How to Kill Weeds Between Patio Paving Stones

Weeds commonly pop up between patio paving stones and they need to be dealt with before they get out of control and start damaging the structure of the patio or walkway. They look unsightly and make any paved area look unkempt. Dealing with the problem quickly is the best prevention. There are various methods to deal with them.

Step 1 – Manually Remove the Larger Weeds

Removing the larger weeds is often the easiest part of the job. For larger weeds, you will normally be able to remove these manually by getting a good grip over the bottom of the plant and pulling the root out of the ground with it. Sometimes, the root can be left behind and this will allow the weed to grow back.

If you are having difficulty removing the larger weeds manually, there are special gardening tools which are designed to help in these situations. A long-handed pavement weeding tool can help to remove the roots of these plants effectively. You may also consider removing the paving stone itself to make the root more accessible. Other tools, such as a scraper or a knife, can be used to dig out roots that are fairly accessible.

Step 2 – Killing the Weeds without Chemical Herbicides

A completely inexpensive, yet effective, way of getting rid of weeds is simply to pour boiling water over the area. This will help to eliminate the plants quickly and it is inexpensive. The advantage of this simple method is that it has no toxic effects, unlike dealing with chemical herbicides. When boiling water is poured onto the weeds, they should die within a few days.

Another method of killing weeds without any toxic side effects is by using vinegar. If you pour vinegar onto the weeds, they will also normally die after a couple of days.

Step 3 – Killing the Weeds with a Chemical Herbicide

There are always likely to be some stubborn plants which will not go away completely until you use some specially designed chemical herbicide on them. You should be able to buy such a product at your local gardening center. Try milder herbicides at first as these have a minimal negative impact on the surrounding environment and are relatively non-toxic.

Chemical herbicides must be used with care and should always be applied only in dry conditions because rain can wash them away into ponds or streams, killing aquatic life.

Step 4 - Killing the Weeds with a Blowtorch

Though it may sound rather excessive, burning the weeds is actually a highly effective method and something that anyone who is familiar with using a propane blowtorch may want to try. This will destroy the weeds right down to the root as well. The biggest disadvantage of this method is that there is a higher risk of damaging something. It is essential to take proper safety precautions and to be careful not to damage the pavers themselves.