Kill weeds with magnesium sulfate and apple cider vinegar

Kill weeds with magnesium sulfate and apple cider vinegar

What is Magnesium Sulphate?

It is an odorless and colorless substance that is also known under the common name Epsom salt because of its characteristically bitter taste. It is commercially available as a fine powder or in crystalline form. As a fertilizer, magnesium sulfate only provides the nutrients magnesium (15 percent) and sulfur.

also read

  • Does magnesium sulfate help against weeds?
  • Killing weeds with citric acid - is that allowed?
  • Kill weeds with herbicides

Is a mixture of Epsom salt and apple cider vinegar suitable for weed killing?

A mixture of vinegar and salt is often recommended as a herbicide. The salt mentioned in this context is, however, table salt and not magnesium sulfate.

Vinegar causes weeds to die off, as it penetrates and destroys the plant's cell membranes. However, you need a relatively high concentration for this effect to occur reliably.

The disadvantage: vinegar not only damages weeds, but also all surrounding plants and soil organisms. For this reason, you should refrain from using apple cider vinegar to kill weeds.

Epsom salt: valuable lawn fertilizer

The necessary mowing permanently removes nutrients from the lawn. That is why it is important to regularly supply the green carpet with nutrients. Weed plants such as dandelions or chickweed have almost no chance of spreading in dense greenery.

If the magnesium levels in the soil are too low, the lawn will suffer from magnesium deficiency as a result. Typical for this are the lightening of the leaves known as chlorosis. The grass no longer looks lush green, but yellow. Over time, the dense surface gets holes in which weeds can settle.

Fertilize with Epsom salt

Epsom salts can be applied from April. Before doing this, you should carefully cut out all the weeds in the lawn.

  • You can dissolve the Epsom salt directly in water. To do this, add about 2 percent magnesium sulfate to the watering water.
  • Alternatively, sprinkle the crystals or powder and soak it thoroughly.

Tips

A soil sample is recommended before the application of magnesium sulphate. Often there is not only a pure magnesium deficiency, but also a lack of other nutrients. After taking a soil sample, you can then fertilize in a targeted manner.