Weeds live to grow anywhere in gardens, even between patio slabs. However, there could be a way to get rid of them “for good”.
A viral TikTok hack has been shared recently that prevents weeds from growing in between concrete areas such as patios and driveways “for good”.
The TikTok hack, originally shared by Dr. Janine Bowring, shows mixing one part salt with two parts water, stirring, then pouring over weeds growing through the driveway and pavement gaps to kill vegetation.
Harry Bodell, gardening expert at PriceYourJob, upon spotting the method, has debunked this tip.
He said: “This method works by ultimately dehydrating weeds. Salt interferes with the weed’s ability to absorb essential nutrients such as potassium, magnesium and calcium.
“The disruption in nutrient uptake weakens the plant’s overall health, causing it to dry out from dehydration and die.
“The salt method prevents further growth of weeds. There are certain ions present in salt which can be toxic to plants.
“When accumulated in high concentrations, it interferes with natural processes such as photosynthesis, leading to cell damage and dehydration of the plant.”
So how would the gardening expert recommend using this natural weed killer? Harry said: “Once you’ve prepared your salt solution, lightly pour the solution over gaps in between paving slabs on garden paths, specifically concentrating on areas that have weeds currently growing through.
“It’s important to do this on a particularly dry day so humidity and rain don’t wash away the solution.
“Overnight, the solution will work on drying out the plant to the root, making the weed easy to remove the next day.”
However, Bodell also recommends using the solution sparingly to avoid it affecting other plants.
He claimed that while salt can “effectively kill weeds”, it can also accumulate in sand and soil and “affect the growth of other plants”.
Use it sparingly and only in areas you wish to have no plants growing through, as it could impact the future growth of other plants.
Salt is very inexpensive and something you probably already own. If not, salt retails for just 55p at Morrisons and can be picked up from other local supermarkets for a similar price.
