Rock salt is a great natural weed killer for gravel driveways. It would be best to sprinkle the rock salt on the ground around any weeds you can spot. The salt will desiccate the weeds within a few days, killing them on sight.
This guide will discuss how to stop weeds in a gravel driveway and whether or not weed killer is worth the money.
Weeds, weeds, weeds – they’re a nightmare. Weed control is a major concern for homeowners, especially those with gravel drives. When you consider the cost of a new gravel driveway, then weeds are the last thing you want.
There is a vast range of common gravel weed species. From grassy weeds like henbit and purslane to woody weeds such as broadleaf or dandelion, these plants are not afraid of taking up residence in your decorative gravel.
Thankfully, there are ways to prevent weeds in easy and low-cost methods, from landscape fabric to salt water – we’ve tried them all ourselves.
Let’s take a look at how to stop weeds in gravel on your drive and pathways.
5 Ways to Stop Weeds Growing Through Gravel
1) Weed your gravel by hand
If you are dealing with a relatively small amount of gravel, it may be best to weed it by hand. Simply grab the weeds as low down as possible and gently pull, ensuring that you take the roots out with the weed. This will prevent it from regrowing.
This solution will take the most effort; however, it is also the most environmentally friendly method of dealing with weeds – and will prevent you from having to use a chemical-based solution. That said, it’s not always the best long-term solution. If there is mud and dirt all over the gravel from where you have pulled the weeds out, they may need a gentle clean. Browse our how to clean gravel driveway guide for the latest tips and methods that have been proven to work and are used regularly by experts within the industry.
2) Sprinkle rock salt
Rock salt is a great natural weed killer for gravel driveways. It would be best to sprinkle the rock salt on the ground around any weeds you can spot. The salt will desiccate the weeds within a few days, killing them on sight.
However, it is essential to note that the salt will eventually seep entirely into the ground and prevent any plants and weeds from growing for quite some time – weeds included. While this can be beneficial for gravel driveways, keeping them away from other plants and the lawn is always wise. Be conservative when you sprinkle.
3) Use dish soap and vinegar
If you want to avoid using a chemical weed killer, this is an easy-to-make solution that will not damage your garden. All you will need is an ounce of non-degreasing dish soap for around a gallon of vinegar (or equivalent).
Simply mix in a spray bottle, spray it on and around the weeds, repeating the process until everything’s covered. Only use the solution on sunny days with no rain for the best results. You should also avoid watering any surrounding plants or lawn close to the gravel, as it could wash the solution away.
4) Use weed killer
An obvious solution for weeds in gravel driveways is – obviously – weed killer. Ideally, you should use glyphosate-based weed killers to kill the existing weeds and prevent more weeds from growing in gravel again soon.
However, it is essential to avoid getting a non-selective weed killer as it will kill any plant life with which it makes contact. Therefore, it will destroy any plants, grass, and trees surrounding the gravel driveway.
Chemical weed killers should get rid of weeds in gravel within a week to two weeks; however, you should re-spray the gravelled area if the weeds have not disappeared.
5) Use a weed burner
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Weed burners are still relatively new on the scene but have proven to kill weeds efficiently. They essentially burn the whole plant through to the roots, thus destroying them and preventing them from regrowing.
However, if your gravel driveway is made of light coloured pebbles, this may not be the best solution as it can burn the stones of the gravelled area and mark them permanently. You should also be careful where you aim the burner as it could easily burn the surrounding plants, animals, or people. It is, however, an excellent option for a long driveway as it requires minimal effort!
Why Do Weed Seeds Grow in Gravel
Learning how to keep weeds from growing in gravel driveway is quite straightforward. Weeds grow in gravel driveways if the soil beneath is moist enough and has plenty of sunlight. Weeds are not common problems for newly laid gravel driveways, as the gravel has not yet settled, and there is nothing to spark their growth.
However, once a gravel driveway has been down for a while and has the chance to deal with a good amount of rain, sun, and travel, grass and grassy weeds tend to start growing.
The seeds of the gravel weed plants can easily make their way into your driveway with the wind, from shoes, paws, etc. Once they have made their way into the soil, the gravel helps maintain the soil’s moisture by clouding it from the sun.
The seeds then benefit from the moist soil and the perfect soil ph and the heat and necessary sun rays that come through, enough to make them grow strong.
Weeds grow in difficult circumstances, which is why we commonly see them on pavements, sprouting from cracks in walls, etc. Your gravel driveway is the perfect, open space with good soil and other elements to help them grow perfectly.
You will also commonly find grass sprouts among the weeds, especially as the gravel becomes more firm in the ground. Therefore, it makes sense to have a plan for getting those driveway weeds up and moving, whether that means filling up a garden sprayer or dishing out the salt.
Like any hard landscaping surface, the pros and cons of gravel driveways need to be considered before purchasing. Weed growth is certainly one factor to bear in mind but as shown above there are fairly easy ways to get rid of it.
How to Prevent Future Weed Growth in My Gravel?
First of all, if you don’t have any landscape fabric, weed control fabric or weed membrane in place, you’re going to need to take an alternative plan of attack.
Consider building a weed barrier around your driveway. The barrier should, ideally, separate your garden soil from your driveway. If you have planting beds, a lawn or your garden directly touching your driveway, the seeds will have a much easier time developing in the gravel as the soil will eventually mix in with the stones.
Building a barrier will help hold back the soil and prevent people and animals from carrying too much over onto the gravel. You can use pavers, bricks, stones, or tiles to help keep an adequate barrier between the gravel drive and the soil.
This is an excellent solution if you are looking at how to stop weeds from growing in gravel as it is easy to do by yourself, it is cost-effective, durable, and a natural way to prevent weeds from ever-growing on your drive.
Clean any organic matter that makes its way onto your gravel, too. Soil and other organic matter can make their way onto your drive even with a barrier.
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Whether you are carrying gardening equipment, coming back from a walk with your dog, having people over, or simply have left the autumn leaves on the drive, organic matter can find its way into gravel drives.
One of the best and most natural ways to keep your gravel weed-free is by removing any organic matter and debris that farms onto the driveway. The best thing to do is pull it as quickly as possible to prevent any potential growth. For that, it could be worth investing in a leaf blower, a power washer (on a spray setting), etc.
Remember to remove any grass clippings, leaves, plant pots, etc. You can add the extra organic matter to a compost pile as a way of keeping your garden clean and eco-friendly.
FAQ’s
Does Weed Killer Work Permanently?
While weed killers will get rid of any weeds present (and other plants if in contact with them), by burning the plants at the root, they will not prevent weeds from growing back forever.
Chemical weed killer can potentially deter weeds from growing back for months, damaging the soil; however, eventually, weeds in gravel will grow back. That’s why it’s essential to look for preventative measures, not just straight killers.
Non-chemical weed killer will also kill weeds but will not prevent them from growing back, too – so shop around.
What Type of Salt is Best for Keeping Weeds Away?
Since table salt is highly refined and purified, you will likely need more of it to kill all the weeds in your gravel. To make a decent weed killer, you can sprinkle table salt liberally or mix it in a garden sprayer with water.
However, rock salt has not been purified, which is what gives it a more crystallised look. It is also quite a bit cheaper than table salt, making it a more cost-effective weed killer. You can also use rock salt to make saltwater, although you could simply sprinkle it over the long driveway.
Do I Need to Purchase More Gravel Once I Remove the Weeds?
You shouldn’t have to buy any more gravel when removing the weeds, they should be able to just cover up the spot with existing gravel once you have removed the weeds. However, if you do find your short, then you will have to buy a bag of gravel depending on the amount you require.
Last Word
Want to know how to get rid of weeds in gravel? It might be as simple as taking to hand weed the surface – but salt works just as well, and in terms of preventing weeds full stop, try applying gravel to a weed membrane at the point of laying. Ultimately, a gravel surface will be a prime location for all kinds of natural nasties.
To have any chance of learning how to stop weeds growing through gravel, it’s time to look for long-term preventative measures. You can remove weeds with chemicals or even a home solution for other weeds that keep on coming back.
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Photo: RODNAE Productions
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