One of the frequently recommended home remedies for annoying weeds is urea. In this article we deal with the effect on plants and whether the weed killer is allowed in the home garden.

Urea helps the lawn grow and thus prevents weeds

What is urea?

Urea is a white, water-soluble substance. It is an excretory product that is produced during protein metabolism in vertebrates. Urea consists of almost 50 percent nitrogen, a value that even high-dose artificial fertilizers cannot achieve.

Urea is the most commonly used nitrogen fertilizer worldwide. You can get the agent under the name fertilizer urea or urea in specialist shops.

Why is nitrogen fertilized and does it work against weeds?

Nitrogen is called the "motor of growth" because it has a strong influence on growth, provided the necessary nutrients are available in sufficient quantities. Well-nitrogenated lawns become dark green and dense, grow quickly and produce more leaves.

Weeds can therefore be suppressed indirectly with urea, since the other plants thrive better.

What side effects are there?

In the home garden, however, the disadvantages of this fertilizer outweigh the disadvantages:

  • Urea acidifies the soil.
  • Pure urea fertilizer contains no nutrients such as potassium, phosphate or lime. These must be substituted by other fertilizers.
  • This makes targeted fertilization quite complicated for the layman.

Is urea suitable for weed killing?

Since urea is a fertilizer, the desired effect can be reversed. Instead of strengthening the plants and suppressing weeds, the weeds, which adapt quickly to the conditions, thrive more.

Because of the difficulty of finding the right mixing ratio, you should leave urea fertilization to the professionals. This is also the reason why this fertilizer is mainly used in commercial cultivation.

How do I get rid of my weed then?

  • Mechanical weed removal (weeding) is the most environmentally friendly method.
  • You should also stay away from home remedies such as salt when removing weeds, as their use is prohibited by law.
  • A proven remedy that works very well is boiling water against weeds.
  • A protective mulch layer is suitable to prevent weeds from sprout.

tips

Assign weeds a permanent place in the garden and let them grow there undisturbed. Many weeds are important for the ecological balance, valuable bee food and offer butterfly caterpillars a protected place for pupating.

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Herbs