Getting Rid of Weeds in Rocks

Whether it's for a walkway or simply decorative, a rock area can easily become overrun with weeds. Eliminating those weeds can be a real chore. This is a guide about getting rid of weeds in rocks.

Solutions: Getting Rid of Weeds in Rocks

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Salt For Getting Rid of Weeds

My son in law is a landscaper. He uses regular boxed salt to get rid of weeds and it really does work. How nice to find something so cheap and eco friendly to take care of weed problems.

By Gem from VA

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Spray Hot Vinegar On Weeds

Spray hot vinegar on the weeds. No chemicals, and very organic. To help prevent germination of weeds, scatter corn meal around before a rain.

Source: Dave The Garden Guy on Ch 3 here in Phoenix recommends this.

By Pat from Phoenix, AZ

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Use Weed Cloth Under Rocks

I have lots of rocks around all my flower beds in my yard. Some are really large, and weeds always found a space to come up in between them. It was difficult to move them each time this happened.

So three years ago, my husband and I moved each rock back, sprayed for weeds and pulled large ones. Then we placed two layers of weed cloth under and up the back sides of the rocks. This also kept soil from washing in between rocks, as it lined the beds, but is not visible.

We have not had to deal with weeds yet, and it has been wonderful to see only the pretty rocks and flowers.

Source: Our own desperation to not have to fight weeds.

By Betty from Warrensburg, MO

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Killing Weeds In a Rock Garden

Keep the weeds down for over a year in a rock garden by using white vinegar. It may even last longer than a year. I no longer have weeds in my white rock. It kills everything, so keep it away from the lawn and flowers.

By Ardis Ilene Barnes

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Questions

Here are questions related to Getting Rid of Weeds in Rocks.

Getting Rid of Weeds in Rocks

Does anyone have any ideas for how to kill weeds among the stones and also in the carport which is made up of brick tiles. I have tried vinegar but it does not work. Thanks.

By chickabea from Sydney, Australia

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Most Recent Answer

By JoanDogs04/03/2009

1 gal of vinegar, 1/2 cup regular table salt, a GOOD squirt of LEMON dish detergent in a watering can. Mix together so salt dissolves and 'water' the weeds. They will be dead by morning! I do this monthly in my dog's pen to keep grass & weeds down with great success.

Killing Grass in a Rock Walkway

Does rock salt kill grass in a rock walkway?

By Karen

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Most Recent Answer

By Great Granny Vi02/13/2012

Take your tea kettle full of boiling water to the weeds. Cheaper and works on most. GG Vi

Previous: Homemade Weed Killer Recipes

Next: Controlling Weeds In Your Garden

Getting Rid of Weeds in Rocks

Can I freeze zucchini? If I can, how would I prepare it to freeze? Thank you, Lisa from Michigan

Freezing Zucchini

Preparation: Choose young squash with tender skin. Wash and cut in 1/2-inch slices. Water blanch 3 minutes. Cool promptly, drain and package, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

Seal, label and freeze.

Grated Zucchini (for baking)- Choose young tender zucchini. Wash and grate. Steam blanch in small quantities 1 to 2 minutes until translucent. Pack in measured amounts into containers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Cool by placing the containers in cold water. Seal, label and freeze. If watery when thawed, discard the liquid before using the zucchini.

Source: MSU Extension (08/03/2005)

By ThriftyFun

RE: Freezing Zucchini

For baking - grate and bag it. It will need to be drained before using. (08/04/2005)

By Annie

Getting Rid of Weeds in Rocks

I have all rock in my yard, but weeds are coming in like crazy. I need a money-friendly tip to get rid of all of these. It is a huge area, and I have been spraying vinegar, but I may not be using enough. Anything else you can recommend? We have had 80 degree weather after a large rainfall, so that is against me, too.

Susan from CA

RE: Getting Rid of Weeds in Rocks

Maybe you don't like chemicals but I do know Round-up works great. Vinegar seems to do it as a one time spot kill but they come back. (01/30/2009)

By Glenn'sMom

RE: Getting Rid of Weeds in Rocks

You might try salt if you are sure it will not run off into other vegetation. Boiling water works on smaller areas--I've used it on grass coming up in a brick walkway. (01/30/2009)

By OliveOyl

RE: Getting Rid of Weeds in Rocks

I would put newspaper down and cover it with dirt or use plastic. This might work for you if the rocks are close together, but not so much if the rocks are spaced far apart. Racer (01/30/2009)

By Robyn Fed

RE: Getting Rid of Weeds in Rocks

Buy the vinegar from a plant nursery (it's much stronger!), also if you heat it up it works even better. Boiling water works temporarily. You can also buy the kind of salt they put on roads, but this will stop everything from growing forever! If you use the salt, first dissolve it in water, then pour or spray it on. For large areas you can sprinkle it on with a Parmesan shaker (from the dollar store) then water the area with a hose to dissolve it. Don't use very much water, you want the salt to stay close to the surface. Don't use much salt because this isn't very good for the water table.

Here in Seattle we never salt our roads because it can change the salt content in our rivers, lakes, the sound, and it kills the salmon. But in places like Chicago and Minnesota they use rock salt all the time on the roads. If you can't find rock salt buy the salt they use in water softeners (it's sold at Home Depot where they sell water purifiers and it's pretty cheap. It looks like crystals). Stay away from chemicals. (01/30/2009)

By Cyinda

RE: Getting Rid of Weeds in Rocks

I don't know anything about your rock area, but rather than pouring salt or vinegar on it which will kill any grass or others plants it leaks on to, I would just plant some creeping thyme or something like that.

Thyme, is very low lying and grows even more as you walk on it. It will also keep the area a little cooler rather than just having heat reflecting rocks. Plus it smells good as it is walked on or trimmed. It will drown out the weeds and take over the area providing beauty and be usefulness. by the way, rock salt has other chemicals in it, it is not purified salt. (01/31/2009)

By melmarr

RE: Getting Rid of Weeds in Rocks

My sister swears by straight Clorox for removing weeds from her rock garden. She sprays it on like Round-Up and it works just as well, only cheaper. I haven't tried it myself but I've seen her garden and she has no weeds! (01/31/2009)

By Dena J.

RE: Getting Rid of Weeds in Rocks

I don't know what the other person did that they had bad results with Round Up. Maybe they watered too soon after using it. You need to wait 48hrs after using it, also it needs to be at least 78 degrees for it to work. I use it all the time. I like it cause it doesn't hurt the ground or birds and bees after it hits the ground. I have also heard that pouring boiling water on the weeds works. I tried it once and it didn't seem to help. (02/03/2009)

By C T

RE: Getting Rid of Weeds in Rocks

Rock salt can destroy a lot more than you plan on ridding yourself of. Check out my MN yard. If you are set on that, go buy solar water softener salt. Comes crushed in some brands. I swear by the vinegar. Straight from the jug to the spray bottle. If you have rain, have to do treatment again. And you can control where you spray. This is the most earth friendly I can come up with. (02/03/2009)

By T and T Grandma

RE: Getting Rid of Weeds in Rocks

They do make weed torches. They are light and easy to use. They are not pricey either. (02/04/2009)

By hummm

RE: Getting Rid of Weeds in Rocks

I have a 20'x40' dog pen that I de-weed monthly. I use 1 gal vinegar [store brand], a 'healthy' squirt of any lemon dish soap, and and half cup table salt. The vinegar burns the part of the weed below the surface, the salt gets what the vinegar doesn't and the soap is for absorption by the plant of the entire mixture. Have used it for years with great success. The dogs' "presents" act as fertilizer for the weeds, but this recipe lets me have to treat the pen only monthly or 5-6 weeks. (02/04/2009)

RE: Getting Rid of Weeds in Rocks

I use a granular product called Noxall, it works for a year. I love the flaming torch, it's fun to go around making little weeds droop and die. You could put down thick (one inch) newspaper and have carpet or gravel over that for a longtime no-chemical solution. Carpet lasts for years with a barrier underneath it. Check the dumpster behind a carpet store regularly and they'll thank you to take it away. (02/05/2009)

By kimhis

RE: Getting Rid of Weeds in Rocks

You can use boiling hot water, whether you cooked your brussel sprouts in it or not. It will kill the weed. It will also loosen the roots enough so you can pull it out the following day. If you make yourself tea from a kettle, you can empty the remainder onto a specific weed to try it out. Can't hurt and it's practically free. (02/06/2009)

By poepadoe