The vinegar is actually like a good Pandora box when it comes to its uses both in the kitchen and garden! So, do take a closer look at these 11 amazing vinegar uses to get around your problems in the garden:
1. Vinegar makes clay pots clean
Clay pots are very plant-friendly: they keep the soil cooled inside the pot in the summer, they prevent water from being trapped inside the pot, and their pleasant reddish color gives them an attractive natural look as well. Then again, as they “get on in years” they absorb minerals, calcium, and salts from water and fertilizers, which ultimately makes them look ugly.
2. Vinegar removes weeds on walls and walkways
The use of vinegar is a great way to eliminate weeds persistently popping up on garden walls, or sticking out from the crevices of walkways. You should simply spray the weed-invaded place with pure white vinegar to kill them.
The vinegar is a well-known weed killer and can be used for effective weed control everywhere in the garden. Spraying it,will kill weeds within 2-3 days after application.
3. Vinegar will help you get rid of ants
The vinegar is a very effective substance in eliminating ants. To repel ants, prepare this:
Ant Repelling Solution
- Mix equal amounts of water and vinegar (either white or apple cider vinegar will do)
- Energetically, spray the solution on and around the ‘ant hills’ in your garden.
Also, inside your home, carefully examine the ants’ entry paths which include: the counter top, the sink area, and the windows. The naturally-strong odor of vinegar will make all these places [sprayed with vinegar] repulsive for ants!
4. Vinegar will help you keep animals away from garden
Common garden destroyers [that is rodents, moles, cats, dogs, rabbits, and deer] hate the strong scent of vinegar. You can keep out these ‘uninvited visitors’ from your garden by soaking several old clothes in white vinegar, and placing them on stakes around your garden where they usually hang around. You should regularly re-soak the towels every 6-7 days for better results.
5. Vinegar extends the life of cut flowers – keep them fresh for longer time!
You can make this vinegar aid to prolong the life of cut flowers:
Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar and a teaspoon of sugar per liter of water.
6. Make your own Vinegar Garden Insect Spray
The vinegar is an effective solution for exterminating garden insects. To prepare a vinegar spray that effectively works on garden insects, follow these directions:
- Combine 3 parts water with 1 part of vinegar in a spray bottle and add a teaspoon of dishwashing detergent.
- Shake the spray bottle to mix the contents thoroughly before using the solution in the garden.
7. Vinegar is the enemy of fruit flies
You can save your fruit crops from the fruit flies taking their share in it by making a smart vinegar bait. For this bait, you will need:
- a cup of water,
- half a cup of apple cider vinegar,
- 1/4 cup of sugar and
- 1 tbsp. of molasses.
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients together, and put that solution in an empty container. Hang it on any affected fruit tree -you’ll see how it will attract and trap them. So, go for pesticide free fruits!
Note: The same or similar solution can be used for houseflies as well.
8. Vinegar makes acid-loving plants healthy
You can keep the acid-loving plants [such as gardenias, rhododendrons, or azaleas] very ‘happy’ with vinegar showers. Although its effect is temporary, you can still give a quick acid boost to plants with vinegar.
Prepare this ailment:
Mix a cup of white vinegar to a gallon of water (less than 4 liters) and water you acid-loving plants with this solution.
9. Vinegar cleans rust from garden accessories
The vinegar can be used to make your garden tools rust-free. Just spray [or soak] the tools in undiluted vinegar, and leave them for half an hour. Then rinse and clean the tool. You can also clean the birdbaths and birdhouses in your garden with vinegar.
10. Vinegar kills slugs and snails
Out of many uses of vinegar, be they the above-mentioned and other uses, this one is perhaps the most popular use among gardeners. Yes, you can ‘magically’ kill slugs and snails with the help of vinegar.
11. Vinegar saves plants from fungus
Protect the plants suffering from mold and fungus, with this simple and easy remedy:
Vinegar Fungicide Recipe
- Add 2 tsp of vinegar in brewed chamomile tea.
- Spray this on the affected plants in your garden.
Use vinegar whenever you need it in your garden or elsewhere. After all, it is cheaper, safer and more available than many other commercial chemicals. Do it for your plants’ sake as well as for nature’s sake. What comes around, goes around, doesn’t it?