I tried every hack to get rid of weeds in my gravel – a brilliant £6 buy killed them instantly & they haven’t grown back
WEEDS are tricky to get rid of at the best of times, but they’re even harder to banish from driveways and gravel.
At least that’s what one homeowner discovered after trying just about every hack to kill the pesky weeds from his gravel.
He took his conundrum to a popular Facebook group to see if anyone knew the secret to getting rid of them for good.
“Help needed!!! This is my driveway. I cannot get rid of the weeds,” he wrote in the post, alongside a snap of his driveway.
He explained that he already tried some popular hacks including vinegar and salt, hot water and even chemical weedkiller.
“I’m now at a loss. Nothing works! Every time I pull them out, five appear in their place.
“I’m getting really down as it looks such a mess all the time.
£Eventually we will relay the stones with a thicker weed control fabric, but for now, what can we do!?”
Luckily, the gardening fans and the perfect solution for the homeowner, and it’s something that won’t break the bank.
Many suggested using Rosate, a powerful herbicide used for annual and perennial grasses and broad-leaved weeds.
One said: “I’ve used it now for a few years brilliant stuff, but one spray will not get rid of weeds for the summer you have to work at it but it get results and overtime weeds are few nothing is going to be a miracle cure I wish it was but Rosate comes very close to a miracle.”
A second agreed: “Definitely Rosate, it will kill the roots and not just burn the top off.
“Takes about 10 days to look like it’s doing something. It’s also pet friendly once it’s dried, so when you so spray it, leave it at least an hour before you let pets out.”
“Rosate is the strongest weed killer used by professionals and farmers to clear fields for crops.
“You’d need to dilute it 50ml/5 litres of water spray on and leave it 3-4 weeks to get to the root system.
“You’ll see when it’s worked as the green becomes brown and starts to disintegrate.”
You can buy a one litre bottle of Rosate for around the £13 mark, but for a weed problem the same size as the homeowner you’d only need to use roughly half a bottle, meaning the trick should only cost £6.
Other tips to banish stubborn weeds
Gardening pro Alan Titchmarsh previously shared some of his top tricks to get rid of weeds with Gardeners World.
Hoe them away
Gardening veteran Alan said that another way to make sure your garden is weed free is to hoe dry, bare areas of your garden weekly.
He said that this ensures the weeds cannot germinate and spread across your garden.
Alan said that it is best to hoe the area on a dry day so that the weeds will wither away and doe of dehydration.
Pull them by hand
Alan said that for shorter rooted weeds, such as groundsel and chickweed, you can simply tug them out of the ground with your hands.
He said that it is best to do this when the soil is wet, so that you can easily remove the whole root system.
By pulling these weeds out of the ground, you are targeting them before they have chance to spread their seed across your garden.
Scrape them out
Some weeds can grow in awkward places, such as in between patio slabs.
Alan advised scraping these weeds out from between the slabs, using an old kitchen knife.
He said that you can “tease” the weeds out, and recommended pouring weed killer on this area to stop more weeds from poking through.
What is a weed? And why are they important?
Simply put, a weed is a plant that grows in an area or space you don't want it to.
Rebecca Miller, Fabulous’ Associate Editor, and keen gardener, explains why gardeners need to become friends with weeds.
“From nettles, buttercups, docks and dandelions – there are so many wonderful plants that are called weeds. And yet, as soon as the weather warms up, and we spend more time in outside, we want to pluck, pull and kill as many of them as possible, to make our gardens look perfect and pristine.
“Weeds are essential to our ecosystem – many are pollinators, providing food to bees, bats, beetles, butterflies, moths and wasps. And without weeds, these animals wouldn’t survive past early Spring.
“Weeds also give back to nature – when they die and decay, their roots break down, feed microorganisms and insects, and make pathways and tunnels for worms. Bountiful life below means plentiful life above.
“Weeds are also brilliant indicators 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 soak up. They also store nitrogen and carbon dioxide in the ground, creating cleaner air and removing greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere, mitigating the climate crisis.
“So before you pull out every weed in your garden, why not give a few of them a chance to grow and bloom, and see what enters your garden to enjoy the flowers…”