Gardening Expert shares chemical-free ways to kill weeds – using items you already own

A gardening expert shared his tips on how to rid your outdoor space of weeds without using harsh chemicals — and you probably already have everything you need

If you’re lucky enough to have a home with some outdoor space, you’re probably already enjoying the color palette beginning to appear in your flower beds for the summer months.

Unfortunately, weeds also grow and bloom with the flowers – and unless you’re comfortable using harsh chemicals and weed killers on your flower beds, getting rid of them can be difficult.

Thanks to the gardening experts at Safer Brand, you don’t have to worry about ruining the flowers you want to grow while getting rid of those pesky flowers you don’t have, as they told Express.co.uk about the perfect no-hassle hack , which clears your garden of weeds.

All you need to make it work is some paper – so have your copy of the Daily Mirror handy!

Get the news you want straight to your inbox. Sign up for a Mirror newsletter here.

Gardening experts say one of the best ways to keep weeds at bay is to “smother” them with mulch, which you can make from newspaper, leaves, straw, or even a black tarp.

Mulch works by smothering weeds and preventing them from receiving the necessary nutrients they need from the sun to grow.

The experts said: “Smother your weeds with mulch.

“Don’t throw away the morning paper just yet. Paper, leaves, straw, or even a black tarp are great materials to use to smother your weeds.

“Just make sure you put enough mulch on the weeds to block any light.”

When you’re done reading your newspaper, simply cut the leaves into strips (or use a paper shredder if you like) and toss the pieces in your flower beds – make sure there’s enough paper laid out to let the sun out not get into the weeds.

The paper is biodegradable and will degrade over time, which in turn feeds the plants you want to keep alive.

If you’ve already put that morning’s newspaper in the bin and want to use something special for the garden, the experts at Safer Brand recommend using corn gluten to keep weeds under control.

The corn byproduct “supposedly prevents weeds from ever emerging” because it prevents seeds from germinating and has no effect on already established plants.

The experts added, “Corn gluten also provides a healthy dose of nitrogen, a nutrient plants need to grow.”

And for more chemical-free options, you can use white vinegar, baking soda, boiling water, and lemon juice to kill weeds.

White vinegar can permanently kill weeds when mixed with dish soap because the acetic acid in the vinegar removes the water from the weeds, causing them to dry out.

Baking soda kills weeds by drawing water from the plant cells, causing the weed’s leaves to dry up, while lemon juice contains citric acid, which has a burning effect on weeds when applied directly to it.

Do you have a story to sell? contact us under yourmirror@trinitymirror.com .