Kill Weeds, Not Your Kids

Today's Frugal Living Tip:
How to kills the weeds, without harming your kids or your pets.

This weed in the sidewalk crack is a common problem. The retail stores offer all sorts of solutions; mainly poison. This one was sprayed yesterday with Roundup. It's still green, but it's starting to brown. This product is popular and its users tell me that it is effective. I've never used it. 2.5 gallons of the stuff sells for $135. I don't shop like that. Here's what this frugal mom suggests:

1) Leave it - who cares if you have weeds growing in your sidewalk?
Can't leave it? Okay, me either. I'm cheap, but I do like things to look clean, including my sidewalks.

2) Free physical labor; this is the no cost option. Just get out there and pull the weeds from the cracks. Be sure to get the roots as much as you can. This is a free option, but it does require some diligence as the pesky plants do grow back.

3) Vinegar. This is a cheap alternative to poison. It is safe for kids - it's what you use to make pickles.  One gallon costs about $1.
You can fill a spray bottle and squirt it right on the plants OR you can just pour it directly on them.
Here's what you get with that method: The plants are dead, but I still have to clean up.

My best suggestion, after some experimenting, is to pull the weeds, and then pour the vinegar directly into the cracks. This is the most effective and will last the longest. It is the acid in the vinegar that kills the plant.

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