Most of us would probably agree that preventing weeds (or spraying them) is easier than pulling them. Problem is, weed preventers or weed killing sprays can be dangerous to people and animals. To help you keep weeds under control without using commercial herbicides, here are 10 DIY, safer weed control methods that provide effective weed relief.
1. Landscape Fabric or Plastic
These materials are popular because they are very effective at killing weeds. If you have a spot that’s turned into nothing much but weeds (or grass that you want to get rid of for gardening) this might be your best bet.
2. The Smother Method
If you have low-growing weeds to get rid of, such as clover or crabgrass, you can simply cover the area with newspaper and weigh it down. The lack of sunlight will cause the weeds to die eventually. And if you put mulch on top of the newspaper, the paper will nourish the soil as it breaks down. Win-win!
3. Cook’em
Okay, you’re not actually going to cook them, but you are going to pour a pot of boiling water over them. Plain old tap water…just boil and pour. It works even better if you add a tablespoon of salt to the water.
4. Speaking of Salt…
When you see a clearance price on rock salt at winter’s end, stock up. Table salt will work too, but rock salt comes in the big bags you’ll need. In the spring, salt your paths and other spots where you don’t want ANYTHING to grow for a long time. It can erode concrete over time, so be careful where you put it. You might need to water over the salt to kill existing weeds.
5. Vinegar
You’ve probably heard that vinegar can work wonders for weed control. But it works better if you use the higher-acid, horticultural kind (20% acetic acid). It’ll kill just about anything, but isn’t as effective on weeds with a grassy look. Be selective where you put it, as it could lower your soil’s pH.
6. Crowd Them Out
One of the best ways to prevent weeds is to plant lots of things you actually want. Their root systems will naturally help prevent weeds from taking hold. Ground cover, veggies, and flowers — when there’s enough of them — will help defeat weeds by stealing the water, nutrients, and sunshine.
7. Get Their Goat
Did you know you can actually hire goats to come and eat your weeds or other unwanted vegetation? And they’re cute to boot! You probably know Amazon has practically everything, but did you know you can order goats? It’s a magical, wonderful world we live in.
8. DIY Weed Killer
This recipe uses vinegar, salt, and dish soap to make your own, safer kind of weed killer.
9. Burn, Baby, Burn
You can procure a garden torch from your local hardware store and simply burn the weeds away. It might actually be fun — as long as you keep the flame away from fences, pets, and people. Use with caution! 
10. Borax
Mix 10 oz of borax powder to 2 1/2 gallons of water. Put the solution in your garden sprayer and go to town, coating the leaves in the mixture. Just be careful not to get it on your favorite plants and flowers, and don’t saturate the soil. It can also burn sensitive skin, so be aware of that.
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