Weeds can be a nuisance in decorative gravel and patios, with a wide range of species, from grassy weeds like henbit and purslane to woody weeds like broadleaf or dandelion, taking up residence.
Instead of resorting to store-bought weed killers, gardeners may be surprised to learn that there’s a natural and effective way to eliminate these pests.
One woman, frustrated with weeds overtaking her driveway, sought advice on the Gardening UK Facebook page. Angel Choco asked: “Hi folks, is it worth putting down weed killer on my gravel now or would the rain just dilute any solutions?
“Also wondering if anyone uses bleach solutions to kill weeds. I have a gravel driveway and hate using Resolva or Roundup due to the bad press of it causing health issues. Thanks.”
Fellow gardeners quickly responded in the comments section, advising Angel to avoid using bleach and instead opt for a natural approach. Some suggested vinegar, while the majority recommended using a combination of salt and boiling water to “kill” the weeds.
Christopher Soper cautioned: “Bleach is a chemical too. Different weed killers work in different ways, just make sure you follow instructions and avoid using chemicals not approved for the use.”
Christine Howell suggested: “Keep away from the bleach and use boiling water and salt. In response, Cathrine Pettet endorsed the method, revealing: “Yes, This works really well. We’ve got stubborn brambles coming up the side of our patio and boiling water and salt is the best way we’ve found so far to effectively kill them. We prefer it over vinegar.”
Ben Stillman suggested an even stronger solution for tougher areas: “If you never want anything growing there again, use salt and hot water. It’s perfect for driveways.”
He explained his approach further: “The salt kills the plants and the hot water will help the weeds absorb the salt quicker and also help the weeds die instantly. My driveway used to be covered in weeds but now I don’t have any weeds growing up.
“I originally did a one-to-one ratio when the weeds were bad but struggled to get the salt to dissolve in that amount of water so reduced it to one to two salt-to-water ratio.
“Now I quickly pour salt on the weeds and then pour water on them later when I remember.”
Meanwhile, Sarah McDonald boasted of her success with a similar concoction: “I made a spray of hot water and salt on my paving which I’ve always struggled to keep weeds off and they’ve finally not come back. Could be worth a try.”
Hannah Woodley urged caution with certain chemicals, favouring the safer option: “I used to use vinegar and dish soap but salt and boiling water has worked slightly better. Please don’t use bleach in your garden, it’s really bad for everything (hedgehogs, birds, bugs etc).”
Judi Murphy shared her long-term positive experience: “I use salt and water. I was told about it about three years ago and I have been using it since.
“I buy the big cheap bags of salt and dissolve half a bag in hot water. I add a little lemon washing up liquid and I have a separate red watering can. One can to half a bag. Don’t use it on anything you don’t want to kill off though because it will kill plants and grass.
“I put it on the gravel areas and over the slabs twice a year and apart from the odd weed or bit of grass through the slabs, it works. I have also found that using it over the last three years, less and less weeds are coming back.”
Salt can be picked up from supermarkets such as Ocado for 40p and at Asda and Morrisons for 65p.
