Killing Weeds with Diesel Fuel- What to Do &Not to Do

This is a detailed step by step guide on killing weeds with diesel fuel.

While it may sound simple to accomplish, this process must be undertaken with the utmost care to ensure that the diesel doesn’t kill the useful plants.

Not only does diesel kill weeds, but it can also affect you Healthwise. (Source)

I’ve been a DIY gardener for the last 5 years, and to be honest, diesel has genuinely helped me get rid of weeds from my garden.

Below is a detailed guide to help you kill weeds with diesel fuel.

Killing Weeds with Diesel Fuel- Step by Step Guide

There are several materials that you will need for this small DIY project. They include:

• Spray bottle designed for thick liquid
• Gasoline Jug
• Shovel
• Funnel

Diesel Fuel Preparation

Fill the gasoline jug with 1-2 jugs of diesel fuel.

You can visit your local gas station, or otherwise fill it up from your home fuel storage in the garage.

You’ll need the funnel to pour the diesel to the spray bottle.

You must perform this activity in your garage or under your tool shed- this is because doing it in the garden may result in unwanted spills that may kill both good and bad plants.

Aim for directly on the weeds and the unwanted grass or roots of the plants.

Make sure that the fuel doesn’t flow to the other plants in the area.

Also read on the herbs that can be planted together.

To ensure this, you shouldn’t spray until the plants are dripping wet; instead, spray until the weeds, grass, and grassroots are wet.

Measure Undertaken when Killing Weeds with Diesel Fuel

It’s important to note that diesel fuel can be quite harmful to the environment.

If you intend to use it to kill weeds in your garden, here what you should do:

You should spray the diesel early in the morning during sunny days.

Confirm with the weather forecast guys to ensure that there’ll be no rain in your region for at least 2 days.

Additionally, wear protective gear, including a gas mask, to protect you from inhaling fumes, which could negatively affect your health.

Also read on cucumber leaves turning yellow.

Never store diesel fuel in the spray bottle; instead, you should return it to the fuel jug when done spraying.

Store the gasoline jug in a cool, dry place where it can’t spill.

You should also label the spray bottle you used for this project to ensure that you don’t use it again for something other than diesel.

Keep pets and kids away when spraying and after.

How to Kill Weed Seeds with Diesel Fuel

Unfortunately, diesel will only kill weeds and grass and not won’t kill buried weed seeds.

Check my post on hydrangea leaves turning yellow

For this reason, you will need to implement other hacks to ensure that you get rid of the seeds as well.

1. After removing the weeds, apply a newspaper or cardboard to the area. Then apply about 1inch of thick mulch. The seeds would eventually die due to the insulation, but the process might take up to 1 year to accomplish.
2. Use a propane-powered garden torch known as garden flame weeder to incinerate the top- this will eventually kill the seeds.
3. Practice soil solarization involves placing a tight plastic cover over a well-prepared area for the entire summer period. This method will suffocate the seeds.
4. You can mow higher, thus shading the soil hence making it impossible for the soil to grow.

Killing Weeds with Roundup and Diesel Fuel

The combination of diesel fuel with Roundup works much better than each on its own.

However, Roundup is much effective compared to diesel.

You’ll be able to see the results within 3 hours after spraying Roundup compared to 2 days with diesel fuel.

Roundup is also effective in killing weed seeds, so they don’t germinate the next rainy season again.

Unfortunately, while Roundup might seem like the real deal when it comes to killing weeds, its efficiency can’t be compared to that of diesel fuel.

Diesel seems to be thorough when it comes to killing all weeds.

However, the two weed killers will provide long-lasting weed protection even for stubborn weeds for years to come when used hand in hand.

Final Thoughts on Killing Weeds with Diesel Fuel

Above is a detailed guide on killing weeds with diesel fuel.

It’s a simple yet effective method that will help you eliminate weed nuisance from your garden.

If you want to get the best results, I would recommend combining the roundup method with the diesel weed eradication method.