Getting rid of weed on block paved driveway

[stats101]

I have a fair bit of weed growing between the cracks on my block paved driveway, trying to pull them out individually isn't viable due to the vast amounts (also it end up pulling the joining material out in the process).

What is the best natural way to fix this? Would regular table salt mixed in with water damage the paving in anyway?

 

[Deleted2797112]

That would be illegal. Table salt is not approved for use as a pesticide. And it wouldn't be natural - you're using the chemical properties of sodium chloride in an attempt to kill weeds. The only 'natural' way to kill weeds is to pull them out.

If you don't want to weed or use pesticides then you can use hydrocarbons and zap them with a weed wand.

 

[JohnD]

Pathclear.

It might not be natural but it works. Pulling up the roots will pull out the sand between the bricks and they will go loose.

 

[r896neo]

A blow torch.

The latest versions of roundup are now very safe for people and animals.

 

[stats101]

The latest versions of roundup are now very safe for people and animals.

...which is inevitably what the marketing material says, otherwise how would they convince you to buy their poison?

Glyphosphate is toxic to all organisms. In turns off the production of amino acids in plants that animals require for protein synthesis. This means that roundup is an endocrine disruptor and effects the nervous system in humans at any dose.

 

[pinenot]

You could try boiling water, yep you simply kill the weeds with 100 c H2o, next try vinegar, it's fully biodegradable, natural (by product of fermentation, which is one of natures break down tools) non harmful to children and animals and full strength white (39p @ T***o) kills weeds (just don't expect it to work overnight, but it will work if you keep reapplying) ...pinenot

 

[Deleted2797112]

In turns off the production of amino acids in plants that animals require for protein synthesis. This means that roundup is an endocrine disruptor and effects the nervous system in humans at any dose.

That is a leap that isn't supported by the science, so evidence please - from reputable, peer-reviewed papers.

 

[r896neo]

Roundup Pro biactive has a hazard free label.

There are plenty of people much smarter than me that would not let that happen if it was not massivley improved on older glyphosate formulations.

Of course some of it is marketing hype but not all.

 

[Deleted2797112]

Roundup Pro biactive has a hazard free label.

There are plenty of people much smarter than me that would not let that happen if it was not massivley improved on older glyphosate formulations.

Of course some of it is marketing hype but not all.

All pesticides go through rigorous testing for toxicity, bioaccumulation and mutagenicity. There are hundreds and hundreds of such studies for glyphosate that show it's safe. Not marketing hype - science.

Yet, because it's not 'natural' there are people who're prepared to use substances they consider to be 'natural' like salt and vinegar and dozens of other home-brewed concoctions as pesticides. It's illegal to use non-approved pesticides and these are not approved. They have never been tested for use as pesticides. Salt will kill you at the correct dose, as will vinegar. They're no more safe than glyphosate. The effect of these home remedies on wildlife, soil organisms, watercourses etc is unknown. It's irresponsible in my view to recommend using non-approved substances.

Sorry, r896neo - not having a go at you. The rant just followed on from agreeing with your post!

 

[Nige F]

next try vinegar, it's fully biodegradable, natural quote] Not if it`s from your local Chippy - look for the big drum of " Non Brewed Condiment " acetic acid and a bit of colourant

 

[ladylola]

In turns off the production of amino acids in plants that animals require for protein synthesis. This means that roundup is an endocrine disruptor and effects the nervous system in humans at any dose.

That is a leap that isn't supported by the science, so evidence please - from reputable, peer-reviewed papers.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/05/14/glyphosate.aspx
Quote:
The Link Between Your Gut and the Toxicity of Glyphosate

The impact of gut bacteria on your health is becoming increasingly more well-understood and widely known. And here, we see how your gut bacteria once again play a crucial role in explaining why and how glyphosate causes health problems in both animals and humans. The authors explain:

“Glyphosate’s claimed mechanism of action in plants is the disruption of the shikimate pathway, which is involved with the synthesis of the essential aromatic amino acids, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan. The currently accepted dogma is that glyphosate is not harmful to humans or to any mammals because the shikimate pathway is absent in all animals.

However, this pathway is present in gut bacteria, which play an important and heretofore largely overlooked role in human physiology through an integrated biosemiotic relationship with the human host. In addition to aiding digestion, the gut microbiota synthesize vitamins, detoxify xenobiotics, and participitate in immune system homeostasis and gastrointestinal tract permeability. Furthermore, dietary factors modulate the microbial composition of the gut.”

As noted in the report, incidences of inflammatory bowel diseases and food allergies have substantially increased over the past decade. According to a recent CDC survey, one in 20 children now suffer from food allergies2 — a 50 percent increase from the late 1990’s. Incidence of eczema and other skin allergies have risen by 69 percent and now affect one in eight kids. Samsel and Seneff argue it is reasonable to suspect that glyphosate’s impact on gut bacteria may be contributing to these diseases and conditions.

and
http://www.foeeurope.org/weed-killer-glyphosate-found-human-urine-across-Europe-130613

Quote:
Urine samples were collected from volunteers in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Macedonia, Malta, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands, and the UK. A total of 80/182 samples tested were found to contain glyphosate. Volunteers were all city-dwellers and included vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets. No two samples were tested from the same household. The samples were analysed by Dr Hoppe at Medical Laboratory Bremen in Germany.

I personally try to steer well away from weedkillers if at all possible.
Correctly applied there is less risk but in real life it often isn't applied anywhere near correctly it's sprayed about with gay abandon and ends up in places it shouldn't. Add to this there is evidence that glyphosates build up in weedkiller resistant GM crops and it's not hard to see where some of the findings about glyphosates in urine come from.

 

[Deleted2797112]

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/05/14/glyphosate.aspx
Quote:
The Link Between Your Gut and the Toxicity of Glyphosate

The impact of gut bacteria on your health is becoming increasingly more well-understood and widely known. And here, we see how your gut bacteria once again play a crucial role in explaining why and how glyphosate causes health problems in both animals and humans. The authors explain:

“Glyphosate’s claimed mechanism of action in plants is the disruption of the shikimate pathway, which is involved with the synthesis of the essential aromatic amino acids, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan. The currently accepted dogma is that glyphosate is not harmful to humans or to any mammals because the shikimate pathway is absent in all animals.

However, this pathway is present in gut bacteria, which play an important and heretofore largely overlooked role in human physiology through an integrated biosemiotic relationship with the human host. In addition to aiding digestion, the gut microbiota synthesize vitamins, detoxify xenobiotics, and participitate in immune system homeostasis and gastrointestinal tract permeability. Furthermore, dietary factors modulate the microbial composition of the gut.”

As noted in the report, incidences of inflammatory bowel diseases and food allergies have substantially increased over the past decade. According to a recent CDC survey, one in 20 children now suffer from food allergies2 — a 50 percent increase from the late 1990’s. Incidence of eczema and other skin allergies have risen by 69 percent and now affect one in eight kids. Samsel and Seneff argue it is reasonable to suspect that glyphosate’s impact on gut bacteria may be contributing to these diseases and conditions.

and
http://www.foeeurope.org/weed-killer-glyphosate-found-human-urine-across-Europe-130613

Quote:
Urine samples were collected from volunteers in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Macedonia, Malta, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands, and the UK. A total of 80/182 samples tested were found to contain glyphosate. Volunteers were all city-dwellers and included vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets. No two samples were tested from the same household. The samples were analysed by Dr Hoppe at Medical Laboratory Bremen in Germany.

I personally try to steer well away from weedkillers if at all possible.
Correctly applied there is less risk but in real life it often isn't applied anywhere near correctly it's sprayed about with gay abandon and ends up in places it shouldn't. Add to this there is evidence that glyphosates build up in weedkiller resistant GM crops and it's not hard to see where some of the findings about glyphosates in urine come from.

Mercola is just about as far from a reputable source as it's possible to get and a single cherry-picked small study doesn't tell the whole story either.

FWIW I try to minimise use of pesticides too, but misrepresenting the science is unhelpful.

 

[skotl]

I have a fair bit of weed growing between the cracks on my block paved driveway, trying to pull them out individually isn't viable due to the vast amounts (also it end up pulling the joining material out in the process).

What is the best natural way to fix this? Would regular table salt mixed in with water damage the paving in anyway?

Come on... whether you are for or against Glyphosate, let's try to keep this in context.

The original poster is asking about weeds in a driveway. OK, (s)he also asked for a "natural" solution. but it hardly seems credible that pouring Glyphosate onto stats101's driveway is going to cause poisonous substances to enter the food chain.

I can't help think that a couple of people here are looking to create an eco-argument over nothing.

 

[ABCwarrior]

I'd use weedkiller- Rosate 36 is a pretty strong one. Entrenched weeds can't be pulled out especially in tight joints without usually ripping out the sand/mortar. I've just done all around my house last week and it's working a treat. Kept the dog off the garden for 2 days, and didn't go mental with application- 100ml to 5 litres is plenty.
Pulling out weeds is a waste of time, especially those flat leafy ones that just snap at any attempt to pull them then grow back.
Given I'm 1/4 mile from the nearest watercourse and I can't grow zilch in our post glacial barren landscape, except bloody weeds, I'll keep using it.....I've a few hundred other jobs that need done rather than scrabble about on my hands and knees doing this......

 

[Deleted2797112]

I'd use weedkiller- Rosate 36 is a pretty strong one.

Rosate 36 is prefessional use only.