18 Amazing Vinegar Uses in the Garden

Vinegar has myriads of uses in the kitchen, but it can also do miracles in the garden! Look at these 18 amazing vinegar uses to know more.

The vinegar is a natural product and is useful for both the home and garden.

1. Clean Clay Pots

Clay pots help keep the soil cool inside the pot in the summer, prevents water from being trapped and their warm reddish color provide attractive look too. However, as they age, they absorb calcium, minerals, and salts from water and fertilizers all making them look ugly. If you want to bring them to their original glory– Use vinegar. Here is how to clean them with vinegar.

2. Remove weeds on walls and walkway

Using vinegar is a great way to eliminate weeds that pop up on the walls of your garden or from the crevices of the walkway. To kill them, simply spray the place with pure white vinegar.

3. Get rid of ants

Vinegar is very effective in getting rid of ants. To repel ants, mix equal amounts of water and vinegar (either white or apple cider) and spray the solution on the ant hills in your garden. In the home, look out for ant’s entry paths, countertops, sink, and windows. The strong scent of vinegar will make the ants avoid the places sprayed with vinegar.

4. Keep animals away from the garden

Many animals, including common garden destroyers like rodents, moles, cats, dogs, rabbits, and deer loathe the strong scent of vinegar. You can keep out these unwanted visitors from the garden by soaking several old clothes in white vinegar and placing them on stakes around your garden where they usually come most.

Resoak the clothes about every 6-7 days regularly for better results.

5. Extend the life of cut flowers

You can use vinegar to extend the life of cut flowers: Add two tablespoons of vinegar and a teaspoon of sugar per liter of water.

6. Kill Weeds

If you want to get rid of those pesky plants in your garden that come out again & again: Use vinegar. Vinegar is a weed killer and can be used for effective weed control. Spraying it kills weeds within 2-3 days after application. Here is how to kill weeds using vinegar.

7. Vinegar garden insect spray

Vinegar is an effective solution for eliminating garden insects. To create a vinegar spray that works on garden insects, combine three parts water with one part vinegar in a spray bottle and add a teaspoon of dishwashing detergent. Shake the spray bottle to mix the contents thoroughly before use in the garden. Here is more on it.

8. Deter fruit flies

Save your fruit crops from the fruit flies, make a bait using vinegar. For this, you’ll need a cup of water, half a cup of apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup of sugar and 1 tbsp of molasses. Mix it all and put that solution in an empty container or tin can and hang it on affected fruit tree you’ll see how it will attract and trap them. The similar solution can be used for houseflies too.

Also Read: Apple Cider Vinegar Uses in Garden

9. Make acid-loving plants happy

Keep the acid-loving plants such as rhododendrons, gardenias, or azaleas happy with vinegar. Although its effect is temporary, you can give a quick acid boost to plants with vinegar. Mix cup of white vinegar to a gallon of water and water you acid loving plants with this solution.

10. Clean rust from garden tools

Vinegar can be used to make the garden tools rust free. Just spray or soak the tools in undiluted vinegar and leave them for a few minutes and then rinse and clean the tool.

You can also clean the birdbaths and birdhouses in your garden from vinegar!

11. Save plants from fungus

You can protect the plants suffering from fungus and mold; the vinegar fungicide recipe is simple and easy– Add 2 tsp of vinegar in brewed chamomile tea and spray this on the affected plants in your garden. It’s safe and organic!

12. Kill slugs and snails

Of many uses of vinegar, this one is getting popular among gardeners. You can kill snails and slugs with the help of vinegar. eHow has an informative article on this.

Also Read: Ways to Kill Slugs

13. Facilitate germination

The outer shell of the seeds is made of up a hard membrane that in some seeds disrupt the germination process such as in okra and nasturtiums. To facilitate germination soak the seeds overnight in water and vinegar solution. Don’t pour too much vinegar as adding just a few drops of white vinegar will do the trick. Not only will the seeds germinate quickly, but the probability of germination will also increase.

14. Outdoor furniture cleaning

Outdoor furniture is more susceptible to degradation, damage, and buildup compared to indoor furniture. After all, it’s exposed to all the diverse nature’s elements such as rain, frost, sun, dust, and whatnot! You can save your time and effort that scrubbing will take by wiping the furniture with a cloth soaked in vinegar to clean it. Vinegar is an effective cleanser that gets rids of the buildup and germs at the same time.

15. Cleaning birdbaths

Not keeping the birdbaths clean can turn your act of kindness into a disaster. The water can get contaminated by bacterias and severely affect the health of the bird. Weekly scrubbing with white vinegar keeps the birdbath in optimum condition and good as new. Also, it keeps the germs, unwanted odors, and algae growth and bay.

16. Removing water lines

Formation of water lines on old vases is a common occurrence which diminishes the beauty of the otherwise beautiful vase. It can be a glass vase or a vintage glass container that’s not cleaned in a long time, and thus mineral deposits form white lines or film. To remedy this, take a half tablespoon of salt and make its paste by adding an equal quantity of white vinegar in it. Rub this paste gently on the vase and leave it undisturbed for around 10 minutes. Wipe it clean with a paper towel, sponge, or bottle brush. It’s that simple!

17. Getting rid of berry stains

Harvesting berries take a toll on the hands as they get stained. If you got a berry stain on your hands, you already know how hard it can become to clean up that stain. Most of us wash hands again and again and try to scrub it off using a harsh chemical soap, which is the worst thing you can do for the skin. Instead, use distilled white vinegar to wash hands as that’ll get rid of the berry stains quickly and gently without making the skin dry, dull, and bruised.

18. Detering snakes

Just hearing the term snake gives chills to many of us, so don’t even ask about seeing an actual one. But as your garden thrives and grows, so does the chances of snake finding the shelter in there. As you already know that white vinegar has a pungent odor, and due to this odor, snakes are repelled by it. The best way to apply is to spray a white vinegar solution on the perimeter of your garden and especially any entrances snake can find into your property.