Weeds are every gardener’s worst nightmare! I thought weeds in my flower and veggie garden were the biggest problem but nothing compares to weeds in gravel.
Tackling these pesky intruders is one of the toughest nuts yard owners have to crack. You’ll come across all kinds of tricks for dealing with these notorious plants in gravel, with boiling water being one of the most popular.
And while that seems like a perfect and natural solution, many don’t realize that using boiling water to get rid of weeds in gravel is actually…
The Wrong Move For The Long Haul!
Although using boiling water for weeds in gravel seems like a good alternative to chemical herbicides, it won’t help you in the long run. Surprised? It’s completely understandable.
You see, this organic method will work, but only above the surface. Of course, many believe in this technique because weeds are gone afterwards.
But what happened to the root system? Most likely nothing. For younger weeds, boiling water might work because the roots aren’t strong and deep.
For larger and older weeds, the story is completely different.
I thought that repeating the process every 10 days would destroy mature weeds entirely, but even multiple applications failed to do the job.
Honestly, I was tricked because everything above the ground had wilted. A few weeks later, weeds started poking through my gravel again and it seemed they came back even stronger.
So, if you were considering this method, you might want to rethink it. You should concentrate on destroying the roots, not the green part. And boiling water won’t help you with this.
Here Are A Few Better Alternatives
Luckily, there are a couple of methods to get rid of weeds in gravel that actually work in the long run and that’s exactly what you need.
Always start with removing younger weeds with your hands. Grab the stems closest to the ground level, wiggle them a bit, and then pull them from the soil.
The next step is to apply some kind of weed-destroyer. I always go organic and mix baking soda with vinegar and pour it on the remaining weeds.
Finally, regular inspection and cleaning of the area will help you keep your gravel weed-free. Whenever you notice weed growth, repeat the steps I showed you above.
For those who are installing gravel in their yard for the first time, I highly recommend working on weed prevention.
First, you need some type of weed suppressant. Fabric or weed membranes have proven to be the most effective, so consider any of them.
If you already have gravel, you can remove it and install these suppressants.
The last thing you can do is lay your gravel more thickly. My gravel is about 3 inches thick and I have to admit it works perfectly.
As you can see, there are eco-friendly ways to destroy weeds once and for all.
Long story short, boiling water just won’t do the trick. Stick with the techniques I shared, and you’ll send these pests packing for good!