How to Permanently Get Rid of Weeds in a Gravel Driveway

Your driveway serves not only as the place to park your car but also as an indicator of the standards you keep at home. A clean, well-presented driveway can be a signal that your home is treated the same, and should you be looking to sell, that added kerb appeal can work wonders.

Find weeds on a gravel driveway though, and suddenly the first impression you hoped for can be washed away in an instant. Not only that but should they get out of control, your hope for a quick fix can disappear as quickly as the kerb appeal.

So, in this blog, we take a look at killing weeds on a gravel driveway so you can maintain yours to the best possible standard.

Why do weeds appear on a gravel driveway?

Weeds grow on gravel driveways due to a combination of the seeds themselves and the constitution of a gravel driveway.

The seeds are very light and can be carried by both the wind and birds. Should they then land on a gravel driveway, it becomes easy for them to settle in spaces between the gravel stones. With sunlight and moisture, the seeds find a home, add in a variety of debris such as soil that can fill the gaps between the stones, and suddenly the seeds have an area in which they can thrive.

Then once they start to grow, they spread and spread fast!

What weeds will I find on a gravel driveway?

There are typically three weed types you may find on a gravel driveway.

• Perennials: Perennials such as dandelions may only appear at certain stages of the year, but they fix themselves firmly to your driveway. With deep roots, you have to do more than just snip the weed away to ensure it is gone.
• Grassy: Grassy weeds are good at remaining hidden and can embed themselves in the gravel for a long time before you spot them.
• Woody: Woody weeds such as brambles can thrive in areas where no care is taken. Once they start to appear, they grow quickly and become difficult to remove.

Killing weeds on a gravel driveway: The solutions

There are a host of ways you can remove weeds on a gravel driveway. Some are quick and easy, others require a little more effort.

Pulling them out by hand

Now if your driveway is overrun, weeding a gravel driveway like this isn’t the best course of action. It would simply take too long. However, should only a small area of your driveway be affected, it might be the quick and cheap solution you were looking for. Pull up the weeds but dig deep, the roots are the cause of your weed invasion, and you’ll need to get to those to truly fix the problem. Grasp the weed from the lowest point possible above the soil, then slowly pull it up, you’ll feel it “detach” and that should enable you to pull out the entire weed.

Homemade weed killer

The number of products on the market is now quite frankly, crazy! It makes deciding which one to buy so much harder. Why not save cash and time by creating a homemade mixture that is just as good?

Mix soap and vinegar and spray it onto the weeds. It is as simple as that! Make sure all the weeds are drenched and leave them for a day or so. You should then return to find dead weeds that can be removed easily.

It’s important to get the mix right though so for every ounce of soap, you’ll want about 4-5 litres of vinegar.

Will rock sale kill weeds in a gravel driveway?

Yes! Rock salt is next on our list, and this can be a great option to break down those weeds and restore your gravel drive. Sprinkle it on the ground surrounding the weeds and within a few days, you’ll be weed-free. This should provide a long-term solution as the salt will dive deep and kill off any chance of growth. Just be wary that should there be a plan to plant anything where the salt was applied, you’ll be fighting a losing battle as nothing will be able to grow there for quite some time.

Boiling water

Another cheap and effective method is to boil a kettle and pour the water over the weeds. It works fast, and despite being a simple method, is quite scientific. The proteins in weeds, as in many other things, fail to function properly at 42C, so once boiling water is applied, they wilt and die as they can’t handle this change to their makeup.

Chemical weed killer

We mentioned earlier that there is perhaps too much choice these days but that doesn’t always mean it’s a bad thing. Shop around at your local garden centre and find a weed killer that specifically targets weeds. There are some products out there that will kill any vegetation they make contact with. You can normally see results within a week using this method.

A gravel driveway can look beautiful, but it can look pretty awful once weeds take hold. With their ability to hide between the stones before sprouting en masse, they can suddenly cause a driveway transformation you didn’t plan. Should you be thinking a new driveway is in order though, speak to our team. At Tidey & Webb, we use our experience as surfacing contractors to deliver high-quality driveways across Sussex, Surrey, Kent and Hampshire. From block paving driveways to tarmac and more, we can maintain or install a driveway to reinvigorate your home or business. Simply give us a call today or make an enquiry online to find out more.