by Texas Homesteader ~
Now that we have free-range hens again I’m using up those fresh eggs in many various ways. RancherMan loves for me to boil them up & have them for him in the fridge ready for a quick high-protein snack. And I’ve been making Egg Salad Sandwich Spread to replace his traditional purchased peanut butter sandwich preference for lunch.
Since I’ve found out how much healthier free-range eggs are compared to their commercial counterparts I find I’m always boiling eggs, (thankfully I found an easier way to peel those very-fresh eggs.)
But egg salad isn’t the only benefit of boiling up fresh eggs, I’m also killing weeds in the bricks of my sidewalk. How you say?
Y’all know my battle cry: “Use Whatcha Got!” This isn’t a new idea, but it’s a great one to keep in mind.
You see, when we built our home we wanted brick accents in the sidewalk. And although I love the way those bricks add interest to the sidewalk, it’s constantly a growing space for sprouting one weed or another. Since it borders my Edible Landscape I don’t want to use poison here.
But now that I’ve finished boiling the eggs I use a slotted spoon to move the cooked eggs into some chilled water to cool. I’m left with a pan of near-boiling water.
Boiling Water To Kill Weeds
So I take that water out to the sidewalk and pour it carefully along the cracks in the sidewalk where weeds are attempting to take hold.
The weeds wilted immediately and within a very short time they’ve completely died.
I wrote the other day about a 3-Ingredient Weedkiller from Kitchen Ingredients. And I often use this concoction to spray along these sidewalk cracks while I’m out spraying around my garden fence.
But this Homestead Hack doesn’t involve buying or mixing any ingredients, or filling & washing out a sprayer. I mean, heck – that waster was already boiling in my kitchen. Instead of just pouring it down the sink when I’m done, I might as well put it to good use.
I do this same thing when I’m water-bath canning. That huge pot of water has done it’s canning duty, why not give it a second use?
Boiling water is an all-natural way to kill those weeds without any expense, poison, or heck – not even elbow grease!
What’s not to love??!!
~TxH~\This post categorized in 
Other Low-Waste Solutions
- Weed Killer Using 3 Kitchen Ingredients
- MYO Carpet Cleaning Solution
- Natural Scrubbing Agent
- MYO Citrus-Scented Cleaner
- Non-Toxic Mosquito Control
- Keeping Ants From Pet Bowls
My Favorite Garden Hacks
- Easy Garden Planning Spreadsheet
- Getting A Jump: Planting An Indoor Greenhouse
- Repurposed Cardboard Seed-Starting Pots
- 3-Sister’s Garden – The Original Companion Planting
- Planting A Large Galvanized Trough
- Tricking Birds AWAY From Your Strawberry Plants
- Easy Compost For A Healthy Garden
- Propping Tender Seedlings
- Cheap (or FREE) Wood Mulch For The Garden
- Using Vining Plants For Living Mulch
- Homestead Hack: Remember Where You Planted Seeds
- How Vegetable Gardening Can Change Your Life!
- Keeping Potted Plants Watered
- Planting A Blueberry Bush In Galvanized Tub
- Stevia – Growing Your Own Sweetener!
- How I Use EcoBricks In The Garden
- Compost Old Confidential Documents
- Repurposing A Coffee Can For Deep-Soak Watering
- How Leaves Benefit Your Garden
- My Simple, Zero-Waste Herb Drying Setup
- How To Grow Fresh Salad Greens In All Seasons
- The Lazy Gardener’s Plant List – Plant Once, Eat For Years!
MORE Gardening Posts
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Great idea! I should save my boiled water over the Summer to do the same! Hope you have a great week!
I tried this and it works. I also boil eggs to keep in the refrigerator for eating later. I will have to see what other hot water I would just pour down the drain.
Thanks
Love it Cynthia. I have a concoction I use in my sprayer to spray around the garden fence and although I love that it’s non toxic, this boiling water method works PERFECTLY on our sidewalk and it’s really, REALLY nontoxic! No ingredients to mix or spray and it’s something I’d ordinarily just pour down the drain. I’ve really gotten some mileage out of using this hack when I’m water-bath canning since there’s a bunch of water in that canning pot when I’m done. LOL ~TxH~
Just plain hot water…who would have thought. I’m making some tea at the moment and will try your technique as soon as the kettle boils.
I use this hack whether I’m using boiling water from cooking eggs or even that big water-bath canner when I’m canning. I figure I’ve already spent the time and propane to get the water to boiling, I might as well put it to use instead of just pouring it down the drain. ~TxH~
Hi Tammy, I’ll have to try this. We have some terribly invasive weeks this spring that seem to be slowing down the growth of our canna lilies. Thanks for sharing this non-chemical way to treat weeds. Blessings, Janet
I love all of your posts and homestead hacks, I wish I could come and sit a spell with you on your front porch and enjoy a glass of ice tea!
OMGoodness Suzy, what an incredibly sweet thing to say – thanks!! ~TxH~
Have done this. If I don’t add salt to the water, I let it cool down and use it to water my container plants
Smart move Colleen. I’ve also read that calcium leaches out of the egg shells while they’re cooking – some have suggested cooling that water & offering it to their chickens for an extra boost of calcium they need for laying. I’d have never thought of that! Summer is hot and DRY here in NE Texas, so I’m always reusing any water possible but especially during that time. ~TxH~
I save All my egg shells. Wash and sterilized and then letting them dry and then crush them and use the shells when planting my tomatoes, pepper plants, roses, basically anything. I just sprinkle a small handful into the hole before planting the plants.
We even add finely crushed egg shells to the bird seed for the feeders and also good adding the shells to your chicken feed.
Egg shells are also good to sprinkle around your plants if you have snail and slug problems.
I also save all my banana peels to use when planting.