5 ways to use bleach in the garden
You know it’s a great cleaning product but did you know there are plenty of uses for bleach in the garden, too? Here are just five reasons to keep a bottle of bleach in the garden tool shed.
Kill moss and weeds
There are many times we welcome moss but when it’s on your brick, concrete or stone walkways, it can be slippery and unsightly. Scrub unwanted moss with a solution of ¾ cup bleach in three litres of water. If there are weeds poking out of the cracks and crevices of your walkways, pour a bit of undiluted bleach over them. Pull out after a day or two.
Sanitise gardening tools
Although gardening tools are tough and durable, it’s a good idea to give them a clean now and again as dirt will slowly corrode the metal and moving parts. Plus, if you’ve been handling a diseased plant, you don’t want your tools to spread the disease around. Wash tools with ½ cup bleach to one litre of water. Air-dry in sun and rub a bit of oil to prevent rust.
Extend life of cut flowers
While bleach is great for killing things, it also helps to extend the life of cut flowers. Add ¼ teaspoon of bleach to one litre of water. Its disinfectant properties will help keep water clean and inhibit growth of bacteria.
Removes mildew
If those outdoors chairs and benches are looking a tad “mildewy”, a simple bleach solution can help you remove those mildew stains. Add two to three tablespoons of bleach to a standard spray bottle of water. Spray on spots and rinse well.
Clean flower pots
To keep pots looking new, as well as killing any plant diseases that may linger from previous flowers, give pots a thorough scrubbing with a diluted bleach solution. Combined one part bleach to four parts of water to disinfect pots.
Related links:
How to control whiteflies in the garden
Homemade remedies for the garden
More great vintage household tricks from the 1900s