Help - Gravel driveway and weed control

[Ward Green]

I’m sure there are a couple of members out there with a gravel driveway. I was hoping some of you can share secrets to controlling weed growth in the driveway. I know Roundup is probably the easiest solution, but I would like to also prevent weeds from growing.

I am not too knowledgeable with lawn care products, but would something like a pre-emergent help prevent weeds from growing in places other than in the lawn? And would this product contain fertilizer which would bring in grass over the gravel driveway?

Lastly, I recently saw a video on YouTube of a Ventrac tractor attachment which tilled up the gravel and graded the driveway all in one. Does anyone have experience with this type of equipment or circumstance? Should I hire someone to till the gravel in concert with the roundup?

 

[Jeff]

I use glyphosate (41% concentrate) diluted with water in a sprayer and do spot applications where the weeds or grass are growing in the gravel.

Pre-emergent weed control without fertilizer is readily available but not practical for use in gravel. It's a waste of money for that use and it won't last very long.

 

[Bill Clemmons]

I agree w/ Jeff's comments about both the glyphosate (aka RoundUp) and pre-emergent herbicides. I would go to the Southern States Coop store in Mebane and ask their advice. They may know of something that will work long term.

As for the device you show in your post, I have no experience but I'm skeptical. I use a 5' scrape blade on my tractor to keep our 1/2 mile driveway in shape. But as anyone who has ever been to my shop can tell you, I don't do a very good job.

 

[Mrfixit71]

+1 for glyphosate and spot treating. I get mine at Tractor Supply. I have about 1000 ft. of gravel drive and use a tractor with a grader/planer to maintain it.

 

[Mike Davis]

I remember when I was 5-10 years old coming to NC to visit my great aunt and uncle in Asheville. They had a beautiful white gravel driveway. One of my jobs was to pull the grass and weeds out of that gravel. Uncle Ray would say pull it up by the roots, don't just snatch it off the top. After a hard days work I would have a wheel barrow full of grass and weeds to dump in the woods across the road. Then we would have fresh vegetables out of his garden for dinner.

 

[sawman101]

There is a Round Up residual spray now on the market. I have some but am waiting for the blooms to go away so I won't kill the bees that are busy pollinating right now. So until then, it's weed whacker time where I can.

 

[Roy G]

You can do like they do at NC State to keep weeds out of all their brick areas. They use a torch to incinerate the weeds. I have a small version that works off a propane canister and is good for spot eradication. If your driveway is not very long, this might be an option for you. I would avoid the Roundup since it is a carcinogen.

Roy G

 

[Jeff]

I would avoid the Roundup since it is a carcinogen.

I can't find any scientific evidence to support that claim. Do you have a reference link to read? Lots of things are classified as "probable or possible" human carcinogens without much support for the claim.

 

[redknife]

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1383574218300887
I used to use a fair amount of glyphosate on our last property. I’ve stopped. I am not looking to stir anybody’s pot with the link. We mow over the grass in our stone driveway. I might get a propane torch this year.

 

[Barry W]

`When had a hardware/farm supply store we sold Pramitol 25E primarily to sterilize fence lines. I understand it is also used under concrete on construction sites. I have used it on my farm road for weed control and it lasts much longer than glyphosate. Pramitol does not kill weeds/grass, it prevents recurrence after they are eliminated by other means.

 

[FlyingRon]

I bought my wife a red dragon propane burner weeder that we use frequently. It's great on places you don't want ANYTHING to grow (as opposed to burning weeds amongst other livign things).

 

[Roy G]

The information I have about Roundup being carcinogenic comes from the two court cases in California which led to multi-million dollar settlements for the affected people, both who had used Roundup extensively. I don't know what scientific evidence was provided in the trials. I know that Monsanto is going to appeal the rulings. Time will tell what the final outcome is, but I try to steer clear of more chemical exposure whenever possible.

Roy G

 

[Jeff]

Glyphosate (Roundup) and cancer. Forbes magazine (February, 2019).

(Quick answer: probably not. See my update at the bottom of this post.)

Does The Herbicide RoundUp® Cause Cancer?

RoundUp® is the most widely used herbicide in the world. Although 100s of studies have shown that RoundUp is safe, a new study presents evidence for a 41% increase in cancer risk in agricultural workers exposed to high levels. It seems, though, that the new study is flawed.

www.forbes.com

 

[Mike Davis]

We are getting slightly off topic here...

Use or don't use whatever you like with the appropriate warnings...

On to other solutions, OK?

 

[Jeff]

We are getting slightly off topic here...

Use or don't use whatever you like with the appropriate warnings...

On to other solutions, OK?

OK. I just don't like unsubstantiated claims and warnings about the hazards of this or that! At least be informed for your choice.

 

[drw]

We are getting slightly off topic here...

Use or don't use whatever you like with the appropriate warnings...

On to other solutions, OK?

Mike, I am not sure why you felt compelled to jump in when you did. At this point in the thread, the comments have been informative and certainly not argumentative; while people have their respective opinions, no one has crossed the line. I understand that this is a moderated site, which I appreciate. That said, when someone expresses caution about a product or a brand while another responder doesn't believe that caution is necessarily warranted, is that give-and-take a bad thing? In my opinion, this is part of the charm of the NCWW site. Could it get out of hand, absolutely; but, it would seem more appropriate to deal with the issue if it does step over the line than to assume things will go awry and preemptively shut it down.

 

[Mike Davis]

I'd rather remind folks to keep it civil than to wait and have to deal with hurt feelings, of course sometimes even that causes hurt feelings.

 

[drw]

Very true. I know your heart is in the right place and your actions are well-intended.

 

[Barry W]

I say this respectfully and civilly: Courts (law suits), settlements, California. Read the warnings and comply.

 

[jlwest]

Round Up is perfectly safe for the home owner if used as directed. It is not listed as a toxin by anyone. The California cases are extreme exposure which causes problems with anything. Headlines are misleading.