Vinegar can kill weeds and grass when poured full strength in cement driveways or brick walkways.
By imaqt1962
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I have brick around a pool. I have children that play around my pool. Grass and weeds are growing from the cracks. How do I kill the weeds?
To keep grass from growing between bricks, or cement sidewalk cracks, sprinkle the spaces with salt.
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What can I use in my brick driveway, to keep the grass and weeds from growing in between the bricks? I would like to use a product that would keep the plants away for at least a year. Is there a product that will do this? I do know how to kill the plants, but want something that will prevent them from growing!
I've always used plain salt in cracks to prevent growth of weeds. Don't put the salt near anything that you do want to grow, though, because it will kill plants, too.
I use boiling water straight from the kettle. If you get the boiling water on the area before there are seeds from the grass, it will kill the grass longer. But most seeds are air borne so don't expect this or any method to work forever. Just take the kettle out with a long extension cord, a hose to fill it and you are off and running!
If your looking for a chemical weed killer use Roundup it will kill anything it touches right down to the root. Follow directions on bottle, don't use if expecting rain.
If you are looking for something with the same effect as roundup, but not harmful to children or animals, use vinegar and salt. Buy a 4 litre jug of vinegar, take out 1 cup of vinegar add 1 cup of salt to the jug and shake. When the salt has dissolved you can add the cup of vinegar back to the jug and shake again.
This will kill anything down to the root also. Make sure you don't spray any plants you wish to keep.
I think roundup now has a kind that will prevent weeds from returning for up to 3 months. I saw it at wal-marts.
I also use boiling water. It doesn't harm the earth and has no lingering residue. It works on every weed or plant.
Plant No-Mow grass seed in the cracks and then you won't have to do any maintenance. I heard Barbara Damrosch talk about No-Mow lawns on Martha and I found listings of it when I searched online. Treehugger has an article about No-Mow seeds. I won't use boiling water because I hate boiling worms in the soil underneath. Many of God's creatures, grow in soil! YIKES!
I save used water from boiling vegetables and pasta, and pour on them. Save energy and eco friendly.
Editor's Note: Make sure it is still very hot.
I live in Montreal Canada, and had the same problem.
HOME DEPOT here sells a fine sand called MAGIC SAND, you spread it on your bricks, brush it on the bricks so it fills in between them, then use a hose with a fine mist spray of water to wet the sand, it then hardens like a joint compound and stops all weed growth.
In regards to Roundup, please look into the kind of company you're promoting. Terminator technology is not good for the Earth, I don't care if you're liberal or conservative. Lots of abuses by Monsanto--I will never support them or buy another one of their products.
That said, I'll try the salt and the magic sand, both sound good!
I believe the original requester wanted no grass, not short grass. In the winter, vegetation on the driveway contributes together with ice to slipperiness.
Roundup isn't the only option. A second's Googling for grass killer turned up a green (oxymoron given the purpose?) product called BurnOut, a concoction of lemon juice, vinegar, and clove oil. Have no idea how well or how long it would work, since clove oil is volatile and the acids would rinse away. Or, there's another synthetic product called Preen, and another one called Remuda and another one called Spectracide. Plain old salt would probably be the "greenest" long lasting option. Or have some fun every few months with a Dragon's Breath torch and a tank of propane.
What is most effective way to kill weeds that keep growing through my patio?
By A. Laverick
If you want something "green", full strength vinegar is the cheapest and best way. Try not to use the chemicals unless absolutely necessary.
Boiling hot water, kills the plants it's roots and any seeds in the ground cheap and easy.
Boiling salt water is the quickest, safest and cheapest way to kill weeds in a walkway or patio. Just bring a large pot of water to boil and add 1/2 to 1 full container of salt. ( I use the cheapest kind I can find). Once the salt is completely dissolved use a pitcher to pour the water into the cracks were the weeds keep growing, after a few hours you can pull out the wilted, dead weeds.
I pour salt into the sidewalk cracks periodically throughout the growing season, especially after a rain storm. The saltwater dehydrates any roots under the walk and the straight salt keeps any roots from coming back. This is safe to use around children and pets, and won't hurt the environment. I even use it on the walkway between my flower beds and it doesn't hurt any of the established plants.
How do you get rid of weeds between patio bricks?
I've got some plants/weeds starting to come out of the mortar on my brick chimney. It was retacked about 12 years ago when I bought the house. I didn't use the fireplace this year or last and wonder if that has exacerbated the problem. I've read that salt erodes mortar, so I don't want to use that. What should I use? A mild herbicide?
By Andrew
Why not just make a fire in the fireplace? By the way, there is no such thing as a "mild" herbicide. They are all toxic to your environment.
I have lovely green moss of some kind volunteering in my sandstone patio in the hot, afternoon sun. Unfortunately I also have dandelions and other weeds cropping up, even right in the midst of the moss. Can I kill the weeds without killing the moss, and if so, how? Pulling the weeds is a full-time job!
By Julie L.
You are just going to have to bite the bullet here. Most broadleaf weed killers will also damage and perhaps kill the moss. You might take a sample of the moss to your local nursery or Cooperative Extension agent to an accurate identification, and then look for a broadleaf herbicide that says it is safe for your particular moss.
Weeds can easily take hold in the cracks between paving stones. This is a page about keeping weeds from growing between pavers.
