Keeping drivway weeds down

[Egon]

Does the RV antifreeze contain ethanol?

[horse7]

Is there some reason you all want a wide expanse of dirt type driveway?

I like the two tire tracks style, when the tracks start rutting, just fill with 3/4" to 1" pebbles. The tires keep the weeds down, and center can be bush hogged. Parking areas can just be grassy, or if used a lot or under heavy load, the free draining honeycombed paver materials can be used.

Dilute Chlorox will keep weeds down in areas with pavers, and isn't toxic like some of the other materials suggested (used oil? Ya gotta be kidding-- there is one house not far from me that is a brownsite due to the owner having a small engine repair place for 30yr, and dumping oil in the back. Dumping old oil on a driveway is just a slower form of getting to the same heavy metal contaminated state and imploding the value of the property).

Have to try the vinegar, there are some possible advantages of the acetic acid over sodium hypochlorite.

While there is a place for 'better living through chemicals', too many people believe the Madison Avenue line-- way too many toxic chemicals are used when perfectly good alternatives exist, including the alternative of doing nothing. Sometimes those toxic chemicals cause secondary problems, just like prescription drug side effects, then you need more chemicals for the side effects, and start a downward spiral (till all the amphibians are dead and you wonder why your kids are sick all the time).

[pitt_md]

I use my box scraper. I set the rippers to dig in a little and make a few trips up and down. i like this way as it makes it all very even but I don't own a rake YET so i could not say what works best.

[HappyCPE]

Horse7, I like your idea. That's how I keep my driveway. To me, nothing says "country" like a two-track.

For the parking area, though, I need something dry and firm. Aside from roundup, which is expensive and has debatable environmental consequenses, I use a propane torch to burn the weeds out of the driveway. It isn't for everyone and is no fun in the summer, but is is often recommended for organic weed control.

I'm not sure which tool is more dangerous; my chainsaw or my propane torch. I always have 5 gallons of water within 10 paces. And a cell phone.

[wedge40]

I have very little issue with grass and weeds in my 500' plus driveway. But then again it's been there for 20 years and is about 8" thick with gravel. I do work it with my box blade and my straight blade a couple of times a year. But that more for grooming that anything.
My only suggestion would be rip the thing up and put down a road cloth. I'm not sure but I think these are good for 20 or 30 years.

Wedge

[mjncad]

I'm going to try a product called Pro-Deuce from Nufarm within the next week for the 10,000 square feet of drive and other areas where the weeds like to grow and mowing them isn't feasible.

Pro-Deuce is a combination of pre and post emergents, and 6oz per 1,000 square feet is supposed to take care of the weeds.

We shall see.

[jeffinsgf]

In an attempt to go chemical free in the yard and landscape, I used a torch to spot treat the weeds in the yard this spring. It looks like they're not coming back. This should work just as well in a road.

Turning the road exposes new weed seeds at the same time you're knocking the tops off the growing ones. A little fire kills the plant (roots and all) and you aren't disturbing the existing structure.

I used a "cane" style burner with a normal propane torch cylinder, but there's one of THESE in my immediate future.

[Ranger Rick]

I once was told that spreading old fashion 20 mule team borax would kill the weeds and grass. I just did a quick look on the internet and a couple of people at Iowa State University did some research on Borax for killing the weed creeping charlie and found that too much borax would kill the weeds and the grass. Apparently plants need some Boron from the borax to grow but too much keeps everything from growing. I have not tried it but there is not much growing in Death Valley where they used to mine the borax. Rick