I put down a lot of bricks and stones last year and I'm getting a lot of weeds in the cracks. Much of this is away from desirable plant life so I don't need a specific solution.
I've heard vinegar and a preen follow up. I know nothing about Preen and I suspect it's the acidity that works in the Vinegar.
I've also vaguely heard about some kind of sand that keeps the weeds out.
Suggestions? I've been hand weeding, but it's an unfair contest.
Jeff
Maybe, knock them back, and then fill the spaces with moss?
I just cleaned out the unsightly moss from between the stones on our walkway. It would be nice to have a filler between the stones to make it look nicer, but it would have to be porous else we'd have a flood after a heavy downpour. Any suggestions?
Fred
Perhaps you can steal an idea from this driveway video?
When my decomposed granite (DG) walkways were installed in my back yard, the landscaper placed a groundcloth under the DG. This does not prevent weeds, but the weed roots cannot grow through the cloth. This makes it easier to pull the weeds. Further, the cloth is sufficiently porous that rain does not puddle on the walkways.
I can pull most of the weeds, but a few are so fragile that the tops come off without the roots. Thus, I just work my way around the walkways on my hands and knees with a paring knife. I also use a paring knife to remove weeds growing between the bricks in my front walkway.
I might consider Roundup later this year to eliminate spotted spurge from my walkways, which starts to set seed by the time I can see the weeds. Pulling or cutting spotted spurge is too late. If the plant is big enought to be grabbed between two fingers, it's already left seed for a new crop.
Short of concrete, something is going to figure out how to make a living between your stones.
Pavers are supposed to butt up to each other with about 1/8" space, maintained by a couple of bumps molded into the blocks. Pavers should be set onto a densely compacted base of fine pointing sand about 6" deep and then the same pointing sand broom swept into the small spaces regularly over a full season or two. When done correctly there should be no weeds whatsoever. If your blocks are set on ordinary soil and with large spaces inbetween then you have no chance of weed free, none. In order to not have puddling your area needs to be properly pitched (1/4" per ft).
vinegar does work and works well. I killed off quite of few weeds that were growing in my gravel driveway. I used my watering bucket. Bought cheap vinegar at Wallies.
Donna in WA
(Not sure who wrote this)
I never heard of Preen, so looked it up on-line. Says it is a combination of mulch and pre-emergent herbicide.
They don't give the formula.
How can a pre-emergent herbicide be safe for food products?
Any info out there?
Persephone
Corn gluten is also a pre-emergent for anyone who cares.
Rant rant rant, rant. More than one psycho on here in need of medication.
The Hate America First crowd is now on here, full swing !!
I simply post a query about the proper feeding of roses, and this nut starts ranting about America going to war for oil !! Now who do you think is the nut in this crowd ?
Grab your meds, take them, and then PLEASE let's go back to growing roses and other garden items !!
James
James you may want to post this in your Rose tread
Ooops, I do apologize/ got it in the wrong thread... sorry
James
Apparently Iowa State does:
I don't have a dog in this fight, since I've never used corn gluten, but the University of Minnesota did say,"Potential problems with corn gluten meal stem from the fact that extensive moisture and microbial soil activity can reduce its effectiveness." It has been know for a light rain to fall in Oregon.
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