What’s the least toxic way to get rid of weeds in my gravel driveway? I’d rather not use harsh chemicals, but there are too many to pull them up by hand. -BJ
Because you’re weeding a gravel area, you have the advantage of not having to worry about killing desirable grasses or garden plants, and less of the product will come into contact with garden soil. Nevertheless, everything we do in the garden has some impact on the environment, so you’re wise to minimize the use of chemicals. Here are some ideas:
- Barriers: The next time you replenish the gravel in your driveway, consider putting down landscape fabric or plastic first, to prevent weeds from sprouting through the gravel. You can also put barriers around the edges, to help keep weeds and grasses from creeping out of your lawn.
- Heat: To kill weeds using heat, carefully pour boiling water directly on the plant. Or, you could try using a paint stripping heat gun to crisp the weeds in your gravel.
- Vinegar or Soap: Vinegar and herbicidal soaps kill (by drying out) all vegetation in their paths, but they are thought to kill beneficial microbes and sterilize soil. This is less of an issue in your gravel drive, although you should consider that some of the product will run off into drainage areas.
- Herbicides: If you resort to organic or chemical herbicides to control weeds in your drive, you can minimize the environmental impact by carefully painting the liquid directly on the leaves, or by using a shield to target the weeds.
will salt water kill weeds in the gravel?
I have a very long drive that circles the house, garage & garden. I need to find a safe way to kill weeds and make one time a year do it! What is the most effective. I thought about salt but wondered about the run off killing my grass.
I have a very long gravel driveway. How do I kill weeds growing in the gravel using house hold products? I’m not concerned with killing grass but would like to find a way to control weed growing. Everything I try, such a round-up, works for a short while but it’s expensive and the weeds come back worse than when I started. HELP!!!
Can you use ammonia to kill weeds in driveway?
Hi I have weeds growing from my large gravel driveway . Is there a tool or machine I can use to move around gravel and same time pull out weeds .
What is best for weeds in gravel path – salt water or vinegar? I need help soon – the weeds are taking over?
I have grass and weed taking over my gravel driveway. The driveway is approx. 250 ft long by 12 ft wide. What can I do to kill them.
Can I use the stronger vinegar and liquid soap in a pump sprayer as an effective weed / grass killer in my driveway ?
Hi, Tom,
Absolutely — if there are no nearby plants or grass that you want unharmed.
Try it and tell us how it works out.
Good luck!
Grass is taking over my drive way. If I boil down rock salt…will that work?? Thank you we have dogs so we are Very careful what we use.
Hi, Irma,
Rock salt should work — just take care to pour it on grass that you never want to return. It’s powerful stuff! Also, monitor the animals, because no living thing can consume too much salt without becoming dehydrated. That’s unlikely to happen, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Here’s further reading on this topic: https://homeguides.sfgate.com/kill-weeds-rock-salt-38330.html
Good luck!
if you hook up a long hose or a series of hoses attached to your hot water outlet for your washing machine, you can give your driveway a hot water bath ,killing the weeds (careful of run off on lawn, grass more fragile than weeds) I’m a landscaper.