A 90p bottle of lemon juice from Sainsbury's killed patio weeds in a couple of hours on a sunny day, offering a natural alternative to vinegar, salt, and chemical weed killers.
Mia O'Hare, Senior Audience Writer for Spare Time, tested the method after reading about it in Gardener's World magazine. The magazine suggested using lemon juice because it contains citric acid, which can cause weeds to shrivel. It recommended around five lemons, or more if needed, but noted that ready-squeezed lemon juice could also be used.
Simple application on patio weeds
O'Hare bought a 250ml bottle of lemon juice from Sainsbury's for 90p, finding it easier than squeezing lemons herself. She applied the juice directly onto a single patio weed to test the method, using the bottle to direct the liquid onto the weed and its leaves.
The method is best used on paths, paving, pavements, and driveways, according to the magazine. On a cloudy day, the weed showed little change. Repeating the process on a sunny day produced more impressive results, with the weed shrivelling up after just a couple of hours.
Sunshine and repeated applications recommended
The sun helped the lemon juice kill the weed, so the method is best saved for good weather, as rain would wash the juice away. Gardener's World also advised that homemade weed killers do not have the same weed-killing powers as glyphosate and other commercially available products.
The magazine recommended using more than one application over a few weeks, as one dose may not be enough to kill the weed completely. It also stressed spraying on a dry day, otherwise rain will wash it away.
How to kill weeds with lemon juice
To use the method, squeeze all lemons until you have juice if not using a pre-bought bottle. Take the juice outside to the patio area and pour it directly onto the weed, covering the leaves and aiming some at the weed's root.
Leave the juice on the weed in the sunshine and return in a few hours, when it should have shrivelled up. If not, apply more juice on a dry, sunny day.
