A word of caution here and that is don’t pour hot water on weeds that are close to your garden plants because you may have an accident and burn your garden plants in the process. Weeds that are close to garden plants should be hand-pulled.
The Final weed
There you have it, it is that simple, and the good news is using this method is environmentally safe and it did not cause you a dime except for a bit of your time which is worth the effort.
So consider using hot water to combat weeds the safe way which has proven to be effective in eliminating weeds that can be such a nuisance. With that said let’s get started on those weeds.
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About the author
Norman loves being in the garden, both at home and for his job....
he is 'Natures Little helper' being outdoors, growing his vegetables and flowers from an early age.
Now having spent over 22 years in the profession he want to give some of his knowledge to others...
his vast array of hints and tips you will find scattered over this site will help you no end growing plants in your garden.
Hi Norman. Thanks for this simple but yet effective method of eliminating weeds the natural way with hot water. Of course, using chemicals and some other means could be quite expensive and can as well cause pollution to our air and as well pollution to our sea and aquatics generally. I think this method is worth the time as you have said.
Yes Barry using hot water is a safe approach for weed control. It is always best to use the safe method. Thanks so much and wishing you all the best of success.
Weeds, Weeds, Weeds are the bain of the gardeners life so how great of you to provide us with some great tips to combat this issue….Oh and also snails are also a problem, I wonder if there are any articles in this from you? ;0)
I will be trying out your hot water method so thankyou for sharing this!
Hello again so happy for your response. Hot water is great in the control of weeds and as for snails I believe this posts may offer some help. Thanks again and have a good day.
https://gardenofedengardencent…
I love gardening, but I didn’t know that you can use hot water for weeds. I would of course make sure that it is not near any other plant, we wouldn’t want to kill off the pretty flowers.Of course we must all use caution when dealing with hot water. Take the time and prepare yourself so that you can avoid any type of accident that may occur.
Hello, so happy to meet you and I am so happy that I could help. I agree with all that you have said. All the best of success. Have a good day.
great idea! I have always wondered if one can actually use hot water to kill off weeds. There’s a garden patch that I’ve been wanting to clear off for sometime and i would like to preserve the condition pf the soil for a specific vegetation so i wasn’t keen in using any chemical residue. The only downside is that i may need a couple rounds of hot water to get the job done.
This is a great idea Cathy and can get the job done. This is a safe way to get rid of weeds just be careful not to burn yourself. You are right in that you may have to make couple rounds depending on the size of the job but it comes down to using a method that is safe and this make a great choice.
Yup! This is the best alternative to killing weed as fast as possible without spending a dime. Because the water is very hot, it will hit up and burn the weeds thereby damaging them.
Thanks for sharing this useful tip on how to use hot water for weed control. I know it will take some time, patience and even risk with our garden plants but it is very worth it because it’s a free method and moreover it is save for us and our environment too.
Weeds can be a real issue besides competing with our plants for nutrients and water. Hot water is a safe approach in winning the war on weeds. Just need to be careful when using this method to burn the weeds and not yourself. So happy that I can help. All the best of success and have a good day.