A gravel driveway always looks posh and classy, giving any home a rich and noble look. However, to be able to keep it like this, you need to perform proper maintenance and care routine, otherwise, your gravel driveway will pretty soon get covered with grass and weeds, turning into a messy forest path!
However, it often happens that homeowners ask how to get the grass out of gravel driveways. They want to know how they can clear their gravel driveway correctly so that grass won’t start growing again in the future.
And today we are going to tell you more about this. You will learn how you can kill grass growing in your gravel driveway and how to keep grass out of the gravel driveway.
In addition, we will explain why it is so important to clear your gravel driveway from grass regularly. After you read this article, you will be way more knowledgeable about dealing with weeds in a gravel driveway for sure!
How to Get Rid Of Grass In Gravel Driveway?
If you have grass in your gravel driveway, it has to be managed as soon as possible until it hasn’t spread further. A driveway that has grown with weeds and grass doesn’t only appear unsightly, it can also get damaged pretty soon if all the grass and weeds are not removed in time.
Luckily, there are several options to kill grass that has grown in your gravel driveway. The option you use depends on how massive the growth is.
For example, if you have large weeds or weeds/grass growing in compact gravel, it may require using a potent chemical herbicide.
However, if your driveway is covered with loose gravel and little weeds, those can usually be managed with the help of a non-toxic treatment. But in this case, you need to be ready that weed removal may take several sessions!
Below, we have the two most commonly used methods of removing gravel driveway weeds you can check out. One of them can be used on driveways that are heavily grown with grass and/or weeds, and another one will be more suitable for small grass and weeds growths.
Since each method requires distinct tools and products, we recommend you read about them carefully to know which one exactly suits you more!
Use Weed Killers
If you already have a massive weed growth on your gravel driveway, you won’t be able to get rid of them by simply pulling the weeds by hand. In this case, potent chemical weed killers will become your best friends.
This is an efficient method that will help you get rid of not only grass and weeds, but also other kinds of debris from the gravel. These weed killers come in a liquid form, which allows them to work by degrading and killing the growth in the soil all the way down to the roots.
Usually, the liquid weed killer will begin to work immediately, and you will have a clear gravel driveway in a couple of days already!
The good thing about grass and weed killer liquid is that this product is cheap enough, which makes it affordable for many homeowners.
In addition, weed killers are straightforward to use, as you can either buy a concentrated liquid that has already been combined or mix it yourself.
Besides, this liquid is usually waterproof and you can apply it with a water sprayer hose. Like that, the work can be completed pretty fast.
Remove Weeds Manually
This method will be more suitable if you have small weed growth on your gravel driveway. To remove the growth by hand, you will need to use a rake and a gardening grass or weed remover tool.
This method is a less expensive way to remove grass from gravel compared to using chemical weed killers. However, it requires more elbow grease and time. Luckily, the procedure is very simple:
- Start with removing the gravel
- Then pull out the weeds and grass from the ground using the tools
And keep one important thing in mind when using this approach: grass and weeds are quite hard to uproot and pull out with only bare hands! This is why you will want to use the help of gardening equipment.
These are the most popular and efficient ways of removing weeds and grass growth from your gravel driveway. But removing the growth successfully is not enough! If you want to keep your gravel driveway neat and tidy, you need to know how to keep weeds at bay. This is what we are going to tell you about below.
How to Keep Grass And Weeds From Growing In Gravel Driveway?
After you successfully managed all the weeds and grass on your driveway, you might have a reasonable question: how to keep grass from growing under gravel again?
A gravel driveway is typically covered with loose gravel, which makes it a perfect place for grass and different weeds! But pulling those manually each time is way too bothersome and time-consuming!
This is why we have a few tips that will help you prevent grass and weeds from growing through the gravel on your driveway. You can use them all or choose just several of them, it doesn’t matter.
The only thing you must ensure is that these steps are taken regularly! Otherwise, there will be no point in following this weed and grass preventive routine.
Burn Overgrown Grass And Weeds Using A Fire Torch
Using a fire torch and canister to burn grass and weeds on your gravel driveway is an important and straightforward way to prevent them from growing and spreading.
The torch is usually rather cheap, and it works really well at burning away the grass and weeds. This is why this method will make the cleanup very simple, leaving no grass to pick up.
There are a few more benefits that using a fire torch has:
- It can be used to burn not only weeds but even seeds that are present!
- It causes no damage to the gravel
- The fire torch is able to burn the grass down to the root
- Using a fire torch provides a long-term effect
- It prevents the regrowth of grass and weeds
Just make sure you take all necessary safety precautions and exercise caution when removing grass and weeds from your gravel driveway with a fire torch to make the work not only efficient but also safe!
Put The Sheets Under Gravel
If you need to keep the grass and weeds at bay in the long run, this method will be very handy. Using sheets is relatively simple since it requires placing the sheets beneath the gravel to prevent grass and weeds from growing on your driveway.
To gather the gravel and spill it back into the area after you have laid the sheets, you will need a simple shovel and wheelbarrow.
Of course, this procedure will take some effort and time at the beginning, especially if you are doing it for the first time, but this method has proved itself to be highly reliable.
This approach is so effective and perfect because the sheets you use underneath don’t leave any chance for contact with the soil underneath.
Use Large And Wide Plastic Sheets
Using plastic sheets is one of the most commonly used ways to keep weeds and grass at bay on gravel driveways. These sheets can be used as the weed suppressants just like those we mentioned above. They also make use of plastic to create a barrier between the gravel and the soil beneath the gravel. It makes it impossible for grass and weeds to grow.
This method will be useful for those who have a lengthy driveway since plastic is less expensive, and if you have a lot of space to cover, it will be more cost-effective than using regular sheets.
Besides, a thick cover of black plastic will effectively block light and water from penetrating the gravel, which will prevent grass and weed development.
Try Using Salt Gravel Driveways
Do you have weeds or grass growing on your driveway, but you don’t want to use chemical weed killers because you have minor children or dogs in your home and you are afraid of contaminating them?
In this case, using salt gravel driveway weeds is an excellent approach for you to reduce weed development!
You can use either rock salt or plain table salt as an alternative. To apply it, simply combine one pound of salt with one gallon of water. Stir the mixture to make the salt completely dissolve and then transfer the salty solution to a watering can thoroughly.
Keep Moisture At Bay
The rapid growth of grass and weeds on your gravel driveway is mostly possible because of the availability of water. This is the major factor that is responsible for weeds on your driveway.
This is why your main task is to keep excess moisture at bay. For example, you can take the following steps to achieve it:
- Try to use soil that retains less moisture under the gravel
- Check whether your garden hose or a nearby faucet is frequently spraying water on the driveway
- If there is excess water, turn off the sprinkler while not in use
Vinegar Is a Natural Weed Killer
Pulling weeds by hand is the most effective but also the most tiresome way of getting rid of them. But did you know that white vinegar can be used as a much quicker anti-wed solution? All you need to do is to prep a vinegar week killer!
- Pour 1 gallon of 5-percent white vinegar into a bucket.
- Add 1 cup of table salt.
- Stir the solution until all the salt dissolves completely.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap to help the vinegar and salt solution adhere to the weeds.
- Blend the mixture thoroughly.
- Pour the weed killer into a plastic spray bottle.
Apply the liquid to the weeds you want to get rid of and don’t be afraid to accidentally touch the nearby plants. A few drops of vinegar solution won’t kill them, although, this mixture may cause their leaves to brown.
Keeping the growth of weeds and grass under control will significantly reduce the number of driveway restorations and make your life much easier. In addition, you will get a neat-looking driveway!
These were the handy and easy methods you can opt for should you decide to maintain your gravel driveway according to the rules to keep weeds and grass away from it.
And to summarize it all, we would like to remind you of some basic threats that weeds growth and unwanted grass on your gravel driveway may bring.
Why Do You Need Weed Control On Your Gravel Driveway?
Having grass and weeds on your gravel driveway is rather unsightly, making the yard look untidy and abandoned. However, weeds don’t only cause aesthetic dislike.
If you don’t take care of them in time and don’t remove them completely either manually or with the use of special weed killers, the growth will spread, going deeper into the soil. As a result, weeds and grass will start flourishing on your driveway, poking through the gravel.
Don’t worry, there is no danger for your land or house if you have weeds on your driveway!
However, if you neglect the need of removing the growth, it will keep on spreading and eventually cover all the gravel surface. It will make the driveway hard to use. Besides, weeds will get stronger, which means you will have more complications with getting rid of them later!
This is why, if you want to deal with unwanted grass and weeds growth relatively easily and cheaply, we recommend you take care of your gravel driveway regularly. Remove the growth of the young weeds, and get rid of old grass and other debris, and your driveway will look tidy and will be easy to use.
So, now you know how you can fix a gravel driveway if it is covered with weeds growth. We shared the two common weed-removing methods with you today and explained for what purpose each of them can be used.
Also, you learned why weeds can be dangerous for gravel driveways and what steps you can take to prevent them from growing in your property.
Conclusion
So, now you know how you can fix a gravel driveway if it is covered with weeds growth. We shared the two standard weed-removing methods with you today and explained for what purpose each can be used.
Also, you learned why weeds could be dangerous for gravel driveways and what steps you can take to prevent them from growing on your property.
[wp-faq-schema title=”Frequently Asked Questions”]
