I challenge you to conduct a quick search on vinegar, and you will be shocked at how many uses it has; therapeutic, cleansing, preserving, the list is vast, but today we are going to focus on vinegar as a weedkiller.
When our beautiful lawn grass grows in places where it is not desirable, it often becomes a weed. This is true, especially when dealing with fast-growing grass like Bermuda grass.
Most people know Bermuda grass as crouch grass. It is one of the most prevalent grasses that are resilient and eventually become a weed.
So you’ve read the benefits of vinegar and are now considering killing Bermuda grass with vinegar. Before you do that, let us evaluate how vinegar performs against your invasive Bermuda grass.
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How does vinegar work as a grass killer?
Vinegar does not only make our taste buds explode each time we have a spoonful of salad, but its use has extended both indoors and outdoors.
Many gardeners hate the expensive synthetic chemical weedkiller as vinegar has won the hearts of gardeners as the number one organic means to keep the weeds in check.
Acetic acid, the active ingredient in vinegar, is responsible for killing weeds. Acetic acid kills the cell membrane by causing the rapid breakdown of the cells, eventually drying the plant.
Vinegar will be excellent in eradicating grass from your sidewalk and garden. By causing topical damage, vinegar will turn the grass and foliage brown.
Vinegar is a contact herbicide. Therefore when sprayed under the correct conditions, such as warm weather and a sunny day, it will be more effective in riding weeds. However, because vinegar is not a systemic herbicide, it will not reach the plant’s roots.
Killing Bermuda grass with vinegar
Using vinegar to tame Bermuda’s aggressive and invasive nature is a good idea. This natural herbicide is not only environmentally friendly, but also it will be safe for your kids and four-legged friends. Plus, it has little to no residual effect on the soil.
Vinegar is an effective weedkiller, eliminating weeds quickly, and within 24hour the effects are visible. However, you will have to up your game when it comes to using it on perennial weeds and grasses.
But before you head to your pantry to grad that vinegar, first understand that, unlike the broad leaves that the vinegar eliminates after a few hours, your invading Bermuda grass will not be eliminated easily due to its growth pattern.
Bermuda grass spreads by runner underground and stolon above the ground, a quality that makes it a blessing and a curse.
See also: How to keep Bermuda grass out of flower beds
Additionally, the roots of Bermuda grass run deep depending on the soil profile. So, you will have to be aggressive if you consider killing Bermuda grass with vinegar. You, too, get aggressive by using vinegar with a higher concentration and do a few reapplications.
How much vinegar should you use?
Bermuda grass is fantastic lawn grass, but when it invades areas where you don’t want it, it becomes a nightmare. Although it works effectively on young weeds less than a week old, regular household vinegar will not have the desired impact after your Bermuda has been properly established.
Instead, use household vinegar on young Bermuda grass that has invaded your patio or sidewalks since its roots are shallow. However, on mature bermudagrass on well-draining soil, a home vinegar concentration of 5% acetic acid and 95% water will not frighten the Bermuda grass unless sprayed frequently. Nonetheless, the house.
Go for the bigger gun, horticultural vinegar, to kill the Bermuda grass. A 25 percent acetic acid concentration will destroy the grass. Even with this high concentration, a repeat spray is required, especially after a downpour.
The disadvantage of using horticultural vinegar to kill Bermuda grass is that it is extremely acidic and will cause serious harm, unlike domestic vinegar. So, if you intend to utilize horticulture vinegar, make sure your safety comes first.
Wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, gloves, and safety eyewear. Also, be cautious when using it near your chosen plants; it will burn them.
See also: Will Bermuda grass choke out crabgrass?
When to kill Bermuda grass with vinegar
We all know that the best method to destroy a planet is to damage its roots; this perennial warm-season grass has deep roots, which is why it returns even after winter.
This grass will live on its roots; therefore, if you apply vinegar and notice its leaves turning yellow, it does not imply it is dead. This is when the continual application of vinegar till the grass dies comes into play.
See also: Ways to kill Bermuda grass naturally
However, there is an ideal moment to use vinegar to destroy Bermuda grass. As the Bermuda grass recovers from the winter’s stress, sprinkle it with vinegar. This increases the likelihood of it being eliminated soon.
See also: Should I buy hulled or unhulled bermuda grass seed
How to kill Bermuda grass with vinegar
Get your horticultural vinegar from your local garden store, then put on your protective equipment. Combine the 20% vinegar with equal parts of water. If you have a modest Bermuda grass infestation, pour the solution into a hand spray bottle.
Before you begin spraying, make certain that your targeted plants will not be harmed. Cover the plants with heavy plastic if they are near the area where you are spraying. Keep the spray close to the ground when spraying to avoid getting vinegar spray on your flowers.
The next day, you will notice the effect of vinegar on the Bermuda grass, but don’t stop there; continue the treatment to entirely kill the grass.
See also: What eliminates goosegrass in bermuda
Eliminating Bermuda grass is a difficult and time-consuming process; if the grass’s roots are not damaged, the grass will regrow, causing many gardeners to use synthetic herbicides.
Synthetic chemicals are the most convenient way for gardeners to eliminate Bermuda grass, but they are not safe and may cause more harm than good. But, unlike other gardeners, you have a heart, which is why you are reading about killing Bermuda grass with vinegar.
Remember that Bermuda grass, like other plants, is sensitive, and vinegar will eventually get rid of that invading grass if you use a high concentration and apply it correctly.
