Pet Safe, Homemade Weed Killer!
Pet Safe/Homemade Weed Killer You Must Try!
If you’re like me, you spend most of your quality free time enjoying some fetch or wiping your dogs butts. You typically don’t have a whole lot of time for anything else, except maybe eating. Even still, I find myself more focused on my dogs well being & forget to eat all the time. With that being said, I do enjoy a well manicured property/lawn, especially where my dogs frolic. In this post I’m going to discuss a pet safe/natural weed killer that will save your wallet & the earth :)
First things First:
We know that ticks tend to congregate where they can find shade. Tall grass & overgrown lawns are prime locations for these blood sucking, midget vampires to plot their attacks. My biggest problem combatting these issues was my fence line. On my property I host a large number of dogs for training & boarding. Ensuring that I keep my personal dogs & clients dogs healthy from ticks is one of my top priorities.
With a 3 acre property & 1.5 acres of fence line, you could expect to fork over a good chunk of change for some store bought chemicals that may or may not do the job. These name brand weed killers are not only harmful to your dogs if they ingest the chemicals, they average around $50 for a gallon of solution. I easily could have spent $100 per month just attempting to keep up with the weeds. Money aside, it’s just not worth taking the risk for your dogs safety. I was determined to find a solution to this & began my research. After trying several homemade concoctions I found one answer that changed the weed game forever.
The Solution:
What I stumbled across was an all natural/pet safe solution that could be purchased at my local grocery store & one trip to the hardware store. White Vinegar, salt & dish soap. Who would have thought….
What You Need:
1 Gallon Pump Sprayer - $12.99-$19.99
1 Gallon of White Vinegar - $2.99 - $4.99
1 Cup Of Salt - $0.99 - $1.99
1 Tablespoon of Liquid Dish Soap $1.99 - $3.99
Pour the White Vinegar into the pump sprayer, add your 1 cup of salt (mix vinegar & salt until the salt has dissolved & 1 tablespoon of dish soap). Make sure to mix the solution together before using.
How To Use:
Once you’ve concocted your solution, begin spraying in the areas you want to treat. To ensure best quality make sure you apply the solution during the peak of the day with the sun beating down on the areas you’ve treated. Note that you may need to trim down the more grown areas so that the solution & the sun can work the mixture into the weeds by dehydrating the pesky plants. I have noticed that the solution sometimes doesn’t work its way to the roots, so apply a little more of the solution more frequently. Also note that you should be careful how much to spray into the soil as it may affect future growth in these areas.
Conclusion:
I use this solution frequently along the fence lines, driveway & graveled areas so that it prevents any spots that I’ve missed. Although it is pet safe, I do allow the solution to work itself into the weeds for a period of time before allowing my dogs to sniff around as I’ve noticed some are attracted to the smell. Salt is a natural dehydrator & I want to be careful my dogs don’t lick off too much of it, especially in this crazy heat wave we are experiencing. Plus I don’t need my dogs farts to smell like vinegar ;)
I hope everybody finds this article helpful in one way or another & I encourage you all to share with your friends & social media community so we can cut down on the harsh chemical exposure to our pups. Please let me know your experience with this solution & tell me if it works or doesn’t work for you!
Have a safe & cool summer!
-Michael-
customk9companion@gmail.com
Source: HGTV