Help - Gravel driveway and weed control

Ward Green

Ward
Senior User
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

New User
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

Bill
Corporate Member
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

Board of Directors, Treasurer
Rich
Staff member
Corporate Member
+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

Mike
Corporate Member
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

Bruce Swanson
Corporate Member
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

Roy
Senior User
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
 

Barry W

Co-Director of Outreach
Barry
Corporate Member
`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

Moderator
Ron
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

Roy
Senior User
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

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

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

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
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

New User
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

Donn
Corporate Member
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

Mike
Corporate Member
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

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

Barry W

Co-Director of Outreach
Barry
Corporate Member
I say this respectfully and civilly: Courts (law suits), settlements, California. Read the warnings and comply.
 

jlwest

Jeff
Corporate Member
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.
 

Premier Sponsor

Our Sponsors

LATEST FOR SALE LISTINGS

Top