How to make a sidewalk w/ interlocking paves & no weeds

[Thinktank]

How can I gt rid of the weeds without using herbicides?
Do you put heavy plastic under those pavers?
Is there an organic way to get rid of the weeds?

[Rwede]

A gallon or two of Roundup is your friend.

Otherwise, you're looking at a gallon or two of dandelion wine.

Plastic under the blocks would be hellish when un-drained water freezes and destroys your lovely patio in our climate. And, there's too much room between the blocks for dirt accumulation that weeds will grow in even if you did use something like a plastic underlay.

[DeepEnd]

Our German Shepard's (now gone) urine would kill every living plant alive where he did it, even dandy's. We joked we should have bottled it as organic weed killer ( and grass killer, flower killer).


My suggestion would be salt between the cracks, maybe that would work.

edit added

In my pool biz I can say chlorine kills at high concentrations.

[JLives]

I would use newspaper over plastic. You can spray vinegar on them too and boiling water. Use leftover potato or veggie water.

[DeepEnd]

I would use newspaper over plastic. You can spray vinegar on them too and boiling water. Use leftover potato or veggie water.

My other drinks the potato and veg water, it is good for you. Wait til I tell her what it can be used for.

[hobbyguy]

This article says you should have have TWO layers of landscape fabric under the pavers. http://landscaping.about.com/od/patioideas/a/How-To-Install-Pavers.htm

Even then though, dandelions or thistles may grow in the sand layer.

So you could buy one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Red-Dragon-VT-2-23-000-BTU/dp/B00004Z2FP - I think carefully used flame weeding should work with pavers - but I've never done it. My neighbor uses one, and seems quite effective.

Or: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/gardening/homemade-weed-killers#slide-1 - the salt suggestion is in there.

[Rwede]

Our German Shepard's (now gone) urine would kill every living plant alive where he did it, even dandy's. We joked we should have bottled it as organic weed killer ( and grass killer, flower killer).


My suggestion would be salt between the cracks, maybe that would work.

edit added

In my pool biz I can say chlorine kills at high concentrations.

Don't use salt. It will penetrate the surface of the porous blocks and make them susceptible to cracking from freeze-thaw.

[Thinktank]

I might redo everything with 5 inches of crushed stone, 1 inch of sand and two layers of landscape fabric like the article says below. When it was done twenty years ago, only five inches of sand was used and no landscape fabric.

If weeds still appear, I'll use the flame thrower thing. I won't bother with the polymeric sand because it sounds like it could be harmful to breathe the dust into your lungs, and it's not worth it just for a sidewalk.

http://landscaping.about.com/od/patioid ... Pavers.htm

http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/foru ... ebate.html

[DeepEnd]

Don't use salt. It will penetrate the surface of the porous blocks and make them susceptible to cracking from freeze-thaw.

Maybe old and crappy ones but not those made in the last twenty years.

Most pavers today are manufactured to very high standards that meet or exceed strict ASTM standards relating to strength and density. They must achieve a rating of 8,000 psi (pounds per square inch) in order to be considered a “concrete paver”. At this level, the concrete does not absorb very much water and therefore the water typically will not freeze and expand within the paver.

Haven't seen any crack except in poured concrete walkways. Maybe different in your side of the world. It generally doesn't freeze in Kelowna in the summer time. With rain and water it usually is gone by winter time.

[DeepEnd]

Somewhere I read those silly cleaning steamers for your house can work. I do know steam is what the railroads use to kill weeds along their right of ways.

[twobits]

Industrial strength vinegar. Put it in a spray bottle and have at it. Almost as effective as Roundup on basic patio weeds. Buy it at Janitorial supply stores like Zep All Care. For weeds like horsetail and swamp reed (grass) that roundup won't kill......mix the vinegar with roundup and it will then work. The acidity of the vinegar breaches the silicate coating these plants have that roundup can't penetrate allowing the roundup to do it's job.

[DeepEnd]

Industrial strength vinegar. Put it in a spray bottle and have at it. Almost as effective as Roundup on basic patio weeds. Buy it at Janitorial supply stores like Zep All Care. For weeds like horsetail and swamp reed (grass) that roundup won't kill......mix the vinegar with roundup and it will then work. The acidity of the vinegar breaches the silicate coating these plants have that roundup can't penetrate allowing the roundup to do it's job.

And of course don't let your pets or kids play on the patio.

[two_shoes1mit]

Weeds? Gone!! All Natural Weed Killer!! - Helpful Home Tip!
Formula:
1 Gallon Vinegar
2 Cups Epson Salt
1/4 Cup Dish Soap

[36Drew]

Weeds? Gone!! All Natural Weed Killer!! - Helpful Home Tip!
Formula:
1 Gallon Vinegar
2 Cups Epson Salt
1/4 Cup Dish Soap

My wife does this. It works. It's not a weed killer though - it's a plant killer. If it grows in the ground and you spray this on it, it will die.

[Omnitheo]

Have you tried using Vaccines? According to you they work really well at killing things.