How to Stop Grass From Growing In Gravel

If you've been wanting to learn how to stop grass from growing in gravel, then this is the best guide for you.

When grasses grow in gravel, it defeats the aesthetic purpose of using gravel in the walkway, patio, or driveway.

Unwanted grasses are usually challenging to get rid of, especially when they have a high tolerance for low or no maintenance, drought, and heavy traffic. These grasses become more robust to get rid of when they grow in between gravels laid on the driveway or walkway.

If you use gravel instead of concrete on your driveways, walkways or patio, then you must learn how to prevent grass from growing in gravel, because these unwanted guests have a way of showing up when you least expect them.

Let's get started!

Read Also: Can You Grow Grass in Sand?

How to Stop Grass From Growing In Gravel

There are numerous ways through which you can stop grass from growing in gravel. Some of these means are natural, some are chemical-based, and some yield quick results while others are slow in yielding desired results.

We shall be looking at most of these means while you choose your most preferred method of getting rid of these unwanted grasses in your gravel walkway!

Weed the Grass Yourself

This is probably the most time-consuming means of stopping grass from growing in gravel; it, however, is the simplest of all other means and ensures that the grass does not spring forth anytime soon.

Weeding out the grass by yourself is usually done when you are considering placing a garden fabric over the gravel.

While you weed the grasses by pulling them out, make sure that every part and parcel of the grass is thoroughly pulled out. Failure to get them all out would inspire a new growth at the site. So, do not leave any living plant part behind.

To make sure you get rid of every trace of life, you might want to use a shovel to take out some gravel for better optics and access to the grassroots.

Also, turn the soil to look out for more weed to pull out. When you are satisfied with the job done, and then rake the site where you had just worked on. Place protective mulch on the area worked on and then covered it with more gravel.

Use a Garden Fabric

A piece of garden fabric is used to stop grass from growing in gravel in two ways. The first is that it is used as a preventive measure. When used as a precautionary measure, it is laid on the ground before being covered with layers of gravel.

The second is that it is used as a curative measure. When used as a corrective measure, it is laid on the ground after the soil has been weeded of the unfriendly grasses.

At this instance, the gravel and the soil beneath have already been infested by weeds, and the garden fabric comes to the rescue to prevent future occurrence of weed infestation.

Lying of garden fabric usually takes time, but it is efficient in stopping grass from growing in gravel. Make sure to purchase a garden fabric of good quality and adhere strictly to the instructions stated in the manual.

Also, use a good method to hold down the garden fabric before covering it with gravel, and you are done!

Use Salt Solution to Get Rid of the Grass

You would need a gallon of hot water, a pound of salt, a bucket, dish soap, and a watering can. Salt is an effective means of getting rid of grass in gravel and anywhere else in the yard. Aside from being effective, it is the cheapest and easiest means of stopping grass from growing in gravel.

To get started, dilute a kilogram of salt in every two liters of hot water and then add some dish soap to the solution. Stir properly until the salt dissolves in the water.

Pour the mixture into a watering can or spray bottle and spray the mixture on the entire area that has been infested by the unfriendly grass. You can add more salt for more effectiveness.

As soon as the salt solution comes in contact with the grasses, the grasses begin to wither. However, it may take up to ten days for the entire to die off.

For this elimination method, table salt or rock salt can be used.

Use a Natural Weed Killer

A natural weed killer comes handy when you do not want to use a chemical weed killer. Natural weed killer can be prepared at home with a list of readily available home products. You would need household vinegar, non-decreasing dishwashing soap, and a garden sprayer.

Vinegar is suitably used as a natural weed killer component because it contains acetic acid, which kills cells of grasses.

Dishwashing soap is added because it helps the vinegar stick to the grass and allowing it more time to work on the grass. The garden sprayer is used to spray the mixture on the gravel housing the grass generously.

To get the mixture, pour the vinegar into the spraying bottle, add a few drops of dishwashing soap and stir properly. Spray a generous amount of the mixture on the grass blades and allow it to dry on it.

To ensure effectiveness, spray this mixture on a sunny day that is not windy. This is to prevent the mixture from being swept away by either rain or wind. Repeat this procedure a day after, until the weeds are all gone.

Use a Weed Killer

If the grass is spread over a large area where it might be challenging to pull up all the grasses or spray salt solution manually, you might want to use a chemical weed killer. Look out for any weed killer that contains glysophate.

Glysophate is active against the grass and other weeds; it also prevents them from growing back for a period of a few months or more. As usual, do not spray this chemical on a rainy or windy day. Keep your pets and kids indoor until the chemical is well settled on the grass.

Read Also: How To Fix An Overwatered Plant

Conclusion

We hope this article has demystified how to stop grass from growing in gravel. Whenever even as tiny as a strand grass rears its head up in your driveway, walkway, or patio, be sure to apply any of these practical tips and have yourself an aesthetically pleasing rustic graveled way!