Hi
About a week ago, on another forum, I posted a question on how to rid clover and there was a home made concoction with vinegar to use. A gal at work also suggested the vinegar mix. Then this weekend, I read in the Nov/Dec issue of "Backyard Living", on how to rid poison ivy with the same type of homemade vinegar concoction. Here is the recipe.

Mix 1 gallon apple cider vinegar, one container table salt (I would guess the 26 oz size), and four tablespoons dishwashing detergent.

They then said to spray mixture on the poison ivy every day for a week. I am definitely going to try it on my clover and on some vine type stuff that I canÂt get rid of with round-up. I figure for a few dollars itÂs worth a try, and hey after having it recommended three times in a week, why not.

Sandy

The vinegar mix mentioned previously if good but weak. Supermarket vinegar is a 5% solution... if you look around you can find a commercial (restuarant-grade) vinegar that's 25%... I use (spray) this judiciously on hot sunny days.

Round-up contaminates ground water... try not to use it.

Good Luck

Salt is really hard to get out of soil -- remember how the soil at conquered Carthage was strewn with salt to poison it? Some of the worst-contaminated ground in the world, unredeemable, is the soil at the base of old Texas oil wells, where the salty water that underlay the underground oil has overflowed. Be real careful with that salt if you ever want anything else to grow there!

Lynn

I stopped by the farmers co-op and bought a gallon jug of vinegar, the guy told me it was as strong as the restaurant-grade mentioned by Andy. The guy also said to be careful where I sprayed it, for the vinegar alone will kill. He said people put the detergent into the mix to aid in holding the vinegar onto the leafs of what ever your spraying. I bought it and will give it a whirl. Vinegar and detergent that is. I will probably give a few doses now, since it's getting pretty cold and wet here and do a good round of a week or so this coming Spring when the weather is warm.

Andy - do you suggest that one should keep out the salt? Do you mix anything with the vinegar when you spray?

Summercoxe - you will have to let us know what you end up trying and if it works.

It's good to remember that the vinegar based solutions will not act systemically (for example Roundup acts systemically traveling through the plant to the roots) to kill weeds, it is essentially an acid that destroys plant cells. Also it's important to know that the higher percentage vinegars can come with safety issues, and if you apply them, there is a need to wear eye protection and gloves. See the link below. And Roundup used in on weeds growing in the garden will not present a groundwater pollution problem, although there are other herbicides that can do this. Roundup binds very tightly to soil particles as it breaks down over time.

Here is a link that might be useful: WSU vinegar facts

Jayk - Thanks for the info on using Vinegar.