Getting rid of weeds between patio paving slabs.

[seaweed]

Hi again,
Was wondering if anyone could reccommend a product or a solution for getting rid of weeds between paving slabs, recentlty cleaned out the cracks between the slabs with a penknife, and it now looks tidy, but within a while they start to reappear.
Is there something I could brush into the cracks that would go off, like a cement, that would permanantly put a stop to weeds coming back?

Or any other solutions most welcome.

Thanks in advance.

[wine~o]

any systemic weed killer


or one of those flame thrower devices..

[mikew1972]

Rock salt from one of the bins by the side of the road is the chapest way to control these weeds. A couple of buckets full brushed into the cracks twice a year is all it takes.

[dewaltdisney]

Sodium chlorate is very good.

DWD

[seaweed]

Thanks for the replys all..............

Think I`d read somewhere about something you could brush in, water it and it would go off, but it seems a tad extreme really.

Guess I`ll have to see if theres any free rock salt about!

[Geewizz]

Think I`d read somewhere about something you could brush in, water it and it would go off, but it seems a tad extreme really.

You're possibly thinking about a method of pointing where you brush in a dry mix of sand and cement. If you have roots of things like dandelions below this then they will soon punch their way through that and it will only make the roots even more inaccessable than they were before.

Personally, I would allow the weeds to grow back for a few weeks and then spray them with a systemic weedkiller. Allow that to take it course for a week or so and then scrape out all the dead organic matter. Only then would I point up the patio and I would use a wet mix properly pushed into the joints. That's assuming you have joints that are wide enough to point with mortar.

Reading your post though, I would interpret it to mean that you have concrete paving slabs that are butted together with no pointing. If this is the case then the only sure way to stop the weeds is to lift the slabs, clean out underneath and relay the patio. It may be that you need to go the whole hog and put in a hardcore sub-base. You could also consider inserting a weed supressing membrane (e.g. Terram) as a barrier between the soil and your slabs.

[James Morris]

I use vinegar for getting rid of weeds in a small patio area that I have. They come back after a time, but I think rock salt can damage any other plants you have nearby - only if it is accidently when you sweep it up. At least vinegar washes away when it rains.

James

[dave.m]

What with suggestions for rock salt and vinegar, you could get some stone chips too!


I'll get my coat.

dave

[The Weegie]

[Geewizz]

... or just garnish the weeds with a sprig of parsley?