The Simplest Solution For Effectively Removing Weeds From A Gravel Drive

With the driveway having such a huge impact on a home's curb appeal, gravel is a lifesaver for budget-conscious homeowners wanting to make a great first impression. Despite costing much less than most alternatives, gravel is a long-lasting installation with a unique aesthetic from various mixes of colored stone. The only caveat is upkeep. Holes and washed out areas may need refilling every year or so. Meanwhile, the permeable surface allows weeds to continually pop through. Even if you want to consider upgrading your gravel driveway to increase your home's value later, regular weed removal will be a critical chore in the meantime.

Weed control is an almost unavoidable part of maintaining your gravel driveway, even when you add a protective landscaping fabric layer. For some, the best answer is a weed killer. A pre-emergent herbicide can help eliminate burgeoning weed growth early in the season. After that, a targeted post-emergent solution will address stragglers that get through. If you don't like the idea of chemicals, you can find eco-friendly solutions, like homemade and commercial vinegar weed killers. Still, when it comes to immediate results and surefire safety for surrounding plants, it's hard to beat the original tried-and-true technique — weeding by hand.

Even though it's time-consuming, hand-weeding is the quickest way to bring a gravel drive back to presentability. Besides, you'll likely have to pull the leftover weeds after using an herbicide anyways. So, why not try skipping a couple steps? You just need to ensure you remove the entire plant down to the root. With a few simple gardening tools and techniques, you can make a weed-free drive a quick and simple project.

To pull weeds from your gravel drive by hand, grab a pair of work gloves and a hand tool to help dig out the root. Gravel can be irritating to dig through, so use a trowel, cultivator, or weeder tool to get under finicky plants. You can also try hosing down the drive to saturate and loosen the soil, making it easier to remove the roots. Weeding after it rains is also an excellent idea.

When pulling the weeds, grab the plant as close to the base as possible. Pull slowly but firmly and steadily. If you yank it, the plant might snap, leaving the roots in the ground and allowing it to grow back in no time.

A hand-pulling solution like this can be practical in small areas around a gravel driveway and with shallow-rooted annual weeds that pop out easily. For larger areas, though, it can take a ton of time and back-breaking effort. Unfortunately, using a hoe and other convenient hand tools can only remove the tops of weeds poking through a gravel drive. Flame treatments may be more practical, and you may need to apply herbicides to effectively manage weedy expanses. Once they're dead, you can scrape the top of the gravel drive clear. Consider various ways to get rid of and prevent weeds from growing in your driveway and consider implementing a multi-tiered approach. Refill displaced gravel to cover weeds and eliminate puddles, and with close monitoring, you can make weed control easy while maintaining a pristine appearance across your gravel drive.