Weeds can become a big problem in late autumn as they thrive in damp weather, but it is best to deal with them now as they can overgrow and become uncontrollable over winter.
It may sometimes feel impossible to fully get rid of weeds as they can get into every crack in your patio slabs and still spring up even if you spend all days pulling them up from the ground.
The reason weeds tend to regrow quickly is many common weed removals such as white vinegar cannot penetrate deep enough into the plant to kill the root.
However, Lisa Bronner, an expert and founder of Gong Green, has shared on her Facebook page that the best way to kill weeds quickly and stop them from growing back is steaming hot water.
Lisa said: “Boiling water is an effective, non-toxic weed killer. Pour boiling water directly onto weeds that pop up through cracks and seams, gravel, or hard-to-reach places (like the narrow space behind my AC compressor!).
“Use more water on thicker stalks and less on the scrawny ones. Take care carrying the hot kettle and don’t splash your ankles!”
It may seem simple, but boiling water cooks the weed’s cells and destroys them almost instantly on impact so the plant will begin to wilt and die within an hour.
Boiling water can also penetrate deeply into weeds and reach the roots so it will be incredibly difficult for the weed to recover and grow back.
All you need to do is fill a kettle, carefully carry it to where weeds are growing and slowly pour it onto the plant so it has time to reach the root.
Not only is this method not use chemicals that can linger in the soil but boiling water will only kill plants where you pour it, which makes it easier to target specific weeds without harming the garden.
However, make sure to take your time when pouring the water to avoid any water splashback getting onto the grass or nearby flowers.
In Lisa’s comment section, many people praised this gardening method and recommended it for anyone struggling to get rid of weeds.
One user said: “My mom did this for at least 40 years and it always worked for her. She went out every morning with her kettle of boiling water to kill new ones.”
Another person said: “I tried this and it worked a treat!” Someone else wrote: “I do this! Works like magic on the driveway!”
