Weed Control

[newhome]

I decided to have the front garden laid with pea gravel to make maintenance supposedly easy. I had someone in to level it all, lay landscaping fabric and then put pea gravel on top. This was done apart from one small bit over one side as they ran out of gravel and the local quarry will only allow you to order several tonnes. For a variety of reasons the remainder was then left until I was ready to have the parking area sorted and then I got a different builder in to do the rest. So much for the landscaping fabric. The weeds grow like, well weeds. The only bit where the weeds seem to stay away is the bit that I had done by the second builder so I assume that the landscaping fabric that was used was better somehow. Wondering whether I can shift the pea gravel off the landscaping fabric and lay another layer, doing a bit at a time? Thoughts?    

[joe90]

I also have had problems with weeds growing through weed fabric and was told old carpet was a better idea so I am going to try that.

[lizzie]

In my experience of gravel gardens there is a build up of soil over time on top of the landscape fabric and weeds grow in that not through it.  Wind blown seeds get in. Good strong weedkiller  from a hose sprayer or watering can over the lot a few times a year should keep on top of it. Gravel has not been a totally weed free option for me in the past it needs maintenance just different maintenance.

 

BBC R4 Gardeners Question Time advice for hard to shift weeds e.g. mares tail.......old carpet or black plastic for a year to kill them all off then start again.....if you can bear to look at the mess for a year!

 

@newhome maybe builder 2 threw diesel or something down before the gravel that kills most things in the soil.

[joe90]

I just need to park my JCB where I don’t want weeds as it leaks sooo much hydraulic fluid nothing will grow ?

[Hecateh]

When I had a patch gravelled a few years ago there were 2 distinct areas, covered with 2 distinct types of loose stone.  As well as local weeks popping up in both areas I got different distinct weeds growing in each area.  Persistent sycamore in one, took three years of weeding before they mostly stopped.  There are no sycamore anywhere near here and they only grew in the cotswold stone area.  (I'm in Yorkshire).  The weeds growing in the pea gravel were locally grown weeds - that didn't occur in the Cotswold stone

 

Edited April 22, 2018 by Hecateh

[PeterW]

I’m assuming they laid a standard non woven control fabric and then put 1-2” of gravel over it ..? That is deep enough for a weed to germinate and the non woven stuff doesn’t block 100% of light so it’s possible for weeds to grow through it too. 

 

Best stuff is the heavy woven stuff and then 3-4” of gravel. If you’ve got persistent weeds then glyphosate is your friend ..... 

[newhome]

24 minutes ago, PeterW said:

I’m assuming they laid a standard non woven control fabric and then put 1-2” of gravel over it ..? That is deep enough for a weed to germinate and the non woven stuff doesn’t block 100% of light so it’s possible for weeds to grow through it too. 

 

Best stuff is the heavy woven stuff and then 3-4” of gravel. If you’ve got persistent weeds then glyphosate is your friend ..... 

 

I've no idea what he used in truth but I did see him lay it. Was that weedkiller you found in the garage any use do you think? Trouble is there are quite a few plants here too, and I don't really want to nuke those at the same time. The weeds mostly seem to grow in the gravel, on top of the fabric, not underneath it, apart from some of them like dock that are a b1tch to remove. 

 

 

 

[lizzie]

6 minutes ago, newhome said:

don't really want to nuke those at the same time.

There is a roundup gel that you can dab on individual weeds without harming nearby plants...a bit backbreaking if you have a lot.

[newhome]

I've been out and pulled up a load today. Wasn't possibly the best thing to do after knee surgery on Friday but hey ho they said to keep on my feet. I just know from the past 2 years that they just keep coming back and it's an endless task all summer.  

[recoveringbuilder]

On 22/04/2018 at 20:48, newhome said:

I've been out and pulled up a load today. Wasn't possibly the best thing to do after knee surgery on Friday but hey ho they said to keep on my feet. I just know from the past 2 years that they just keep coming back and it's an endless task all summer.  

How did this eventually go? We have a banking the full length of the plot, we’ve laid weed barrier, did it in the autumn last year and pinned down however the wind has been catching it and the plan to put bark chipping might not be such a good idea as they might blow away too,now at a loss as to what to do with it!

[newhome]

10 hours ago, recoveringbuilder said:

How did this eventually go?

I still get loads of weeds. It’s fighting a losing battle trying to pull them up constantly so I spray with weed killer periodically. 
 

[joe90]

I use Gallup 360, takes a while but kills everything stone dead, roots included.