Keeping drivway weeds down

[BigE_]

Corn gluten is a cheap pre-emergent. I believe I've heard that is essentially what Preen is made from.

Myself, I have a asphalt driveway, but my some of my parking area is gravel, and I'm at the point where I'm just going to scarcify it with my box blade to the point it is all ripped up, then smooth it back over. My biggest problem is all the debris from the trees has all but buried the gravel, creating a nice layer for stuff to grow on.

I've put down chemicals, but don't really like doing so because my well house is literally right next to the parking area. I've got a good reverse osmosis system on the well, but just don't want those chemicals in there.

Once I get the parking area ripped up and smoothed back out, I'll go with the corn gluten route. The last time I bought some it was around $20 for a 25lb bag. Once applied, it is good for about 4 months.

 

[John861]

Yeah right.. just tell that to anyone who has had a loaded tire pop in their yard, and that dead spot stays there for a few years where the CACL leaked out...

soundguy

I had a CACL filled tire let go (most of a 16.9x24) in my weed infested driveway, and the weeds were back within a month or so. Weeds will overcome...

 

[Soundguy]

You got lucky... There are places in our shop yard where i havn't seen grass since 1993 from a tire rupture!

Or rather.. you didn't get lucky. ideally the cacl would have taken the weeds out.

Ya don't live near a saltwater beach do ya?

Mind you.. some palnts are salt tolerant... it won't kill everything.. but does a number on grass for sure.. like bahia's and st. augustine!

soundguy

 

[nwphil]

How much corn bluten would it take fo 20,000 square feet?

 

[WarrenF]

If you want to use a natural product, use some vinegar on weeds. That'll kill them.

Ralph

I have a neighbor who does this.....and it works good for him. Said that he had to apply it about four times before it began to act as a sterilant.

 

[mjfox6]

Remind me not to drink any well water at your houses!

 

[RobS]

I spilled some RV anti-freeze on the grass once and it was years before anything grew back. I'll be de-winterizing our camper this weekend, maybe I'll use the old pink stuff on the driveway.

 

[silverdollar6]

What effect does the chemicals have on animals?

 

[Soundguy]

I'm not sure if the pink stuff is EG or PG.. but will bet EG, if it is an extended service period fluid..

soundguy

 

[RobS]

I'm not sure if the pink stuff is EG or PG.. but will bet EG, if it is an extended service period fluid..

soundguy

The pink RV anti-freeze is non-toxic to humans anyway. I think it has copper in it which is why it kills the plants.

 

[Egon]

Does the RV antifreeze contain ethanol?

 

[horse7]

Is there some reason you all want a wide expanse of dirt type driveway?

I like the two tire tracks style, when the tracks start rutting, just fill with 3/4" to 1" pebbles. The tires keep the weeds down, and center can be bush hogged. Parking areas can just be grassy, or if used a lot or under heavy load, the free draining honeycombed paver materials can be used.

Dilute Chlorox will keep weeds down in areas with pavers, and isn't toxic like some of the other materials suggested (used oil? Ya gotta be kidding-- there is one house not far from me that is a brownsite due to the owner having a small engine repair place for 30yr, and dumping oil in the back. Dumping old oil on a driveway is just a slower form of getting to the same heavy metal contaminated state and imploding the value of the property).

Have to try the vinegar, there are some possible advantages of the acetic acid over sodium hypochlorite.

While there is a place for 'better living through chemicals', too many people believe the Madison Avenue line-- way too many toxic chemicals are used when perfectly good alternatives exist, including the alternative of doing nothing. Sometimes those toxic chemicals cause secondary problems, just like prescription drug side effects, then you need more chemicals for the side effects, and start a downward spiral (till all the amphibians are dead and you wonder why your kids are sick all the time).

 

[pitt_md]

I use my box scraper. I set the rippers to dig in a little and make a few trips up and down. i like this way as it makes it all very even but I don't own a rake YET so i could not say what works best.

 

[HappyCPE]

Horse7, I like your idea. That's how I keep my driveway. To me, nothing says "country" like a two-track.

For the parking area, though, I need something dry and firm. Aside from roundup, which is expensive and has debatable environmental consequenses, I use a propane torch to burn the weeds out of the driveway. It isn't for everyone and is no fun in the summer, but is is often recommended for organic weed control.

I'm not sure which tool is more dangerous; my chainsaw or my propane torch. I always have 5 gallons of water within 10 paces. And a cell phone.

 

[wedge40]

I have very little issue with grass and weeds in my 500' plus driveway. But then again it's been there for 20 years and is about 8" thick with gravel. I do work it with my box blade and my straight blade a couple of times a year. But that more for grooming that anything.
My only suggestion would be rip the thing up and put down a road cloth. I'm not sure but I think these are good for 20 or 30 years.

Wedge

 

[mjncad]

I'm going to try a product called Pro-Deuce from Nufarm within the next week for the 10,000 square feet of drive and other areas where the weeds like to grow and mowing them isn't feasible.

Pro-Deuce is a combination of pre and post emergents, and 6oz per 1,000 square feet is supposed to take care of the weeds.

We shall see.

 

[jeffinsgf]

In an attempt to go chemical free in the yard and landscape, I used a torch to spot treat the weeds in the yard this spring. It looks like they're not coming back. This should work just as well in a road.

Turning the road exposes new weed seeds at the same time you're knocking the tops off the growing ones. A little fire kills the plant (roots and all) and you aren't disturbing the existing structure.

I used a "cane" style burner with a normal propane torch cylinder, but there's one of THESE in my immediate future.

 

[Ranger Rick]

I once was told that spreading old fashion 20 mule team borax would kill the weeds and grass. I just did a quick look on the internet and a couple of people at Iowa State University did some research on Borax for killing the weed creeping charlie and found that too much borax would kill the weeds and the grass. Apparently plants need some Boron from the borax to grow but too much keeps everything from growing. I have not tried it but there is not much growing in Death Valley where they used to mine the borax. Rick