Natural weed killers

Guernsey Donkey2

I am looking for effective, alternative weed killers that do just that, but don't harm or pollute.  We have read using boiling water will kill the foliage but not the roots and that a mixture of vinegar, salt and washing up liquid is effective.  Has anyone tried this mixture and would you recommend it, or do you know of any other alternatives please.  We have unwanted plants (not all weeds) growing in our gravel driveway which we would like to dispose of, I have managed to remove at least 50% of them, but the rest are well rooted in. Thanks

Busy-Lizzie

Vinegar, salt and washing up liquid is what people have been using in France for drives now that Gylphosate is no longer available. Not suitable for where you want to plant though. I haven't used it yet but friends say it works. I don't know in what proportion. They said they bought vinegar in DIY places, not supermarkets.

hogweed

Any solution of the above strong enough to kill deep rooted weeds will surely harm/pollute the soil and organisms???

Hostafan1

My sister has  place in Spain where diesel is used as a weedkiller on gravel drives

Lyn

That must be pongy 😱

Hostafan1

Lyn said:

That must be pongy 😱

I suppose the heat makes any surplus evaporate

Liriodendron

I'm not trying to be clever or rude, but what do you mean by "natural", GD?  And by a weed killer which doesn't "harm or pollute"?  Washing up liquid isn't exactly natural... just look at the list of ingredients!  And vinegar and salt are both chemicals (acetic acid and sodium chloride).  Salt kills many creatures and is used for that purpose (as a slug killer) by some gardeners.  You might get away with using them on gravel, but how do you know what combination is safe?  And how do you know they won't leach through the soil to contaminate nearby areas?

I've just Googled vinegar and plants.  It can indeed burn off the top growth of plants, but only at stronger concentrations than household vinegar.  If you use the 20% strength (which may be the sort you get at DIY places), it's more effective, but only on annual weeds - it won't kill the roots.  In addition, it is very caustic if you breathe in the fumes - so not exactly harmless.  

My grandfather hoed his gravel once a week... labour-intensive but effective.   And natural, and harmless. 

Obelixx

I agree with Liri.   Noting "natural" about weedkillers because chemiclas will harm other organisms.  That leaves pulling by hand, digging with a fork, barriers to light so they can't photosynthesise or hoeing and "off with their heads" so the roots eventually give up from starvation.

Guernsey Donkey2

I have weeded the driveway in the past, the driveway is gravel set into a plastic mesh which holds the gravel in place, often seen in business car parks. Hoeing is out of the question for this layout.  For the first 3 or 4 years handweeding was adequate, but I can no longer manage it, and OH says he won't hand weed but is willing to use weed killer which of course I am against using for all the reasons stated above.  However we read about this vinegar alternative to Glysophate which seemed like a more natural substitute. 

Lyn

In our garden centre they’ve got weed killer for sale which says without glyphosate, I wonder what that is?  Must have a look next time I’m that way. 

Posy

I was going to suggest one of these heat devices - a modern form of flame-thrower, but with plastic, that may not be possible. I think your problem is a real warning to any of us who might be thinking of ways to retain gravel paths and driveways. Work out how to keep it weed and debris-free first.