Best way to get rid of weed problem

[Steve]

Last year I stripped the driveway off in the back garden, but didnt get around to actually laying a new drive. Over the last few months, the weeds have taken over. I have just been out and knocked them all down with a strimmer, and sprayed them with glyphosate, but I dont have much faith in weedkiller. For a start its only out of a spray bottle, I could have done with a pressure sprayer type quantity to saturate them all. I know they will come back, probably through a new driveway when its laid. This is my main concern.

I had thought about using a tarpaulin for a few weeks to deprive the ground of light and water. Any thoughts on this?

Cheers
Steve

 

[JohnD]

Pathclear will kill the growth and prevent new seeds germinating, it dries to leave a thin layer on the surface. If you disturb this layer by hoeing, raking or pulling up, seeds can then germinate.

Weedkillers like glyphosate work best on soft young foliage, as it soaks in through the leaves, so it is better not to strim it off before spraying.

It is cheaper to buy weedkillers in a bottle or carton and mix with water. You can use a watering can if you haven't got a sprayer. To avoid missing patches, do half the application walking up and down, and then half walking side to side.

 

[Steve]

My theory behind strimming first was that I'd expose the "ducts" within the weed so they absorb the weedkiller better? Indeed a lot of the bigger weeds had large hollow stems which I sprayed into generously. It felt good.

Might try pathclear.

 

[r896neo]

The most effective way is to strim them down leave it 2 weeks for new growth to emerge and then spray that.

Any kind of sheeting/membrane will also work as would 3 tons of compacted hardcore

 

[zuki79]

depends on the type of weeds

i have recently just bought my first house (bought it october last year - so everythign was dead) as soon as the weather warmed i have been greated with this

yep there are "Marestails"

secondly only to knotweed its a horrible weed that doesnt seem to die

good luck, if you have that stuff

 

[r896neo]

Spray it or get someone to spray it with kurtail its about 90 percent effective but isn't cheap.

Trying to dig or cut it will be completely ineffective

Talking about the marestail here