Keeping nasty weeds away is a project for not only the garden and lawn, but also the patio. If your paver patio features cracks between stones or cement, then the space left by the crack offers refuge for weeds.
(Courtesy: Kmorrisonrealtr at flickr.com)
The ideal solution is to prevent nasty weeds from growing between gaps of your patio in the first place.
If you already have nasty weeds appearing on your patio, then the priority should be to get rid of them and then consider how to be rid of them forever.
There are five sure-fire ways to banish those weeds from your patio cracks –- baking soda, vinegar, salt, pressure washing or chemical treatments.
Baking Soda
You probably have a box of baking soda already tucked away in some closet or drawer of your home. The wonder ingredient that can be used as a remedy for all sorts of homebound issues is ideal for killing weeds growing near decorative plants. It is a natural product. So there are no contaminates contained in it that could harm flora or the environment.
The procedure of using baking soda to rid of nasty weeds from a patio or even from a pathway with cracks is simple.
Pour baking soda over the patio or pathway and then sweep it into the cracks. You will need to perform this activity once every four to six weeks. It works the fastest during the spring and fall, but it will also do the trick during the summer.
Vinegar
Vinegar is another popular household item that you may also have tucked away in a pantry. Like baking soda, it is a safe substance to use to kill weeds. It works because it includes acetic acid that draws moisture from weeds causing them to die. Vinegar works quickly. Within just 24-hours the weed will turn brown and then wither away.
Be cautious when using it. Vinegar can harm all kinds of plants.
Find a spray bottle and clean it out. Mix one gallon of white vinegar, 2 cups of table salt, and 1 teaspoon of concentrated dish soap and then pour the solution into the spray bottle. Spray the concoction on the weeds and cracks in the patio.
The high concentration of salt within the mixture will kill the weeds and prevent them from growing back.
Salt
Salt itself is also a good method to rid of nasty weeds. Mix 3 parts water and one part salt and then apply to the weeds. This should be used cautiously as well because salt can kill other plants, too. So be careful and apply only to the weeds.
The salt will dry out the weeds down to the roots. It also has a lasting effect.
Pressure Washing
This method involves getting down into the weeds, so to speak. First, pull the weeds out by hand, and then pressure wash the surface of the patio to attack the roots of the weeds. Best results occur when you remove the larger weeds by hand because they’re difficult to remove using the pressure washer.
You will have to perform this activity regularly to assure that the weeds don’t come back.
Chemical Treatments
There are two kinds of chemical herbicides you can use to get at the weeds –- pre-emergent herbicide and post-emergent herbicide.
The pre-emergent herbicide forms a barrier that prevents weed seedlings or seeds from germinating. Post-emergent herbicides should be used on actively growing weeds. There are two classifications of post-emergent herbicides –- selective and nonselective. Selective herbicides can be applied to an entire patio. They target just the weeds and leave everything alone. Nonselective herbicides kill any type of plant. So apply only in the cracks of the patio or pathway.
Preventing Weeds From Growing On A Patio
Once you have rid the weeds from the cracks in the patio or pathway, use polymeric sand to fill between the gaps. This locks the gaps together and prevents weeds from growing in the first place. Polymeric sand is super fine and includes additives like silica that creates a binding agent when mixed with water. It also enhances the durability of the patio. The substance bonds and therefore resists erosion.
Refer to this calculator to determine how much polymeric sand you will need.
