10 amazing ways to use vinegar in the garden

There's a handy ingredient probably sitting in your pantry just waiting to provide an array of super benefits: vinegar. You likely know that this handy ingredient works wonders for cleaning inside the home, and that this acidic ingredient is good at eliminating odors. But did you know you can safely use this ingredient in the garden too?

Check out a few clever ways you can use vinegar (white and apple cider) where your veggies and plants spend their days.

Instead of spending a lot of money on toxic chemicals to get rid of the weeds in your garden, try pouring vinegar directly on the weeds. The acetic acid will stop weed growth without damaging the soil.

2. Get rid of ants:

Ants don't like the smell of vinegar, so you can keep them at bay by mixing 1 part water and 1 part vinegar in a spray bottle and attacking ant hills with the solution. Both white vinegar and apple cider vinegar work well.

Cut a pretty bouquet of flowers from your garden, and keep them fresh by adding two tablespoons of vinegar and a teaspoon of sugar to a quart of water.

4. Clean rust from tools:

If your rake, hoe, or water spigot is getting a bit grimy, soak it in vinegar overnight. Do not dilute the vinegar with water. You can clean your spigot by filling a plastic bag with vinegar and tying it over the spout, so it stays submerged. Rinse with water.

Use undiluted white vinegar to scrub your birdbath clean. Rinse with water.

6. Feed your plants:

Some plants (like gardenias, holly, and begonias) thrive on acidic soil. You can give those plants some extra love by spritzing with a mixture of 1 gallon of water with 1 cup of white vinegar.

7. Test the PH level of your soil:

The acid levels in your soil can affect how well plants grow. You can run a simple test on your dirt by placing a bit of the soil in a container and then add 1/2 cup vinegar. If the vinegar begins to fizzle and bubble, the soil is too alkaline. Add sulfur or peat moss to even out the soil's acidity.

Mix 1 part water with 1 part white distilled vinegar. Soak glazed, clay, or plastic pots in the solution for at least an hour to remove stains and mineral deposits.

Keep those pesky plant-eaters at bay with a spritz of undiluted vinegar. The pests will wither away.

If you've been digging in the dirt with your bare hands, make sure to rinse your hands with white distilled vinegar. The vinegar will remove allergens and other debris, so you don't start itching.