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Wipe Out Fast-Spreading Spurge Weed With A Popular Household Item
By EZEKIEL MAINA
Spotted spurge weed is a tough foe for gardeners to vanquish, and while synthetic herbicides are tempting, vinegar can be a safer, equally potent solution to dealing with them.
Vinegar contains acetic acid, which causes fluids to leach out of plant cells. This biological chaos dries out the tissue and kills the plant, especially young spurge weeds.
Mix together a tablespoon of dish soap, a cup of salt, and a gallon of vinegar. Instead of household vinegar, which is 5% acetic acid, use an herbicidal brand with 20% acetic acid.
Spray this mixture onto the weed, or use a vinegar-soaked paintbrush to dab the mixture onto the leaves and stems. After 48 hours, assess the damage and repeat if necessary.
Apply this mixture on a warm (above 65 degrees Fahrenheit) sunny day, avoiding rainy or windy days that can wash or blow away vinegar particles from the weeds.
Use caution as this mixture can harm other desirable plants in your yard, and at concentrations higher than 11%, can cause severe chemical burns and respiratory issues.