Clearing weeds in driveway

[bkenobi]

I've been using Roundup in a 4 gallon backpack sprayer for years and it has done ok at controlling the weeks but I never have truly weed free gravel. Last year I didn't spray as an experiment and it's not all that much different (either now or during the growing season) than it would have been otherwise. I got a 15 gallon sprayer I plan to use this year, but I'm trying to decide what to use in it.

I can use the Glyphosate as is (typically 8oz/4gal) but that seems to just kill the weeds that are there on the day I spray within 2 weeks. But, by that time, the new weeds have started to get big enough that it doesn't look much different. By summer, they are all dried up anyway so I'm not sure it matters. It's too wet in winter even if I wanted to try to knock them down. I was recommended last year to add Imazapyr to the tank but I can't seem to find it on it's own so would have to buy a concentrate that already has Glyphosate to try it (kinda silly when I have 2 gallons left...a few years supply). If I can find a quart of straight Imazapyr, what rate should I apply? Seems like 0.05% is a common solution. Also, is surfactant required to get best benefits?

If I do get Imazapyr, is there any risk of using that tank later in other areas (mulch near plants I don't want dead)? I haven't used the 15 gallon yet and am a little nervous about getting it clean since the 4 gallon takes several full tanks to rinse.

 

[oosik]

I have a 25 gallon DemCo sprayer with a pto roller pump. Used in the orchard - when we had an orchard. Used Roundup for weeds on this end of my mile long driveway. About 200 feet - right down the middle and both sides.

Now I use my JD riding mower. It's just me - the mower - towering clouds of dust - weed/grass chunks flying everywhere. Right down the middle and about a two foot cut into the weeds on each side.

I do it once and before they get a chance to come back - things have dried out and the weeds are all dead anyhow.

I would transfer between chemicals used on the fruit trees - then RoundUP. Your OP manual for your 15 gallon sprayer should give instructions on how to completely clean out the equipment.

My sprayer has a high pressure re-circulation cycle. Used to mix the chemicals and then clean the machine and hoses. Five gallons of water - liquid detergent - do this at least two times. Dump and rinse.

 

[oosik]

This is my driveway - a day or so after I mowed.

 

[bkenobi]

I probably wouldn't worry about that type of driveway personally. If anything, just throw more gravel on for traction every few years.

I didn't mention that the driveway is not huge but it's big for using a backpack. I typically spray the entire thing because the weeds I have are those little popping bastards (bittercrest I think) as well as a few others (small spots with grass, maple seedlings, etc) that don't get big but are definitely visible when left untouched. I typically pull the big weeds by hand but the small ones are too much effort hence spraying.

The driveway is between 1/2 and 3/4 acre. It's excessive for the 15 gallon unit but I wanted to use it for spot spraying other areas and it's the smallest of the bigger units I found. I had been spraying 3 tanks on the driveway and other areas around the property so I figured I could use up to 1 tank and do the driveway as well as spot treating the mulch, gravel around the raised garden, and the gravel around the shop.

 

[bdhsfz6]

I use the stone rake a couple of times a season. It usually needs to be graded anyway. I make a number of passes until all the weeds have been uprooted. The exposed roots quickly dry out and the wind we have around here takes care of the rest.

 

[deezler]

I just ripped up my entire 1000' gravel driveway using the scarifiers (rippers/shanks) on my land plane. Conditions were right for doing a full "reset" on the drive - pull all the stones up, smooth everything back out, and weeds? None to be seen anymore.

So that's one option, just till up your stones and the weeds get buried and/or shredded. I'm curious to see if they sprout back with any vigor this summer, or not.

Of course the standard caveat applies to always try to vary where you drive. Make sure to run down the edges just as much as you drive smack in the middle, and that should keep the weeds down also.

I would personally not want a gravel driveway if I had to spray noxious chemicals all over it with any sort of frequency. Use your PPE if you feel you have to!

 

[oosik]

Deezler - I feel the same way about the use of chemicals. My property ( 80 acres ) is bound on two sides by lakes. Everything drains into one or the other.

Once the orchard died out - I quit using chemicals totally. It's simply safer for everything - everybody.

AND - I'm no tree hugger or greenie. A whole lot of todays chemicals have some pretty nasty side effects.

 

[bkenobi]

I'm on a different scale with my property only being 5 acres. The driveway is tiny compared to what has been mentioned here. I don't have ruts to speak of so grading isn't really needed. That said, I have used a lawn thatcher around it trying to loosen up the gravel to make manually pulling weeds easier. I also tried using a stirrup hoe in one section last year instead of chemicals. It appeared that the hoe simply cut the tops off of the various types of weeds and they grew back pretty quickly. Hence going back to chemicals. I'll get a picture of my miniature driveway for reference.

 

[JethroB]

I use a mixture of glyphosate and Remedy ( triclopyr.) Glyphosate alone doesn’t seem to do much to woody stuff & vines.

 

[mrmikey]

I can use the Glyphosate as is (typically 8oz/4gal) but that seems to just kill the weeds that are there on the day I spray within 2 weeks.

Not sure of the actual biological explanation but I believe the way it works is absorbed by the leaves and down thru to the roots to actually kill the plant. What you're seeing green after a couple weeks in the same spot that you sprayed is actually new growth. I too have used glphospate (sp) on my gravel driveway and it works well but I'm not using it any more, not being a hugger but why take a chance on something that's not totally essential other than for esthetic reasons.
I tried the salt and bleach method but that did pretty much nothing.
This year, I'm going to get a propane weed burner and see how that works out.