Gardening experts reveal the pros and cons of using common household items to get rid of your weeds

The time of year is approaching when gardeners across the country begin digging up their soil and pulling weeds in preparation for a summer outdoors.

Removing weeds can be a tedious job because different varieties survive and grow in different ways throughout the year, meaning they often come back once you remove them.

However, garden experts are on hand to provide you with some helpful solutions to keep them at bay – with methods you may not have thought of before.

Horticulture experts have suggested three chemical-free, sustainable and cost-effective ways to destroy weeds that invade flower beds, vegetable gardens and borders.

To talk with Houses and gardensthey’ve revealed the products you need (all three can be found in your home every day) to get rid of those weeds for good.

1. Boiling water

You may have heard of the method where you boil a kettle and pour boiling water over the weeds to kill them instantly – but does it really work?

According to gardening experts, boiling hot water will kill the part of the weed it comes into contact with, but it will not penetrate to the root.

If the root is not completely removed and dug out, there is a good chance that the weed will still return.

Jamie Mitri, an environmental engineer and founder of Moss Pure, shared Houses and gardens: ‘The higher temperature water will temporarily damage the weeds, but this will not be enough to kill the weed roots 100% and the weeds will grow back.’

Drew Swainston content editor at Homes & Gardens and former professional gardener, does not recommend the method – because while the younger weeds are likely to be affected by boiling water, the older and hardier weeds will survive.

He said: ‘The truth is that you have not killed them, you may have burned and damaged them, but the roots of the plant will not have been affected.

‘Perennials, perennials and weeds with taproots will survive below the surface and only sprout again in the near future.’

Another downside to using boiling water is the risk of harming soil health and other plants or lawns in the area – as well as the health and safety risk of scalding yourself – so it’s worth considering the method before you tries it out.

2. Vinegar

Among the different ways to remove weeds from your garden, you may have heard of using vinegar and wondered if it can actually kill them.

According to experts, vinegar is a very effective means of killing weeds. Ward Dilmore, founder and CEO of Petrus Landscaping, explains that the liquid contains acetic acid, a natural herbicide.

Speak with Houses and gardensDilmore said, “The effectiveness of vinegar as a weed killer is related to its acetic acid concentration.”

‘Household vinegar typically contains about 5% acetic acid, which may work for small weeds, but may not be as effective for larger or more established species.’

The landscape expert suggested using horticultural vinegar on the tougher weeds because they have a higher acetic acid concentration of about 20%.

Dilmore also recommended applying vinegar to weeds on warm and sunny days.

Despite being one of the more effective methods of removing weeds, using vinegar also has some disadvantages.

Gene Caballero, co-founder of GreenPal, said the solution may need to be reapplied several times and the effectiveness of the method depends on the weeds that are growing.

He explained: ‘Vinegar may not be as effective against older, established weeds or perennial weeds, which can regrow from the roots even after the foliage has been killed.’

Vinegar can also damage vegetation within the boundaries of the area where you are treating the weeds, so it is important to be careful where the solution goes.

Although vinegar is commonly found in households and considered safe for culinary use, undiluted or concentrated forms can cause skin and eye irritation if used incorrectly.

If you decide to use vinegar in your garden, it is advisable to wear proper protective clothing to avoid injury or irritation.

3. Cardboard

If you are looking for a solution to kill or remove weeds without the use of chemicals, cardboard may be your best choice.

John D. Thomas, owner of Backyard Garden Geek, told Homes & Gardens, “When planning new garden beds, or controlling weeds in your lawn, cardboard is the key to weed control.”

However, he warned: ‘It is thick enough to smother weeds, but unlike landscape fabric it will rot over time.’

According to John, this means that your plants will eventually draw nutrients from your native soil, while beneficial insects, such as earthworms, have the potential to move into garden beds.

To use cardboard effectively as a method of controlling weed growth, first fill a large box with cardboard before placing the box on top of the weeds you want to control and weighing it down with rocks or bricks.

Make sure that all sides of the cardboard are covered and that it does not come into direct contact with the ground or disturb other plants in your garden.

It can take up to a year for cardboard to completely break down, but this depends on the type you used.

Corrugated cardboard, which contains polyethylene, is highly resistant to decomposition, while cardboard made from recycled paper tends to break down more quickly.

Plant roots can still grow through cardboard, but only under certain conditions.

The cardboard should be moist enough for the roots to penetrate, and it should be placed in an area where there is no light or air circulation, which will prevent the plant from drying out before it has a chance to take root and start growing.

After a plant has started to grow through the cardboard, it helps to direct it to more water and light using some sort of support structure. This ensures that it does not become intertwined with other plants, while reducing the risk of weed growth.