Pour white vinegar onto anthills to eliminate the pests from your garden. ATTRIBUTION: OliBac (Flickr)
Uses for vinegar knows no limits, from unclogging drains and eliminating stubborn odors to wiping away mildew and shining your silver. White distilled vinegar is also commonly used in the garden. Not only is vinegar a great alternative to toxic chemicals for controlling pests, weeds, and disease, but it can also be used to clean, sanitize, and neutralize the garden and the things in it. Learn how vinegar can do wonders in your garden.
1. Increase Soil Acidity
Vinegar is a potent liquid often used by gardeners to adjust the pH level of soil without the use of harsh commercial-bought products. Combine a cup of vinegar with a gallon of water and pour it over the soil in a watering can to make the soil more acidic.
2. Ward Off Slugs
If slugs are using your garden as an all-you-can-eat buffet, use vinegar to kill the slugs before they kill your plants. Simply spray the slugs with a solution of one part vinegar to one part water.
3. Catch Moths
Codling moth larvae can become a major problem in the garden. Create a trap that attracts the larvae away from the garden. Cut the base of a plastic milk container and fill it with a solution of 4 cups water, 1 cup vinegar, 1/3 cup dark molasses, and 1/8 teaspoon ammonia. Hang the trap in a tree to catch moths.
4. Kill Weeds and Unwanted Grass
Get rid of nuisance weeds and unwanted patches of grass organically. On a dry day, liberally spray the weeds and/or grass with a spray bottle filled with vinegar.
5. Banish Skin Problems
Working in the garden can be harsh on your skin. Avoid skin problems by always rinsing your hands with distilled white vinegar after working in the garden.
6. Stop Ants
Ants are not only a common garden pest but can give humans and pets painful bites. Spray ants with a combination of one part vinegar and one part water.
7. Clean a Birdbath
Water in a garden birdbath should be changed two to three times a week. Occasionally, allow a solution of one part vinegar and four parts water to sit in the birdbath for a 15-minute period to clean and sanitize it.
8. Sanitize Furniture
Vinegar is highly acidic and an effective cleaner for lime deposits and water stains. Clean and sanitize outdoor furniture by wiping it down with a rag soaked in vinegar.
9. Remove Deposits from Planters
Scale and mineral deposits can live on plant pots and trays, leaving a chalky waterline. Remove deposits from planters by soaking the pots in a mixture of one part water and one part vinegar for several hours.
10. Cure a Cement Pond
If you’ve been thinking about adding a pond to your garden, first cure the cement by adding 1 gallon of vinegar to every 200 gallons of water. Allow the cement to cure for three days, empty, rinse, and refill.
11. Keep Rabbits Out
Use vinegar to keep rabbits from feasting on your garden plants: Soak paper towels or corn cobs with vinegar and place them around your garden to ward off the small critters.
12. Prolong Cut Flowers
After cutting a few flowers from your garden, prolong their life in a vase by adding two tablespoons of vinegar and three tablespoons of sugar per quart of warm water. Allow the stems to sit at least three to four inches into the water.