Hey everyone! I'm planning to add some gravel to the side of my house, but I'm keen on avoiding a weed barrier. My goal is to prevent weeds from popping up without using any chemical weed killers, like Roundup. I've been considering mixing fine rocks with larger pebbles to help minimize weed growth. I want to avoid anything that will trap moisture because I'm dealing with some moisture issues in my crawlspace, and the mulch I'm currently using seems to retain too much water. What are your thoughts or suggestions for keeping the weeds at bay using just gravel? Thanks a lot!
4 Answers
Yeah, no matter what you do, you’ll probably still get weeds due to seeds blowing in from everywhere. You could use a pre-emergent herbicide to help keep new weeds at bay, but it’s not a permanent fix either.
Unfortunately, there’s really no foolproof way to keep weeds out in the long run. Even with gravel, you might still see some popping up. If you want to avoid a barrier, you could try natural solutions like agricultural strength vinegar. Some folks even use flamethrowers for weeds! Just keep in mind that occasional hand-weeding will likely be necessary.
Where do you grab your agricultural vinegar, by the way?
A cool tip I use is pouring boiling water on weeds as I’m making coffee in the morning! It takes a minute, but it's super effective on the smaller ones. Just a little upkeep can go a long way in managing them over time.
Even with gravel, be prepared for some weeds to still find a way. I once covered an area with fabric and six inches of gravel, but I still noticed a few weeds coming through after a month! So it's more about slowing them down than stopping them completely.
What about putting down cardboard before the rocks? Would that help any?