How to Kill Weeds on Your Driveway (Forever)

Are you tired of driveway weeds, want them gone? Forever?

To prevent weeds from growing through your driveway, you have several options:

One option is to use a long lasting weed killer that remains in the soil, which can be effective for up to a year. 

Alternatively, you could try using natural weed killers like rock salt, which may prevent weeds from growing in the area altogether.

Other options include using weed control fabric, resealing your driveway, or replacing the driveway material entirely. Any of these solutions will help to prevent future weed growth.

Let's get started with the 5 easiest, fastest ways to kill weeds on your drive forever:

1) Use a long lasting weed killer

By far the easiest solution to stop weeds growing through or on your drive is to use a long lasting weed killer. These weed killers are designed to persist in the soil or on the surface and many claim to prevent new weed growth for up to 6 months.

Not only do these products work to prevent new weeds they will also eliminate any current weeds that exist.

Typically long lasting weed killers are more expensive than regular weed killers, you will use much less of them and apply them less often resulting in time & money saved over a longer period of time.

2) Salt your drive (not table salt!)

Table salt can be used as a weed killer but if your driveway is home to a lot of weeds that you want gone for good then your going to have to up your game and buy some rock salt (the stuff they use to de-ice the road / path).

Salt is a cheap, effective way to kill weeds and keep them gone. It's versatile too, you can simply spread the rock salt by hand or dissolve it in water and spray it onto the ground.

Did you know humans have been using salt as a weed killer for centuries? During the 17^th and 18^th centuries, Spain and Portugal punished traitors within their empires by executing them and then pouring salt on their land (pretty evil huh?)

3) Seal cracks or topup gravel

The reason you have weeds in your drive is because it's filthy or damaged or both.

Weeds will quickly colonise any bare soil they find, the cracks between tarmac, the break in your weed barrier or just around the edges where dirt and mud always seem to gather.

If you don't mind a bit of elbow grease:

• Use kiln dried sand to fill in cracks between block paving or slabs (first remove the mud and weeds)
• Reseal tarmac drives with concrete or tar. Be sure to kill the weeds first!
• Add more gravel to your gravel driveway to make a thicker barrier between soil & surface.

By repairing cracks and resealing your driveway you can ensure the weeds have nowhere to grow.

4) Keep it clean (use a path cleaner)

Yes, it's true! By simply keeping your driveway clean you can keep it free from weeds.

This won't work on all types of drive, for example: It is next to impossible to clean a gravel or chipped driveway.

As previously stated bare soil, mud and debris will be quickly colonised by weeds, if you keep your driveway clear and in good condition there will be nowhere for the weeds to grow.

• Pressure wash: Can be time consuming but the results speak for themselves. A good pressure wash will clear your drive of all dirt and debris and leave it looking like it was just installed.
• A stiff brush & a good sweat. It worked for my grandad and it will work for you. The first brush may be the hardest but with a small amount of time and good brush you can clear away dirt & debris before the weeds move in.
• A patio cleaner: These typically have biocides in them to kill moss. You spray the drive, leave it, then either brush, pressure wash or hose the stuff away (it won't work on neglected drives - you will need to brush or pressure wash).

One of the most under rated tactics to keep your driveway clear of weeds is to keep it clean. It may be hard work but once you have a brush it by far the safest and cheapest way to keep the weeds away.

5) Pick those suckers out (elbow grease)

After repairing and cleaning your driveway you may find that some weeds still exist. The easiest way to deal with them is to pick them out by hand (or with a tool) root and stem.

• Environmentally friendly: No chemicals required, just bend over, pick them out - done!
• A plethora of tools: If you can't bend like you used to, there are tons of tools to help you pick out weeds.
• Not permanent: You can pick the weeds all you want but unless you use a long lasting weed killer or repair your drive, they will be back, this is just a temporary solution.

What about vinegar?

So you've heard vinegar is a great weed killer! You read on the internet that it is safer than other weed killers, it works and your going to use vinegar to kill all the weeds on your drive.

Good luck with that. Vinegar may well kill some small weeds but if the goal is to get rid of them forever then vinegar is not the answer.

Vinegar simply burns away the visible part of the weed, it may look dead, it may act dead but the roots are still intact - it will regrow.

• Not permanent: It only kills the visible part of the weed.
• May stain: Acetic acid is the active ingredient in vinegar, it may damage some types of stone work.

If you really must use a homemade weed killer on your drive then rock salt is the way to go. Some companies now sell agricultural vinegar which again isn't permanent but it is stronger than regular vinegar - it will kill most common driveway weeds.

Will the weeds come back?

Possibly! Nature cannot be stopped indefinitely.

Weed seeds are tiny, they can and will quickly colonise any bare soil or cracks in your driveway.

Do these things to keep them away:

• Keep it clean: You don't have to go crazy but once a month, give it a vigourous brushing. Twice a year pressure wash and clean it with a strong patio cleaner. Keep the mud, dirt & grime away and the weeds won't come back.
• Repair cracks & holes. Kiln dried sand works well for block paving or slabs. Tarmac should be resealed with concrete.
• Use a weed killer: A long lasting commercial weed killer will do the job or use some rock salt.

How do I keep the weeds away forever?

Procrastination is a gardeners worst enemy (weeds are #1).

Don't put off a small job now, it may turn into a back breaking, expensive job later.

Long term weed killers work : use them cautiously and always read the label.

Don't forget to keep it clean and repair cracks / holes as soon as they appear.