I’ve tried all the tricks to get rid of the weeds in my gravel – a £6 purchase killed them
Weeds are hard to remove, but they are even harder to remove from driveways and gravel.
At least that’s what one homeowner discovered after trying every possible trick to remove the pesky weeds from his gravel.
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He shared his riddle with a popular Facebook group to ask if anyone knew the secret to getting rid of it for good.
“Need help!!! This is my driveway. I can’t get the weeds out,” he wrote in the post, alongside a click from his driveway.
He explained that he already has a number of popular hack including vinegar and salt, hot water and even chemical weed killers.
“I’m at my wits end now. Nothing helps! Every time I pull them out, five more appear in their place.
“It really makes me sad because it always looks such a mess.
£Eventually we will re-cover the stones with a thicker weed control fabric, but what can we do now!?”
Luckily, for garden enthusiasts, there is the perfect homeowner solution, and it’s something that doesn’t cost too much.
Many suggested using Rosate, a powerful herbicide used against annual and perennial grasses and broadleaf weeds.
Someone said: “I’ve been using it for a few years now, it’s great stuff, but one spray won’t kill the weeds in the summer. You have to put in the effort, but it does get the job done and over time you won’t have many weeds left. There’s no miracle cure, I wish there was, but Rosate comes very close to a miracle.”
A second agreed: “Rosate for sure, it kills the roots and doesn’t just burn the top.”
“It takes about 10 days for it to look like it’s doing anything. It’s also pet safe once it dries, so if you spray it on like this, let it sit for at least an hour before letting your pet out.”
“Rosate is the strongest weed killer used by professionals and farmers to clear fields for crops.
“You have to dilute it with 50 ml/5 liters of water, spray it over and leave it for 3-4 weeks so that it can reach the roots.
“You’ll see it working because the green will turn brown and start to fall apart.”
A litre bottle of Rosate costs around £13, but for a weed problem the size of the homeowner’s you only need half a bottle, so the trick will only cost you £6.
Other tips to banish stubborn weeds
Garden professional Alan Titchmarsh previously shared some of his top weed removal tricks with Gardeners World.
Shovel them away
According to Alan, an experienced gardener, you can also keep your garden weed-free by hoeing dry, bare areas of your garden every week.
He said this prevents weeds from germinating and spreading throughout the garden.
Alan said it’s best to hoe the area on a dry day so the weeds wilt and it doesn’t dry out.
Pull them by hand
Alan said that you can easily pull short-rooted weeds like ragwort and chickweed out of the ground with your hands.
He said it’s best to do this when the soil is wet so you can easily remove the entire root system.
By pulling this weed out of the ground, you control it before it has a chance to spread seeds throughout your garden.
Scrape them out
Some weeds can grow in difficult places, for example between the tiles of your patio.
Alan recommended scraping the weeds from between the slabs with an old kitchen knife.
He said you can “tease” the weeds out and recommended pouring weed killer on this area to prevent more weeds from growing through.
What are weeds? And why are they important?
Simply put, a weed is a plant that grows where you don’t want it to.
Rebecca Miller, deputy editor of Fabulous and avid gardener, explains why gardeners should make friends with weeds.
“From nettles, to buttercups, to docks and dandelions – there are so many beautiful plants that are called weeds. And yet, as the weather warms up and we spend more time outdoors, we want to pick, pull and kill as many as possible, to keep our gardens looking perfect and pristine.
“Weeds are essential to our ecosystem – many are pollinators, providing food for bees, bats, beetles, butterflies, moths and wasps. And without weeds, these animals would not survive the early spring.
“Weeds also give something back to nature – when they die and decay, their roots break off, feeding microorganisms and insects, and making paths and tunnels for worms. Abundant life below means abundant life above.
“Weeds are also an excellent indicator of soil health – which is important if you want to grow anything in your outdoor space. When microorganisms and insects break down weeds, they release essential nutrients into the soil that plants take up. They also store nitrogen and carbon dioxide in the soil, creating cleaner air and removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, mitigating the climate crisis.
“So before you pull all the weeds out of your garden, give a few weeds a chance to grow and flower first. That way you can see what’s happening in your garden and enjoy the flowers…”
