Household vinegar has its uses in the garden, but it can kill plants.
Water gives life to plants, and you can't find a substitute for it. If you were to give a plant vinegar instead of water for any length of time, the plant would die. If quantities of the vinegar had entered the soil, it would change the pH balance of the soil to alkaline and will take some time before the soil can be used to grow plants again. However, plants do have some good uses for vinegar, and if you are careful and use it correctly it can be invaluable in your garden, depending on how much you use.
What is Vinegar?
Vinegar is "a sour liquid obtained by fermentation of dilute alcoholic liquids and used as a condiment or preservative," according to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Vinegar is an acetic acid produced from fermentation of ethanol that comes from wine, cider, beer or fruit juices. Acetic acid bacteria are added to the substance to cause oxidization, which results in acetic acid. It is sold in concentrations of 5 percent acetic acid for household uses and 15 percent to 20 percent for industrial use.
Uses of Vinegar in the Garden
Vinegar has many constructive uses in the garden. It works as an organic herbicide, eliminating grasses and weeds from the crevices and cracks of driveways. It gives a boost to plants that love acid, like azaleas, gardenias and hydrangeas. It will stop ants from congregating anywhere you don't want them, and repels dogs from walking over your plants. It will prevent cats from using your children's sandbox for a litter tray, increase the acidity in your soil and neutralize the effects of garden lime.
Quantities to Use
To use vinegar as an herbicide, you will need a higher concentration than regular household strength vinegar. By distilling the vinegar you can obtain a 15 percent concentration, and by freeze evaporation you can get 30 percent strength. Both of these industrial strength vinegars are available from stores. Pour full-strength vinegar onto the weeds you want to kill. To improve the acidity of your soil, mix a cup of distilled white vinegar to 1 gallon of tap water and use it to water those plants that need it.
Recovery from Vinegar
The majority of plants will not grow in soil with a high acidic content. If you have used vinegar on a plant regularly, it might have increased the acidity of the soil, and will need to recover before you can plant anything else. Raise the pH of the soil by mixing in hydrated lime or limestone and wood ash, especially in the top six inches of soil. Modifying the pH of the soil can take time and may require several treatments.
FAQs
Vinegar is a contact herbicide, which means it kills the part of the plant it comes into contact with. Systemic herbicides, on the other hand, are taken up by the plant's vascular system and delivered to roots, eventually killing the whole plant instead of just its top growth.
Will a little vinegar hurt my plants? ›
OK, when you use vinegar as a plant disease control you do use a lower concentration which shouldn't hurt the plant. But vinegar has never proven to be particularly effective at controlling plant diseases. Vinegar as a fertilizer: Nope, doesn't work.
How do plants react to vinegar? ›
Vinegar is fatal to plant life. It is acidic and thus dissolves the cell membranes of leaves. This leads to the desiccation of plant tissues and ultimately results in plant death. When introduced into the soil, it lowers the pH level and inhibits plant growth.
What does vinegar do to potted plants? ›
Vinegar is acidic, and in high concentrations it can be harmful to plants. Spraying vinegar on leaves can cause leaf damage, yellowing, and wilting. It can also affect the soil pH, making it too acidic for some plants to grow properly.
Does baking soda help plants grow? ›
Baking soda is a salt, and all salts—along with other minerals in excess—can be detrimental to plant growth. Salt acts as a desiccant on plants and causes wilted foliage, stunted growth, and eventually, death. Healthy plants can quickly go downhill from an excess of salts.
Can I clean plants with vinegar? ›
Do try lemon juice or vinegar for more stubborn buildup. If your leaves have a buildup of residue that's hard to wipe off, then mixing water with either lemon juice or vinegar can be a great solution. The key here is to keep it pretty weak as you don't want to damage your plant's leaves.
What plants can be killed with vinegar? ›
A vinegar mixture works best on small, annual weeds. It's less effective with older weeds, perennials, or grasses.
Is coffee good for plants? ›
Coffee grounds (and brewed coffee) are a source of nitrogen for plants, producing healthy green growth and strong stems. Coffee also contains calcium and magnesium — both of which are beneficial to plant health. To use coffee as a plant fertilizer, you'll need to dilute it. It should look like weak tea.
Is beer good for plants? ›
The carbohydrates in beer are known as simple sugars. Anyone who has seen another person who drinks vast quantities of beer with that telltale beer belly can probably guess that these types of carbs are no better for plants than people. Plants utilize complex carbohydrates, and thus, beer as fertilizer is a bust.
Will vinegar change soil? ›
The second reason is that applying vinegar only changes the pH of the water solution in the soil and it does not create a reaction to change the pH of the mineral portion. As soon as you started watering with regular water, the soil pH would soon return to the higher pH.
Can I Just Sprinkle Epsom Salt on Plants? Never apply Epsom salt straight from the package. Always dilute the granules in water first, and either drench your plants' roots or spray it on the foliage. Don't spray on hot or sunny days, however, to avoid scorching the foliage.
Is sugar good for plants? ›
Since we now know that using sugar in our waterings won't help plants effectively, we must also consider the potential harm. The number one effect that most studies have found is that sugar can reduce the plants' ability to absorb or take in any water.
Is it okay to water plants with vinegar? ›
Maintaining Your Garden
Combine 1 cup (240 mL) of white vinegar and 4 litres (17 c) of cool water together in a watering can or jug. Next, stir both ingredients together using a long utensil. Pour the mixture over your plant beds to lower the pH, which can help certain plants (e.g., azaleas, rhododendrons) to thrive.
Does vinegar damage soil? ›
Even though vinegar is an acid, it breaks down quickly in the soil and, therefore, is not likely to accumulate enough to affect soil pH for more than a few days. Vinegar causes a rapid burn to plant tissue of susceptible species, so unintended injury is quite likely without knowing more information.
Does vinegar stop mold on plants? ›
Similar to mouthwash, the acetic acid of vinegar can control powdery mildew. A mixture of 2-3 tablespoons of common apple cider vinegar, containing 5% acetic acid mixed with a gallon of water does job. However, too much vinegar can burn plants but at the same time, higher concentrations (above 5%) are more effective.
Does vinegar make plants last longer? ›
Vinegar. Some people say vinegar inhibits bacteria growth and the ideal thing to keep the bacteria away is to actually mix some sugar and vinegar together with the water in the vase before adding the flowers. The one-two punch of the sugar and the vinegar is an effective life-extending combo.
How do you mix vinegar and water for plants? ›
Increase Soil Acidity
In hard water areas, add a cup of vinegar to a gallon of tap water for watering acid loving plants like rhododendrons, gardenias or azaleas. The vinegar will release iron in the soil for the plants to use.
Can you use vinegar as a pH down? ›
Since your pH is alkaline, you will need to acidify the solution. For adjusting a few gallons of solution, two regular aspirin per gallon of water will lower a pH of 8.0 to near 6.0. You can use a teaspoon of white vinegar per gallon as an alternative method.
Is vinegar and sugar good for plants? ›
Dissolve 3 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons white vinegar per quart (liter) of warm water. When you fill the vase, make sure the cut stems are covered by 3-4 inches (7-10 centimeters) of the prepared water. The sugar nourishes the plants, while the vinegar inhibits bacterial growth.
