Cigarette smoking is a nasty habit but many people still do it. If you happen to have visiting smokers, they can help keep your pathways and patios pristine and weed free. If you banish smokers to your back yard but still get left with the problem of disposing of all those butts tossed into a sand-filled pot or an ashtray, you can make a slight change and put those nasty butts to a good use.
Swap out the ash tray for a lidded bucket with a few inches of water in the bottom and get them to throw their butts into the bucket. Make sure you keep this out of the reach of children and animals because the liquid contents are deadly if ingested. The water will turn a nasty-looking orange-brown color very quickly. This is the nicotine leaching out of the butts. The longer they are in there the more nicotine will leach out into the water. As time goes on add more water to your bucket until it is about half full. You’re basically making the nastiest tea imaginable. After a week or so of steeping you’re ready to go. (You can leave it steeping as long as you like if smoking visitors are rare.)
Here’s how to make the weed killer. Make sure you wear rubber gloves.
- Cover the top of the bucket with something to catch the butts, a pair of pantyhose works well stretched and secured over the top of the bucket.
- Drain the liquid into another bucket and discard the fabric containing the butts directly into the trash.
- Take your bucket of liquid and a small container – Dana, the reader sharing this tip, uses a turkey baster specific to this purpose.
- Chop the head off the weed and individually target those that dare to invade your drive or patio.
Nicotine weed killer is very potent. It will lay waste to even thick weeds and brambles on land that needs to be cleared before it can be improved and put to good use. For thick stemmed weeds and brambles cut the stems as near to the ground as you can without getting ripped to pieces and put the solution directly into the stem.
That’s it. Easy and it won’t cost you a penny.
Please use this responsibly and protect pets, children, other plants, and wildlife.
- Nicotine is deadly to plant material. This is why I suggest it for use on patios and drives. You’ll want to keep it well away from your lawn and vegetable garden.
- Use it on a dry, sunny day. You don’t want a rainfall washing it into the soil.
- Nicotine is deadly to bees and birds. This is why I suggest targeting individual weeds rather than broadcast spraying. Always, always cut the tops off the weeds. Cut them down as low to the ground as possible before treating, so that the birds and bees are less likely to be attracted to the plant. The plant matter you cut down can be burned unless it is poison ivy or oak – never burn poison ivy or poison oak.
- Nicotine is deadly to animals and children. Keep them away from the area where you’ve used it.
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