Weeds on gravel and patios come in a variety of species. From grassy weeds like henbit and purslane to woody ones such as broadleaf or dandelions, all are quite capable of sprouting up in large numbers. The real challenge isn’t just their removal, but acting swiftly enough to prevent them from taking over completely.
But addressing the weed issue on your gravel driveway or patio doesn’t necessarily mean resorting to harmful chemicals that could potentially damage your garden or pose a risk to pets. However, there are lots of gardening hacks that use more natural ingredients.
One of the most frequently recommended natural methods for removing gravel weeds is the use of white vinegar. While vinegar “may well kill some small weeds”, if the aim is to permanently eradicate them then “vinegar will not work”, says Chelsey, a gardening expert at Good Grow.
She clarified that vinegar “simply burns away the visible part of the weed”, and while it may appear dead, the roots remain intact and will regrow.
If gardeners wish to use a homemade weed killer on their driveways or patios, then “rock salt is the way to go”.
Although table salt can be used as a weed killer, if your driveway is overrun with weeds that you want to permanently remove, then rock salt is what you need. It’s the “fastest way to kill weeds on your drive forever”.
Gardening experts at Joe’s Lawn Care also agree with using rich salt to exterminate gravel weeds.
They stated: “Rock salt is actually a super-effective and totally natural weed killer that is ace at clearing a gravel driveway.”
Gardening gurus have come up with an exceedingly simple and effective way to get rid of pesky weeds, advising people to simply scatter some rock salt on the soil around the unwanted green intruders and then “watch as the salt kills the weeds in just a matter of days”. They enthused that “it’s almost unbelievable”.
They pointed out that employing rock salt not only zaps weeds swiftly but also delivers “long-term results”, so only recommend it on areas where you don’t plan to grow flowers in the future.
The experts explained the method: “The salt will gradually seep into the ground where it was sprinkled, preventing any weeds (or plants) from being able to grow there for a while.”
They cautioned: “Now that may sound absolutely perfect for your gravel driveway situation, but just make sure you are conservative with the amount you sprinkle and where you sprinkle it.”
Rock salt is available in most supermarkets. You can currently buy a 350g pack for £1.25 in Sainsbury’s.
