There are a variety of ways to get rid of annoying weeds: You can use chemicals from specialist shops or remove the annoying greens mechanically by hand. Home remedies such as table salt are often recommended for weed control. In the following article we will clarify whether the white granules are suitable for weed killing, whether this is permitted at all and what alternatives there are.

Salt should not be used against weeds

How does salt work as a weed killer?

Even in low concentrations, salt in plants acts as a poison. Therefore, increasing soil salinity is a major problem in agriculture.

The plants initially experience salt stress:

  • Growth is inhibited
  • reproduction is impaired
  • the growths are slowly dying.

Above ground, the salt water leaves burns on the plant parts. The liquid seeping into the ground is absorbed by the plants. The roots are completely destroyed by the solution so that the weeds can no longer absorb water and dry up.

Even copious watering can usually no longer eliminate damage caused by salt. Although the salt ions penetrate deeper soil layers, they do not disappear as a result. The damaged plant can only be saved by moving it.

Can I also use the inexpensive cattle salt as a weed killer?

Livestock salt, for example in the form of a salt lick, serves as a valuable dietary supplement for the animals. Because it is less purified than table salt, it is cheaper in price. In order to be able to distinguish it from table salt, it is colored, often pink. The main component of this type of salt is sodium chloride, as well as various other minerals.

Since you don't consume the salt, you can use it to kill weeds.

Which mixing ratio is recommended?

Under no circumstances should the salt water solution be too strong, otherwise there is a risk of massive damage to the surrounding plants. If you want to use table salt to kill weeds, you should proceed as follows:

  • Add five percent salt to the irrigation water.
  • Pour the mixture onto the weeds.

When is the use of salt prohibited?

The use of table salt or cattle salt on sealed surfaces is prohibited. These include, for example, the driveway or terrace areas. In this case, the salt water is used like a pesticide and must therefore be classified as such. Paragraph 6 of the Plant Protection Act states that plant protection products are prohibited on all open spaces that are not used for gardening.

This applies to all paths and paved areas around your house. However, if you use salt water here to control weeds, you may be subject to severe fines.

The reason: salt, regardless of whether it is cattle or table salt, cannot be biodegraded. It gets directly into the groundwater and causes considerable problems when it is clarified. In the sewage system, it can lead to damage to the pipes.

Where can salt be used to destroy weeds?

You may use table salt as a weed killer on all unsealed surfaces in the private sector. However, keep in mind that this remedy is in no way milder than chemical substances. Ornamental plants and crops that grow nearby can be harmed by salt.

Why is salt only conditionally recommended as a weed killer?

Salt not only dries out organisms, but also the soil and massively damages the microorganisms living in the soil. The diversity of species, which is important for the formation of humus, is reduced. The pore volume, the oxygen content and the root penetration of the soil and thus the root growth of all plants also suffer. Air exchange and water conductivity of the substrate are inhibited. Ornamental plants and crops can no longer absorb enough nutrients.

What alternatives are there?

Harmless to the environment and just as effective as table salt is hot water, which you can legally use to kill weeds. This also destroys the roots of the weeds, so that they can quickly die and be removed.

A proven method for larger, paved areas is flaming with special equipment. The thermal weed killers permanently destroy plants and roots and keep paved areas weed-free for a long time.

An equally effective method is the weed scraper, with which you can lift weeds out of the cracks between the paving stones. If you then sweep sand or gravel into the gaps, this material acts like a mulch layer. Weed seeds are almost always light germinators. The seed will not sprout if it is covered and your paved areas will remain free of disturbing greenery for a longer period of time.

You should pluck weeds in beds mechanically and remove them in a way that is gentle on plants and animals. A layer of mulch ensures that they don't open up as quickly. At the same time, this cover serves as valuable food for soil organisms.

tips

If you want to fight weeds with table salt, you should consider that this is not gentler than chemicals. If you want to destroy weeds without much effort, you should therefore better use tested products from garden retailers. When used in the correct mixing ratio, these are relatively environmentally friendly.

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