10 Homemade Weed Killers

When I boil potatoes or pasta during the gardening season, I repurpose the boiling water by draining the pot directly onto the weeds that like to invade my backyard herb garden and patio. A splash of scalding water will shrivel even the toughest weeds in a couple of days.

3. Smother Them:
Cover low-growing weeds like clover and crabgrass with several layers of newspaper and eventually the lack of sunlight will exterminate them. Similarly, putting down layers of newspaper (remember, it's biodegradable) and then covering it with mulch is a highly effective way of keeping weeds from sprouting up in the first place and it helps to retain ground moisture.

Related: 6 Reasons Clover Is Not a Weed