We all know those weeds that grow between the flagstones and are almost impossible to remove. Here are the best expert tips to get rid of them.
A popular gardener on TikTok has shared his most trusted technique for removing pesky weeds from his yard in seconds – and it’s cheap.
According to the expert, the solution is to pour boiling water directly on the weeds.
Action in seconds
The boiling water instantly hits the plant’s roots and helps them to break loose within seconds, meaning it can then be pulled out of the ground with minimal effort.
Simply boil your kettle or boil water in a saucepan, then pour it into the gaps between your outdoor patio tiles. This clever trick can also be used if you have paving stones elsewhere, for example on your driveway.
Kills weeds instantly
Many avid gardeners revealing their weed-killing tips on Reddit have endorsed the use of boiling water to kill weeds and have hailed this little-known tip as one of the most effective.
“Don’t use toxic substances to kill weeds, just use boiling water. It works better and kills weeds instantly,” wrote one user on the forum.
Using hot water is especially helpful when weeds are spread over a large area, according to gardening experts at Iowa State University.
“Boiling water will act as a contact ‘herbicide’ and will only kill the part of the plant it comes into contact with,” explains the educational organisation, adding: “It is most effective on young weeds and those that have recently emerged.”
Two additional tips
Even if the plant cannot be pulled out, it will begin to wilt within a day or two of being scalded, whether on the garden path or driveway. If the weeds are still too small to pull out of the ground, applying baking soda will kill them at the root and prevent further growth.
Alternatively, filling the holes in the liner with a sealant will create a physical barrier that weeds cannot get through, but after some weathering the seal will improve again.
