Gravel driveway and weeds

- Hello, we have a 1/10 th mile drive of gravel and a top lot that continues with gravel.

- There are a lot of weeds that I don't feel like spraying with chemical.

- the center of the drive is green with weeds from end to end

- the lot is getting overrun with crabgrass and rose of Sharon and clover, etc

Is there any recommendations?

The problem is the solution somehow?

My one curious thought is perhaps dumping lime or something else to throw the ph way off, but that could go way wrong.

George Meljon : There was a thread on that subject under Paul's Farm in Community ! Happy digging ! Big Al

I couldn't find anything in that section. Does anyone know what thread that is?

Can you cover a section with a tarp? You can drive over a tarp.
I find that where I park regularly, the grass dies from lack of sun and rain.
I make a feeble attempt to park in a slightly different spot now and then so I don't kill all the grass. I need it for compost.

Ken Peavey wrote:Can you cover a section with a tarp? You can drive over a tarp.
I find that where I park regularly, the grass dies from lack of sun and rain.
I make a feeble attempt to park in a slightly different spot now and then so I don't kill all the grass. I need it for compost.

I have thought about trying that. My big tarp isn't so big once it's put to the driveway lot, though.

I am trying the vinegar method asap.

Perhaps tarping some weeds for 3-4 days then hitting them with vinegar would be effective. Otherwise, I don't like the tarp out for 2-3 weeks.

I could actually use some hot sun, my hugelbeds will be fine.

I have the exact same problem, and started a thread about it called "Driveway Grass control" a few months ago....you can check out some of the suggestions people gave me. I ended up killing some of it with some transparent polycarbonate greenhouse panels I had been using for coldframes; by laying them on top of the weeds on sunny days and let the weeds cook under there. Someone did suggest ashes, which would make the soil too alkaline for most species, I intend to try this one, too.....

A weed burner will get the job done "organically" Yeah, not really but it will deal with any seeds quickly.

Straight vinegar will do the trick and is "dirt" cheap.

Thanks for all the responses on here. I will let you know how it goes.

Frankly, I have too much gravel space in my lot (for now it seems). What's the downside to letting weeds take over the gravel? Is the future soil any better or worse off? Not a big deal, just wondering.

George Meljon wrote:Thanks for all the responses on here. I will let you know how it goes.

Frankly, I have too much gravel space in my lot (for now it seems). What's the downside to letting weeds take over the gravel? Is the future soil any better or worse off? Not a big deal, just wondering.

That's what I've been wondering???I don't mind driving over our weedy drive and I love coming home from town and getting to our lane and driveway that look as though no one lives there. There is a rose cane starting to pop in the car window when we pass it that we will probably cut back a bit. We don't have any close neighbors and the ones off of this lane have weedy driveways too

If you ever plan to grow things there I think letting it grow up weedy and just see what shows up over a few years would be better than pouring on vinegar or changing the PH drastically.

But vinegar shouldn't hurt anything other than the weeds, correct?

George Meljon wrote:But vinegar shouldn't hurt anything other than the weeds, correct?

I don't imagine anything living in the soil will like it much but I don't know how much it would affect any soil life long term. I have used it on poison ivy around the house foundation...it made it look pretty odd but never really killed it. I am sure other weeds would be easier to knock back with vinegar.

Two things to consider about future use of the driveway land- 1. Vinegar is a quick short term acidifier that will wash away with the rains and 2. If you do decide to grow on that piece of land, by the time you want to plant that driveway dirt will be so compacted as to make tilling it very difficult except after it is wet from the rains. It will be compacted pretty deep. Vinegar is not going it hurt the soil long term.

You need a short section of I-beam and some chain. Attach the thing to your bumper occasionaly. As you leave the property steer tightly to one side and drive to the road. Hook it up upon your return and hit the other side. A weaker rope can be used to attach to the car, so that a snag can't rip your bumper off. An old harrow or drag chains will also work.This is a red neck grading technique that destroys weeds. Eliminating pot holes is a side benefit.

My tenant has a big truck used in his excavation business. He occasionally drives along the very edge of the half mile road, crushing weeds and tree seedlings into the gravel. The beam dragger is used only when grading is needed. That process rips out center line weeds. About 3 hours work per year. Probably 15 hours per year chopping branches and trees that reach into the roadway.

Dale Hodgins wrote:You need a short section of I-beam and some chain. Attach the thing to your bumper occasionaly. As you leave the property steer tightly to one side and drive to the road. Hook it up upon your return and hit the other side. A weaker rope can be used to attach to the car, so that a snag can't rip your bumper off. An old harrow or drag chains will also work.This is a red neck grading technique that destroys weeds. Eliminating pot holes is a side benefit.

My tenant has a big truck used in his excavation business. He occasionally drives along the very edge of the half mile road, crushing weeds and tree seedlings into the gravel. The beam dragger is used only when grading is needed. That process rips out center line weeds. About 3 hours work per year. Probably 15 hours per year chopping branches and trees that reach into the roadway.

I like it...using the problem or at least the cause of the problem as the tool in the solution. We have an ever raising hump (or ruts deepening) in the driveway this would solve.

Thanks, I will give this a try as the wheel ruts are growing some.