Gardeners urged to pour vodka over patio this month

Pouring vodka out into your garden may sound rather strange, but it could actually be the key ingredient to preventing weeds from coming back. While it can be easy to grab some weed killer from the shop, it could prove cheaper to just reach for the vodka you already have in the back of your alcohol cabinet.

DIY expert Bill Jarvis, who co-founded patio paint supplier Premium Paints, says that vodka is one of those unusual old-school gardening hacks that could be worth knowing about. He explained: "Vodka probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think about getting rid of weeds. But the alcohol can dry the leaves out, which can leave the weed looking pretty sorry for itself."

He continued: "You obviously don't want to go around pouring vodka all over the garden, but if you've got a few stubborn weeds coming through paving or popping up in awkward places, it's a cheap and unusual trick you could try."

How to use vodka to get rid of garden weeds

Start by mixing some vodka and water, then add a small amount of washing-up liquid. Add the combination to a spray bottle. Give the leaves of the unwanted weeds a good spray, ideally on a dry, sunny day so the mixture has plenty of time to work.

The main thing is to be careful where you spray it. You do not want to get it all over your flowers, grass or other plants you actually want to keep.

Experts at Supreme Merchants have also backed the vodka method for removing garden weeds, adding: "It is definitely more of an old-school hack than a miracle weed killer. But if you've only got a few stubborn weeds in awkward places, it is a cheap and unusual trick you can try.

And if you are wondering whether you should use your best bottle of vodka for the job, probably not.

"You certainly do not need anything fancy," they say. "The whole point of hacks like this is making use of what you've already got at home."