weed block for crushed rock

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MainePellethead

Minister of Fire
Dec 9, 2007
904
Southern Maine
I have an area behind my outbuilding that I placed about a 6 to 8" layer of crushed rock...I did not use a weed fabric....has anyone used any cement over the top and hosed it into the rock for a weed block? Will it work?
 
Thanks...I am doing the same...was hoping the filtered in cement would be a more permanent less maint. Solution... ill probably try a small sdction
 
Hello

Everytime our State Highway dept builds a new Interstate Highway (Thankfully not very often!) they always use weed block fabric! They do not seem to care how much it costs! Also no crushed stone just a few hundred tons of big rocks! They take their time too! It has been a few years and it is almost done!

RT 93 after Exit 1 in NH -- See red arrows in 1st pic! ! !

No weeds growing under the fabric on that drain pipe, just on top of the fabric between the rocks!
 

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Hi Don

The purpose of the fabric under to stone is to keep dirt from getting in between the stones and causing them to loose their binding and draining ability. I got some from a road we put in a landfill and the darn weeds came up through it.

They do make a weed killer for driveways that is suppose to keep the weeds killed all summer. But I haven't tried it yet.

Billy
 
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Thanks Billy. Good Info!
 
Pass on the weed block under rock if you are driving on it. The sharp rock will shred it in no-time.

I don't know if cement would work. Lime may be a better option. My driveway is made of 53's (white rock of random sizes and lime dust) and it is pretty good about keeping the weeds at bay. A stone driveway will never be weed free without some chemical assistance (just the way it is).

We used Hyvar to provide residual control for weeds....not sure if it is available non-commercially, but it is very good stuff.
 
Luke

The fabric Don has pictured isn't weed block. Its made to go under roadways. And holds up very well I tired it for weed block and it didn't work for that.

Billy
 
Surprised it wasnt mentioned on this forum! WOOD ASH

it drifts the pH enough that most weeds wont germinate.

Dont worry about the weed block, it really only serves 2 needs (keeps rocks and dirt from mixing, and keeps whatever was on the ground initially from growing up). It doesnt help new seeds being deposited on top, so i have found it to be useless.

I sweep wood ash into the cracks between the pavers and it keeps 95% of the weeks out.
 
Surprised it wasnt mentioned on this forum! WOOD ASH

it drifts the pH enough that most weeds wont germinate.

Dont worry about the weed block, it really only serves 2 needs (keeps rocks and dirt from mixing, and keeps whatever was on the ground initially from growing up). It doesnt help new seeds being deposited on top, so i have found it to be useless.

I sweep wood ash into the cracks between the pavers and it keeps 95% of the weeks out.

Cool

Is wood pellet ash just as good?
 
beats me, probably, pellets are really just wood right?

Its not perfect like herbecide is. But it really helps stop seeds from germinating. Its not perfect, but it is still very good, and is a better option than just throwing away the ash. try just to use the grey ash, lumps of the black semi-burnt wood are a mess. Certainly helps me keep the crab grass under control, and I feel better since I am putting herbecide down where my daughter plays.

Give it a try, whats the worst that could happen :)
 
I use roundup around the drive & sidewalks
In the days before roundup, everybody used Kerosine. As a kid, I noticed them useing it to kill the grass on the baseball diamond lines. Its very inexpensive and effective and only takes a "shot" to do its work. Some would site environmental reasons for not using it. But the same might hold for round up. Here in the wine country, there is talk about reminants of round up contaminating the soil below the surface of application (where sun light does not break it down).

Some plants like Poisen Oak/Ivy or just plain Ivy really get killed fast using Kerosine since the oil on the plant does not repel it as readily as water based systemics. On the other hand one can add regular liquid dish soap to the water based systemics to get them to stick more readily to plants with shiny/oily leaves.
 
In the days before roundup, everybody used Kerosine. As a kid, I noticed them useing it to kill the grass on the baseball diamond lines. Its very inexpensive and effective and only takes a "shot" to do its work. Some would site environmental reasons for not using it. But the same might hold for round up. Here in the wine country, there is talk about reminants of round up contaminating the soil below the surface of application (where sun light does not break it down).

Some plants like Poisen Oak/Ivy or just plain Ivy really get killed fast using Kerosine since the oil on the plant does not repel it as readily as water based systemics. On the other hand one can add regular liquid dish soap to the water based systemics to get them to stick more readily to plants with shiny/oily leaves.

Cool, I have a kerosine heater for the shed. However wood pellets are so much cheaper, I do not use Kerosine so much anymore except when the pellet stove is down.
 
Really....kerosene? Pass on that suggestion please. Use a product called Dimension....it's a pre-emergent and will keep almost everything at bay for 6 months per application.

It does allow grass to grow, so use round-up for that. Grass only herbicides are expensive. Glyphosate (round-up's active ingredient )is not.

The dimension should run you around $50 for a 50lb bag.

An organic alternative would be a vinegar and salt solution---it works by lowering soil ph to the point that nothing will grow.
 
On the other hand, I'm sure many people think nothing of spreading coal tar emulsion on their petroleum based asphalt driveways to make them shiny and black. That stinks worse than kero.
 
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