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Home gardeners frequently struggle with weed control, and many are looking for alternatives to conventional herbicides. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a homemade weed killer mixture in comparison to commercial options such as Roundup and horticultural vinegar. The study was carried out in three Ohio counties—Knox, Morrow, and Delaware—to offer research-based insights on non-selective weed control techniques in response to public inquiries and false information found online. 

Four 1 ft² plots were used for the experiment's replication at each site. The treatments included: (1) a homemade mixture containing 1 gallon vinegar, 1 cup salt, and 1 tablespoon dish soap; (2) Harris Vinegar Grass & Weed Killer (20% acetic acid); (3) Roundup Easy Spray, which contained triclopyr, fluazifop-P-butyl, and diquat dibromide; and (4) an untreated control plot. The Morrow County site featured tall fescue, clover, and Canada thistle with moderate regrowth following mowing. The Delaware County site had a previously mowed grass area, while the Knox County site straddled a property line, with one side maintained and the other overgrown. 

According to preliminary findings, all treatments were effective at controlling weeds, especially in Morrow County, where little regrowth was seen, probably as a result of the county's low rainfall (7.1 inches between August and October). Pre-existing grass conditions, a lack of precipitation, and pre-application mowing were some of the difficulties at the Delaware County location that might have affected the results of the treatment. Property line weed control was the focus of the Knox County study, and further research is planned for particular weed species. 

In the future, the trial will broaden to include a new herbicide designed to dry weeds in less than a day that contains geraniol, cornmint oil, and sodium lauryl sulfate. This study advances Extension's objective of offering evidence-based suggestions for sustainable home gardening practices by evaluating other weed management techniques.