Organic Ways to Kill Bugs & Weeds in a Lawn

Vinegar

• Vinegar is a natural organic solution derived from substances like wine, cider and malt. The pungent acetic acid found in vinegar may have some effectiveness in repelling some pests, but it is extremely useful as a weed killer. In some cases, you can kill weeds simply by spraying them with household vinegar. For stronger weeds, you may need a vinegar with a higher concentration of acetic acid. Home improvement and gardening stores sell highly-concentrated, vinegar-based herbicides.

Lemon Juice

• Lemon juice is another natural acidic solution for stubborn weeds. Just place some lemon juice in a spray bottle and spray the weeds wherever they occur. Use only 100 percent lemon juice for best results, and wait for the weeds to die over the next couple of days. From there, just scoop up the remains and enjoy your weed-free garden. If the weed continues to put up a fight, spray a second application of lemon juice.

Homemade Pest Killer

• When dealing with bugs, you will need a more effective contact killer. Try mixing a teaspoon of mild dish washing detergent with one cup of vegetable oil and then add a quart of water. Spray the solution directly onto pests, and also onto any plants that you wish to protect from insect invaders. As an even more effective deterrent to pests, try also mixing 1/2 cup of hot water with 3 tablespoons of crushed hot pepper. Wait 30 minutes, strain the pepper flakes and mix the solution with your detergent solution. Spray directly over leaves.

Other Organic Insecticides

• For ant invasions, try combining a liter of water, a teaspoon of boric acid and a cup of sugar. Soak cotton balls with this insecticidal solution and place them near the ant colony. For roaches, sprinkle some diatomaceous earth in areas where you commonly find the pests. You can safely kill many outdoor pests using simply a drop of mild dish detergent inside a spray bottle filled with water. Best of all, you can find all of these safe and natural solutions in home supply stores and they will not harm your grass or plants.