White Vinegar: 10 Ways To Use It For A Beautiful Garden

Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 08:49 pm

White vinegar is an impressive product for all the tasks it is challenged to accomplish: cleaning windows, descaling pipes, degreasing, disinfecting, staining, scrubbing, and deodorizing all surfaces… Very effective, multi-purpose and ecological, this natural product is useful for home maintenance and replaces most conventional household products. However, just like baking soda, it can also be indispensable in the garden! We’re proving it to you today with these ten great, eco-friendly tips that feature white vinegar in the garden.

1) To remove rust from tools

Tools sometimes end up rusting because of humidity and a fifteen minute bath in white vinegar could make them look like new! You will then need to rinse the tools well and wipe them dry. If that’s not enough, you can combine the vinegar bath with a baking soda bath and a protective layer of coconut oil once you’ve got your tools back in shape.

2) Against white stains on clay pots

Saltpetre has settled on your pots and gives them a dirty and worn look? It is possible to prevent it. However, once it has set in, there is nothing to stop you from fighting it with vinegar. You can bathe it for an hour in a mixture of equal parts water and vinegar or use a sponge to saturate the pot with the liquid before scrubbing well.

3) A biodegradable weed killer

If weeds are invading between your patio tiles or other areas of the garden, white vinegar can help remove them. We recommend spraying it on the weeds on a very sunny day to “fry” them, avoiding the plants and flowers you want to keep. Repeat later if necessary.

4) To scare away ants without chemicals

If you are invaded by ants, do not hesitate to apply some on the places of passage by not forgetting the frames of door and window (s) if they threw their devotion on your garden shed or one of your greenhouses.

5) For flowers that last longer

If you cut some flowers in your garden to put them in a vase or even if you were given some, you can add two tablespoons of white vinegar and a teaspoon of sugar in the water of the vase. This will make them last much longer and it also works to make roses last!

6) Help some flowers bloom

There are different types of soil, which can make gardening much more difficult! Some flowers can only thrive in acidic soil (azaleas, gardenias, hydrangeas, rhododendrons…) and if yours is not, you can still trick your plants into blooming by watering the soil weekly with a mixture of four liters of water and 250 ml of white vinegar.

7) Against fungus and mildew

If mold and mildew are after the plants in your garden, white vinegar will help you like no other! Against fungus and mildew, combine the fungicidal effects of vinegar with a simple infusion of chamomile by adding two teaspoons of vinegar. Spray on the affected plants.

8) Scare off felines

You can have no problem with cats, but you don’t want your neighbor’s cats to come into your yard to do their business or claw. For this, nothing can be done but to spray vinegar on the places where you don’t want them to go. And of course, it’s non-toxic to them.

9) To chase away pests

If you have more of a problem with unwanted aphids or other pests, fill a spray bottle with a mixture of three parts water, one part vinegar, and one teaspoon of dishwashing liquid and spray it on the leaves to be treated. Don’t overdo the vinegar thinking you’ll make the mixture more effective…you could harm your plants!

10) Helping seeds germinate

You’ve planted seeds, but they don’t seem to want to sprout? Some plants have a harder time germinating than others (sunflowers, asparagus…). Take matters into your own hands by soaking them in a mixture of 500 ml of water, 125 ml of white vinegar and a drop of organic dishwashing liquid for at least one full night.