Does Boiling Water Kill Weeds? Experts Explain
29.08.2024 - 03:28
/ southernliving.com
/ Lauren David
Weeds, also known as plants out of place, are part of gardening. Tiny plants crop up in areas where you least expect them or alongside other plants, where they compete for the same resources. Some weeds are easy to remove while others require more time and effort. If you have an organic garden or want to minimize using herbicides and chemicals in your garden, you likely spend ample time pulling weeds. And you may wonder if pouring boiling water is an effective option to kill weeds naturally.
We spoke to gardening experts about how pouring boiling water over weeds works, when to use this method, and tips and considerations before implementing this technique.
- Barbara Smith is a Consumer Horticulturist with the Clemson Extension Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC).
- Carrie Spoonemore is the co-creator of Park Seed's From Seed to Spoon app.
- Linda Vater is a plant expert for Southern Living® Plant Collection.
How Boiling Water Kills Weeds
Pouring boiling water on weeds is a chemical-free method that works as a contact herbicide to eliminate unwanted plants in an area of your garden. This technique is best for small weeds with shallow roots rather than weeds with deep roots or more established weeds. "[Boiling water] usually will only kill the top of the plant that's above ground and will not kill the root, especially on older weeds that have a deep root system or taproot," says Barbara Smith, Consumer Horticulturist with the Clemson Extension Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC).
The scalding water harms the foliage, not the roots, which is why it's best for small weeds. «Boiling water works by shocking the weeds, which damages the plant cells and ultimately kills them,» says Carrie Spoonemore, co-creator of
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