Weeding a gravel drive

[Dixie68]

It's that time of year again where every sodding week I have to spend a day pulling weeds/grass from the gravel driveway. I can kill the weeds with weedkiller but the grass seems to pop up all over the place and grows an amazing amount in just a week.

So has anyone got a suggestion on a permanent way of dealing with this - or even a way that will allow me to just do it less frequently? Some form of uber-weedkiller that will also take out the grass for instance?

Concreting is not an option as I rent. There is already a membrane under the gravel and the grass quite happily grows on top of that, under the gravel.

[Simpo Two]

If it's chemicals you're after then sodium chlorate is the least expensive; or a 'path and drive' weedkiller. Can eb slow to act but will/should last for several months

Dixie68 said:

There is already a membrane under the gravel and the grass quite happily grows on top of that, under the gravel.

In that case there's so much detritus in the gravel that you've got 'soil' above the membrane. If it was me I'd scrape all the gravel off, lay a new membrane and start again.

NB: I've used opened-out binliners as a membrane and it's mostly good after almost 20 years!

Edited by Simpo Two on Sunday 31st May 14:18

[V8mate]

Simpo Two said:

If it's chemicals you're after then sodium chlorate is the least expensive; ...

It's really effective too. But stock up now as it's banned from July this year.

[Trooper2]

Casoron(G) (Dichlobenil) works well.

http://www.lillymiller.com/weed_control.html#3


scroll down.


http://www.pitchcare.com/file/0fdNnAjJVo.pdf

[Dixie68]

Thanks for the answers. I take it I'm wasting my time going to B&Q for weedkiller that will do the job - or am I? I've tried a few now, and while some were good at getting rid of the weeds, none have managed to do anything to the long grasses.
It would be handy if I could get something from there as it's just down the road.

[Dixie68]

Ah, I've just answered my own question there with a quick search on the B&Q site for sodium chlorate - they do sell it.

So I'll give that a go. Thanks for the replies, much appreciated.

[CY88]

I have one of these.... basically a big bunsen burner fuelled by paraffin.



More fun than chemicals and sounds great too.

[Simpo Two]

CY88 said:

basically a big bunsen burner fuelled by paraffin.

Great fun no doubt, but it will only burn off the tops and the roots will grow again - like fast-acting paraquat!