Weeds are simply plants growing in the wrong places, but this doesn’t make them any less irritating when they crop up on patios and driveways. They can spread very fast so it’s important to remove them when they crop up. Whilst there are lots of commercial weed killers on the market, these often contain strong chemicals which aren’t great for the environment or wildlife.
Instead, one garden expert has shared a quick trick using a cupboard staple, salt. Harry Bodell, garden expert at PriceYourJob, 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, too.
“There are certain ions present in salt which can be toxic to plants when accumulated in high concentrations, which interfere with natural processes such as photosynthesis, leading to cell damage and dehydration of the plant.”
To make your salt solution, simply mix one part salt with two parts water, stirring them well to combine.
Once the solution has been prepared, pour it between the paving slabs or on garden paths. The expert added: “Overnight, the solution will work on drying out the plant at the root, making the weed easy to remove the next day.
“While salt can effectively kill weeds, it can also accumulate in sand and soil and affect the growth of other plants.
“Use sparingly and only on areas you wish to have no plants growing through, as it could impact the future growth of other plants.”
A bottle of regular table salt can be picked up for as little as 65p from supermarkets such as Tesco and Asda.
