Question about vinegar and Epsom salt

[DCAMama]

I can't remember who it was that was talking about using vinegar to kill weeds. But how does it work and what do you do? And with using wet newspaper after we get all the weeds killed/pulled in our garden, do you so single layers, multiple layers? Do you have to keep it damp? And you put grass clippings over it?

And with the Epsom salt as a fertilizer, do you mix it with water or just sprinkle it around the veggies? My pour pepper plants are still just puny and I would love to find something natural to help them grow up.

[rebeccalynne15]

For the weeds mix one gallon vinegar with one cup salt and spray weeds ...but read you aren't suppose to use where you want things to grow

I tried in in the cracks of the sidewalk a couple mnths ago and nothing has grown back ~!

[3lilbubs]

I didn't remember the vinegar for weeds thing but I have tried shaking epsoms over the soil and watering it, and dissolving it in warm water and watering the plants with it and the latter worked faster.

[DCAMama]

I have an area in my garden that I have open for the melon vines to grow into and it's been overtaken with weeds I need to get them out and I've heard the vinegar works pretty good. Every thing is planted about a month ago so I'm not worried about not beeing able to plant there. I've just read different things avbout the vinegar and was wonder if any of you guys have tried it and how will it works.

[Marianna1988]

Originally Posted by 3lilbubs I didn't remember the vinegar for weeds thing but I have tried shaking epsoms over the soil and watering it, and dissolving it in warm water and watering the plants with it and the latter worked faster.

So you just dissolve the Epsom salt, and you can use that instead of fertilizer? Can you just always use it, or should you still use regular fertilizer sometimes?

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[3lilbubs]

How tall are the weeds mama? My melon vines could and have choked out bermuda grass.

Yes I dissolved it last time and no you don't want to use it in place of a complete fertilizer or mulch. It's a quick shot of magnesium if you have plants that are hungry for it like peppers, tomatoes and green beans. But don't go nuts. You don't want to tip your soil too far in the other direction if low magnesium isn't a problem for you.

[sarahannecloud9]

You mix vinegar with dawn in a sprayer. The dawn helps the vin stick to the blades of grass. Honestly, I wouldn't put it where I wanted to plant though. If I lived closer, I'd come help ya pull some weeds and grass.

I sprinkle the epson salts along the rows. You can water it in as well. I just let the rain do it though. Kinda like useing granuled fertiliser, but you can use more. It disolves fast enough.

On the grass clippings thing, I would stear clear. I did read one moma that had no trouble, but many that have had super problems with it spreading seeds. Then you have more grass and weeds. Do you have a saw mill close by? We got a huge truck load for $10 from our oak mill. It's considered their mulch/sawdust. Worked for the coop and the garden. It could hold the newspaper down and help hold the insulation in.

Another great help to boost the soil is ash. I dig under our burn piles and lightly spread the ash/pieces along the rows. Chicken droppings are great too.

[sarahannecloud9]

Forgot, my mellons do just fine with scattered grass and weeds.

[DCAMama]

Originally Posted by sarahannecloud9 You mix vinegar with dawn in a sprayer. The dawn helps the vin stick to the blades of grass. Honestly, I wouldn't put it where I wanted to plant though. If I lived closer, I'd come help ya pull some weeds and grass. I sprinkle the epson salts along the rows. You can water it in as well. I just let the rain do it though. Kinda like useing granuled fertiliser, but you can use more. It disolves fast enough. On the grass clippings thing, I would stear clear. I did read one moma that had no trouble, but many that have had super problems with it spreading seeds. Then you have more grass and weeds. Do you have a saw mill close by? We got a huge truck load for $10 from our oak mill. It's considered their mulch/sawdust. Worked for the coop and the garden. It could hold the newspaper down and help hold the insulation in. Another great help to boost the soil is ash. I dig under our burn piles and lightly spread the ash/pieces along the rows. Chicken droppings are great too.

I wish we had a saw mill anywhere close by. We're in a total agricultural area with very little trees (North Dakota).

I'm thinking about just putting the salt around my pepper plants since they are still so little because I hadn't gotten to get out into the garden to pull all the weeds until last weekend because it's usually either been raining, DF has to work and nobody to watch Bugga (who would LOVE to help me, but I would have nothing left in the garden), or the garden is a mud hole from the rain the week before. The peppers are almost all weeded, except for those little purslane. But, I was just doing a search on it and I found out that it's actually a benefitial weed, especially for peppers, tomatoes, and corn. Now I'm debating if I should pull them. UGH

[sarahannecloud9]

You could clip them so they don't take so much moisture? It may be a pain though? Or just leave some?

If you just sprinkled the salts, it would disolve at a slower rate for you since they are still small.

Sounds like you have a lot on your plate atm and not a lot of free time for the garden. Just enjoy the lo. The garden will wait. I remember when the boys were at that needs age, I jugle the saucer or the play pen. Whatever to get 10 mins in the garden. The saucer was my BFF!!! Lol!