Lawns free from weeds are a dream for many. However, it’s not that easy to win over weeds. Chronic weed problems are usually addressed with synthetic herbicides. But if chemical weed killers are used unwisely, they can be harmful for turf, pets, and people. Unless the underlying problems weakening lawns and favoring weeds are identified, it might be necessary to use herbicides frequently. Nevertheless, there are several natural and homemade weed killer types you can use to combat weeds in your lawn. The natural products are much safer for plants, animals, and people while addressing the problem of weeds effectively at the same time. Following are some homemade weed killers which you can use in your lawn. 

Types of Homemade Weed Killer for Your Lawn

1. Landscape Fabric

Weed control is effective when it starts way before any weeds are noticed. Lay down landscape fabric and put a layer of straw or mulch on it. This physical barrier prevents the sprouting up of unwanted plants.  

2. Mulch 

Whether you use fabric or not, it’s a must to use mulch, as advised by experts. Mulch helps in keeping the soil wet and cool and eliminates light which is needed by weeds to grow. Keep the mulch about two inches deep. Also, keep this weed killer off the lawn as it will kill the grass too.  

3. Salt 

Get some discounted rock salt when winter ends and sprinkle it over your garden paths to keep away weeds in the spring. Salt also serves as an effective natural weed killer for lawn edgings as well as other places that cannot be reached by a lawn mower. However, apply salt carefully since it can leave the soil barren for quite long and erode surfaces of concrete.  

4. Trowel 

The old-fashioned way of pulling out weeds is always quite effective. However, wait until a rainstorm to pull the weeds from the soil as you would find the ground softer. Insert a screwdriver or narrow trowel in the soil for loosening any stubborn taproots.  

5. Newspaper 

Use a newspaper to cover the low-growing weeds such as crabgrass and clover, and sunlight deficiency will eventually exterminate them. If you put down sections of newspaper and cover them with mulch, you can prevent the emergence of new weeds. When the newspaper decomposes, it feeds the soil too, which makes this a great tip for gardeners. 

6. Edging 

Physical barriers like retaining walls and lawn edgings can keep weeds away for a long time. You can create cheap and simple edging using pressure-treated decking board scraps. Cut the boards into “pikes” of eight inches and hammer them into the ground adjacent to one another to create a continuous edge.  

7. Taller Grass 

The height of grass can influence its health as well as increase or decrease its susceptibility to weeds. Consider keeping your grass toward the longer side – about 2 to 3 ½ inches. Moreover, run your mower before seeds are set by weeds as it helps keep away the unwanted plants. 

8. Ground Cover 

As removing grass clears space where pesky plants can thrive, dig only the area where you want to plant. Most of the lawns have hidden seeds of weed. So, open only the patch needed when digging the soil for planting.  

9. Other Plants 

In a garden, a competition exists among plants for resources, and only the strongest plants survive and flourish. So, consider planting garden crops, flowers, and ground covers that can beat weeds naturally for nutrients, water, and sunlight.  

10. Straw 

Straw not only suppresses and prevents the emergence of unwanted plants in your garden, it also fertilizes the soil as it decomposes, making it a great weed killer for lawns. 

11. Cornmeal 

To prevent the growth of chickweed, dandelions, and crabgrass on your property, spread some cornmeal on the soil. Cornmeal gluten serves as organic herbicide. It’s free from toxic chemicals.  

12. Baking Soda 

Another pantry item – baking soda – is quite handy for controlling weeds. Apply it for pesky weeds growing from cracks so as not to kill healthy grass and vegetation.  

13. Clove Oil 

An all-natural homemade weed killer is a mixture of clove oil and water. This solution works best when you use it on weed seedlings. 

14. Using Hands 

Pulling out weeds by hand is a simple way of weed control. Simplify the method further by watering roots first. You can then pull them out more smoothly and faster.  

15. Borax 

Borax can not only help you clean clothes but also eliminate unwelcome plants from your lawn. However, avoid using borax near vegetables and flowers since it can destroy or damage the growth. 

16. Sugar 

You can use sugar too for getting rid of weeds. Simply spread some sugar around the root of the invasive plant and let it do its job. However, the downside to this option is that sugar may draw ants and other bugs that love sweet.  

17. Lemon Juice 

Lemon juice is another effective homemade weed killer. The citric acid derived from a freshly squeezed lemon can lead to the shriveling of weeds and they die within a few days.  

So, if you are thinking how to get rid of weeds, start trying these natural and homemade weed killer types to keep your lawn weed-free! These weed control ways are simple, easy, and cost-effective.