Clearing weeds in driveway

[bkenobi]

It looks pretty clear right now other than the wind blown branches. In a few weeks I'll have a lot of green in certain areas. I would rather not mess with it but I fear doing nothing will lead to a lot of time on my knees pulling by hand which is a non-starter!

 

[dodge man]

I bought a box blade last year and used it on my gravel area. My main driveway is paved but I have a second gravel driveway and parking area. I attached a couple of pictures and it did a good job. I don’t think it lasted any longer than using roundup though. It doesn’t get a lot of traffic though either which traffic will help beat the weeds down.

 

[etpm]

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.

I'm not a tree hugger either and I don't use any pesticides or herbicides. They are just too poisonous. I do spend more time mechanically removing plant pests though.
Eric

 

[Torvy]

Roundup isn't intended to be persistent. It kills what is there, but does little for seeds or shoots that show up later.

 

[jyoutz]

Glyphosate only affects green growing plants. If you want to keep weeds from germinating you need to use a pre-emergent herbicide. That will prevent seeds from sprouting. Or just mow like others have suggested.

 

[bkenobi]

Would you skip the glyphosate entirely then? I was assuming in spring I would spray once with a mix of glyphosate and something like Imazapyr. If a pre-emergent is sufficient though, should I just skip the glyphosate entirely? I can use it elsewhere as needed and in lower mix rates ideally.

 

[bkenobi]

Also, I've noticed that the herbicides have a number letter combination on them a lot of times. The imazapyr seems to be either 2SL or 4SL but maybe they are not the same? Glyphosate doesn't seem to do that that I've seen but others on the isle might. Is there a key or an easier way to know what I'm looking at so I know it's what I want?

 

[jyoutz]

Would you skip the glyphosate entirely then? I was assuming in spring I would spray once with a mix of glyphosate and something like Imazapyr. If a pre-emergent is sufficient though, should I just skip the glyphosate entirely? I can use it elsewhere as needed and in lower mix rates ideally.

Pre-emergent herbicides prevent seed germination and it works for most species. It won’t do anything to perennial plants that are already established on that site such as grass roots and perennial weeds that were mowed without herbicide application. Also, whatever you spray, use a dye so you can see your coverage and any missed spots.

 

[JethroB]

Glyphosate only affects green growing plants. If you want to keep weeds from germinating you need to use a pre-emergent herbicide. That will prevent seeds from sprouting. Or just mow like others have suggested.

I use a pre-emergent in late winter/early spring. Then follow up with glyphosate or other throughout the growing season as needed. Buying glyphosate concentrate (42% IIRC) is far more economical than the premixed stuff in stores. About $15 for a quart last year. That will make many gallons at the ratio you prefer, typically 2 oz per gallon of water. It seems to store well if protected from freezing.

 

[Snobdds]

I've tried everything on my driveway.

I just use a heavy land plane and every two weeks drag the driveway. I still get grass creep, but what do you do.

 

[AndresOrtiz]

If you're looking for an effective and long-lasting solution, Imazapyr is a good option because it has a residual effect and prevents new weed growth for longer than glyphosate. The common dilution is 0.5% to 1% in water, but if you're using a pure concentrate, you should carefully calculate the right mix according to the label. Adding a surfactant is also recommended to improve absorption.


If you're concerned about its impact on the soil, some people have tried natural alternatives with good results, like botanical extracts that help inhibit weed regrowth without affecting soil microbiology as much. You could try combining both options to see what works best in your case.

 

[grsthegreat]

I gave up on chemicals years ago. Now days i simply scrape all weeds with bucket and regrade areas taken over by weeds. Works just ad well as chemicals.

 

[jyoutz]

I gave up on chemicals years ago. Now days i simply scrape all weeds with bucket and regrade areas taken over by weeds. Works just ad well as chemicals.

Sometimes I just mow the gravel road.

 

[kenmbz]

I use RM43 , but only in areas with persistent regrowth.
It seems to work for 2-3 months.

I also don't use fertilizers or anything else on lawn areas, since those can spur growth wherever the rain moves it.

For larger weeds, in small areas I just use a weed stick to get under them. But that's only good for small flower beds.

My grass areas, I just mow and don't care about weeds, it's green, it's good.

 

[bkenobi]

My state DOT recommends Imazapyr for control of weeds along the edge of the road but for some reason retailers do not sell a concentrate and Amazon won't even deliver. When I was out of state last year I ordered a quart so I have that. I'm going to mix glyphosate with imazapyr and spray with a sprayer mounted to my lawn tractor. I usually mix 1.5% (2oz/gal of roundup power max).

Last year I found a somewhat concentrate imazapyr/glyphosate mix at walmart that seemed ok at best. I added that to my glyphosate mix (don't remember the ratio I selected) but didn't like using the backpack so looking forward to the mounted tractor solution.

 

[kenmbz]

I put my 16 gallon sprayer on my cart and tow it around with the lawn tractor.
Works fine for me.

I use RM43 on the front beds and edges of the paved areas, works good for weeks.

Wouldn't it be nice if the critters ate weeds ....

 

[bkenobi]

I tried this setup on saturday and it was great! The hand sprayer has a 10-15" hose so i can either park the tractor and walk around or drive and spray a small path. Or i can use the boom and spray around a 10" wide swath. I dont have rate nailed down so i went a little light on concentration this time. It usually takes a few days to see results so I'm hoping ill see something yellowing today/tomorrow.

 

[BackRoad]

And now it's past tomorrow! Any insights?

 

[CalG]

This is my driveway - a day or so after I mowed.
View attachment 856956

Every year the center crown grows a better crop of green on our drive.

Winter snow removal can be brutal and make much of the greening go into reset. I am patient, yet eager for the center crown to define the rutted two lane approach to our home.

 

[WM75Guy]

I use Roundup mixed with Mojave 70. Roundup for the immediate kill, Mojave 70 keeps it from growing for a year. I apply it every spring to the riding arena, driveway, and fence lines.

MOJAVE 70 EG - Alligare