Does Baking Soda Kill Weeds? What You Need To Know About This DIY Herbicide

If you’re searching for a more environmentally friendly herbicide , you might be wondering whether baking soda kills weeds. A simple search of the internet comes up with dozens of suggestions for killing weeds using household products, and baking soda as a weed killer is often at the forefront. So can you use baking soda to kill weeds? Let's find out.

Does Baking Soda Kill Weeds?

Many of us are striving to garden in an environmentally friendly manner and to that end, find alternative methods of weed control. The internet is rife with suggestions for “natural” weed suppressors or killers but are they actually better for the environment?

In the case of using baking soda for weed control, the answer is not clear cut. On the one hand, yes, baking soda will kill weeds... at least some of them. It’s an inexpensive option and is touted as environmentally safe, but is it?

• Baking soda is poisonous to plants because it is full of salt which dries out the plants’ foliage.
• It is water soluble, which means it will also enter the surrounding soil, possibly to the detriment of nearby plants.
• While baking soda desicates foliage, it doesn’t necessarily kill the roots of the weed, meaning it will likely rebound. Then you’ve got weeds yet again!

How to Use Baking Soda to Kill Weeds

If you want to try using baking soda to kill weeds, dilute the baking soda at a one-to-one ratio of baking soda to water in a spray bottle. Then simply spray only the weeds you wish to eradicate, taking care to saturate all the foliage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does baking soda kill weeds permanently?

No, baking soda will not permanently kill most weeds. It will crisp up the leaves but likely won’t affect the roots of the plant unless the weed is very tiny and immature. This means the weed might look dead for a bit, but as resilient weeds do, the plant will likely rebound as healthy or healthier than it was before treatment.

Which is better for killing weeds - vinegar or baking soda?

Vinegar is a better “natural” solution to killing weeds than baking soda. Baking soda doesn’t affect the root system of the weed to kill it permanently while vinegar, when applied directly to the weed on a sunny day, will indeed eradicate your weed nemesis entirely.

What can I mix with baking soda to kill weeds?

Adding vinegar to your mixture of baking soda and water can up your game in the battle to kill weeds in a more environmentally friendly manner. Dissolve 1½ cups (350 mL) of baking soda and 2 tablespoons of vinegar (30 mL) in a gallon (3.8 L) of water and transfer to a spray bottle.