How do you keep the gravel off the grass?

[blackdog2086]

Right now, even though I'm not home, my thoughts are. After a conversation with the wife, (who is currently the groundskeeper) I need some ideas on how to keep my gravel driveway from migrating into my lawn.

My driveway is 3/4 of a mile long, but I only have about 400' that is bordered by lawn, so that's all I'm really concerned with. After a winter of plowing snow (which while I'm away has to be hired out) the driveway is about 3 to 4' wider, and the lawn the same amount narrower. The wife does her best to rake the gravel back where it belongs in the spring, but she finds herself hitting stones almost every mowing, which makes me cringe just thinking about my mower blades.

I tried some of the cheap plastic that you would put around trees or shrubs, but the plow guy destroyed that when he widened my driveway. I want to use something that is low enough to drive or mow over, but preferably a bit more durable than what I was using. The less visible it is, the better, but I'm not against something that shows a bit.

There's nothing I can do this year, but I should be home by late summer so I'll be able to get things ready for next year. Any thoughts or ideas are appreciated, preferably with pictures, since I'm not currently employed by NASA.

 

[oosik]

One easy solution is skid shoes on the snow blade. It won't keep all the rocks out of the lawn but it will sure cut down on them.

And for whatever reason you are over there - be safe.

 

[Scrambler82]

Maybe too simple, a 2x6 or 2x8s, above ground to your liking... a big piece of pipe with a reflector or sign, stressing limits.

If the plow driver doesn't adhere to your limits, replace driver.

if you are in the Military, thank you and keep safe and I hope you had a reasonably Merry Christmas.

 

[dave1949]

You might have the wrong type of driveway topping. It should be fine, like sand, with small stones mixed in. We use a lot of 1" minus around here (stones no larger than 1" mixed with a lot of sand). That will freeze up to a hard surface. Loose stones without the sand will not.

It's about impossible to keep all the gravel on the driveway, especially in the fall before things have frozen up hard. Sometimes the stones stick to the snow even when you keep the plow blade out of the stones--which isn't easy to do either shoes or not.

Some plow drivers do better than others for sure.

 

[Eldubya]

I use this product around my resort with great success.
Bender Board - Landscape Edging and Concrete Forming
It is very durable and WAY better than the thin black plastic crap. I have to agree with dave1949, keep the aggregate small and it won't kill your mower.

 

[Coyote machine]

Buy the tall fiberglass rod driveway markers and drive them in the ground before it freezes. I put them about two feet back from the lawn's edge and about ten feet apart. This way the driver knows how far to keep the plow from the markers and about where the grass begins. And he can push snow up to the 2' away from the marker line without knocking down the stakes.
In the spring rent a weed eater with the powerbroom paddlewheel type attachment, and pull or push the stones that are in the grass into the driveway edge and clean up the piles. The lawn will look great with the above machine having removed the stones that do end up in the grass. Trust me on this I do it every year here in VT. Shoes or not won't make any difference, and most pro plowers don't use shoes anyway.

 

[blackdog2086]

I do use the fiberglass driveway markers, so the path is pretty well marked. I'm not faulting the plow truck driver, as even when I was plowing with my tractor, I would still get some stones on the lawn. Admittedly fewer, but all I have to plow is my driveway, not several hundred, so it's easier to go a bit slower and be extra careful. Don't know if he has his plow skid shoe equipped, but going on what I normally see in my area, I doubt it.

I'm not quite sure what the paddlewheel attachment for a weed eater is, but I wouldn't be against trying it if it works.

The bender board looks great, but I'd need about 800' (both sides of driveway) and I'm guessing that might get a bit pricey. I will definitely check it out though. Thanks for all the replies.

 

[Coyote machine]

ECHO PAS Paddle Attachment-99944200620 - The Home Depot
There is a link with pictures. Read the reviews about removing gravel from lawns. You don't need to complicate things with driveway edging, that's just unnecessary expense and it will get damage by plowing. Keep it as simple as possible. Where is your stateside local?
Thanks for your and your families service/sacrifices to our country! Safe home.

 

[square1]

A rake

 

[Katahdin]

A power broom is the most effective tool I've found to get the gravel off the lawn and back onto the driveway. I rented one the first year then bought one the next, mine is a Husqvarna that takes multiple attachments. After trying one you won't go back to a hand rake.

I will add that after staking my driveway last winter, I was less aggressive with the plow and had a lot less gravel to rake.

Since you're "abroad" I suggest simply hiring a landscape company to do the power broom service this spring, it should only cost a couple hours of labor for 400' feet of lawn frontage. Your groundskeeper will thank you.

In any event, thank you for your service!