Fw: Spray Weeds With Vinegar?

**"Doreen Howard" doreenh@ticon.net>**

I'm forwarding this from the USDA, because we have had so much discussion
about the value of using vinegar as a weed killer.
Doreen Howard
---------------------------------------------------------------
> > ___________________________________________
> >
> > ARS News Service
> > Agricultural Research Service, USDA
> > Don Comis, (301) 504-1625, comis@ars.usda.gov
> > May 15, 2002
> > ___________________________________________
> >
> > Some home gardeners already use vinegar as a herbicide, and some garden
> > stores sell vinegar pesticides. But no one has tested it scientifically
> > until now.
> >
> > Agricultural Research Service scientists offer the first scientific
> > evidence that it may be a potent weedkiller that is inexpensive and
> > environmentally safe--perfect for organic farmers.
> >
> > ARS researchers Jay Radhakrishnan, John R. Teasdale and Ben Coffman in
> > Beltsville, Md., tested vinegar on major weeds--common lamb's-quarters,
> > giant foxtail, velvetleaf, smooth pigweed and Canada thistle--in
> > greenhouse and field studies.
> >
> > They hand-sprayed the weeds with various solutions of vinegar, uniformly
> > coating the leaves. The researchers found that 5- and 10-percent
> > concentrations killed the weeds during their first two weeks of life.
> > Older plants required higher concentrations of vinegar to kill them. At
> > the higher concentrations, vinegar had an 85- to 100-percent kill rate
at
> > all growth stages. A bottle of household vinegar is about a 5-percent
> > concentration.
> >
> > Canada thistle, one of the most tenacious weeds in the world, proved the
> > most susceptible; the 5-percent concentration had a 100-percent kill
rate
> > of the perennial's top growth. The 20-percent concentration can do this
in
> > about 2 hours.
> >
> > Spot spraying of cornfields with 20 percent vinegar killed 80 to 100
> > percent of weeds without harming the corn, but the scientists stress the
> > need for more research. If the vinegar were sprayed over an entire
field,
> > it would cost about $65 per acre. If applied to local weed infestations
> > only, such as may occur in the crop row after cultivation, it may only
> > cost about $20 to $30.
> >
> > The researchers use only vinegar made from fruits or grains, to conform
to
> > organic farming standards.
> >
> > ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research
> > agency.
> >
> > ___________________________________________
> > * This is one of the news reports that ARS Information distributes to
> > subscribers on weekdays.
> > * Start, stop or change an e-mail subscription at
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> > * The latest news is always at www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm
> > * NewsService@ars.usda.gov | www.ars.usda.gov/is | phone (301) 504-1638
|
> > fax (301) 504-1648
> >
> >
>
>

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