Spring is here and we are all working hard to give gardens and outside spaces a good clean and tidy before summer starts. One of the most annoying things to deal with, is weeds popping up between in gravel and between patios.
Luckily, there is a highly effective hack that one woman has for removing pesky weeds in under 24 hours. The Mirror reports that there is an easy and effective trick to keep weeds at bay.
Weeds can become quite the nuisance on gravelled driveways or patios, with intrusive plants like broadleaf, henbit, purslane, chickweed, and dandelions, amongst others, taking hold between the stones.
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It's challenging to wipe out unwanted weeds and grass sprouts as seeds are often carried by the wind, birds, or insects, meaning the sprout wherever there is soil, moisture and sunlight. However, there's no need to lose hope, you can swiftly deal with these weeds when they emerge to ensure they wilt rapidly.
Sharing her ingenious gardening tip on Facebook's Gardening Hint and Tips page, one resourceful gardener revealed an efficient weed-killing method she'd experimented with herself with great success.
Shunning the chemical-riddled weed exterminators commonly found in garden centres and shops, Trudy Hurd instead turned to two readily available domestic essentials: salt and boiling water. Her post read: "Someone on here said about killing gravel weeds with boiling water with salt and yes in less than 24 hours the weeds are wilting just thought I'd share."
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In other comments, Trudy also pointed out that while this technique works wonders on gravel pathways and patios, it should be avoided near flowers or grass to prevent unwanted damage.
John French Landscape Design, a company with an impressive 40 years of gardening experience, has shared some valuable advice for gardeners battling with stubborn weeds in their gravel and patios. They revealed: "Salt is most effective as a herbicide when it is mixed with water. The recommended strength of the saltwater mixture depends on where you plan to apply the herbicide."
They added that a stronger mixture can be used in areas where the long-term health of the soil isn't a concern, such as a two to one or three to one ratio. However, they warned that this high concentration of salt could alter the pH levels of the soil over time, potentially making it sterile.
The experts advised aiming the saltwater solution directly at the weed's foliage and avoiding soaking the roots to protect the surrounding soil.
The saltwater can be applied using a spray bottle or poured from a jug, and any nearby plants should be watered thoroughly afterwards to dilute any stray saltwater that may have seeped into the soil. As for using white vinegar against weeds, the experts noted that "it has been proven over time to be ineffective on its own".
However, when mixed with salt and water, vinegar can transform into a potent weed killer. Much like the saltwater concoction, it's important to use vinegar sparingly as it can disrupt the soil's pH balance over time, potentially hindering the growth of future plants.
