Most owners of garden plots and country houses lay out tiled paths to make walking more comfortable. In addition, stone paths decorate the landscape of the site, making it much more attractive.
But the weeds that periodically make their way between the tiles cause a lot of inconvenience to the owners. And the point is not only in the spoiled appearance of the site, but also in the threat of destruction of the tile material. Therefore, it is necessary to fight the grass.
There are many methods to get rid of weeds. They will help maintain the integrity of the tiles and the visual appeal of the site.
Reasons for weeds growing between slabs
Usually, before laying a path, each owner digs up the soil, removes all weeds by the roots, hoping that they will not appear in this place in the future. But there are gaps between the tiles, which are usually filled with sand. And this is a fertile environment for the growth of weeds.
Several natural factors contribute to the appearance of grass. Weed seeds are transferred and retained in the cracks between the tiles:
- by the wind;
- droppings of birds feeding on seeds of wild plants;
- on the soles of people's shoes.
Grass grows most densely on paths running in the shade under trees. In open sunny areas, weeds grow less frequently.
Therefore, no matter how carefully the place for paving stones is prepared, after a while the problem of removing weeds still arises.
Ways to combat weeds
You can protect the site from the dominance of weeds even at the stage of constructing paths. To do this, a backing made of materials that prevent the germination of weeds is placed under the tiles.
The materials most often used are:
- Geotextiles. The substrate consists of several layers: geotextile, sand, gravel, crushed stone. This fabric can last about 20 years.
- Polyethylene film folded in 2 layers. Protects against weeds for two years.
- Roofing felt, roofing felt. This material is not afraid of moisture, so it can last 10-12 years.
- Cardboard or newspapers impregnated with bitumen primer.
But not all areas use the correct technology for laying tiles. Therefore, to get rid of the weed, you will have to make a lot of effort.
There are several effective ways to eliminate weeds:
- manual processing;
- use of chemicals;
- heat treatment;
- biological method;
- folk remedies.
Using these methods, you can achieve positive results.
Mechanical cleaning and water rinsing
In a small area there are not many paths and regular weeding will help get rid of weeds. It is easier to remove weeds after rain, since it is easier to pull out the grass by the roots from damp soil.
You can also use special garden knives that penetrate into the most difficult to reach places. It is advisable to weed the weeds before flowering begins. Otherwise, the seeds will have time to fall into the soil and sprout new shoots.
This method provides several advantages:
- environmental safety;
- cost savings;
- getting rid of mature weeds.
The only negative is the short-lived effect.
You can combine this method with high-pressure water washing.To do this, you will need a pump or a special garden washer that works under pressure. This method helps to wash out weed seeds from the cracks between the tiles and additionally clean the path. After the procedure, you should seal the seams, as water can wash away the grout.
Chemical treatment
On a large area and with strong weed growth, more radical measures will be needed. Chemicals will help to quickly and permanently destroy weeds from the joints between the tiles:
- Herbicides: Roundup, Tornado, Prima, Lontrel. When processing with chemicals, protective equipment is used. The solution is applied to the grass using a sprayer. When preparing the solution, strictly follow the instructions.
- Ammonium nitrate. To prepare a solution, 1-1.2 kg of the substance is diluted in a bucket of water and sprayed on the grass. The procedure must be repeated after 4-5 days.
- Borax. The substance (300-400 g) is dissolved in water (10 l) and the weeds are treated with the resulting solution.
It is necessary to work with chemicals in the absence of wind, in dry weather. The substance should be sprayed carefully so as not to get on cultivated plants. Even a small amount of poison can slow down the growth of the plant for a long time. In addition, chemicals can destroy the surface of the paths. Therefore, they are used only as a last resort, if other means have not helped.
Weed control with folk remedies
Most summer residents use environmentally friendly means to control weeds. There are several folk recipes with which you can eliminate weeds:
- Saline solution, for the preparation of which table salt (1.5 kg) is dissolved in water (6-7 l) and watered with it on the grass between the tiles.
- A mixture of vinegar and salt. To do this, vinegar (4 l.) is mixed with salt (100 g). Add detergent (1 tbsp) to the resulting mixture and treat the weeds with it.
- Vinegar (400 g) is mixed with alcohol (50 g) and citric acid (3 tbsp). Before use, the resulting solution is diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 1.
- A solution of laundry soap is mixed with the bite (1:1) and the tile joints are treated. Thanks to soap, vinegar penetrates the soil to great depths and burns the roots of the grass.
Any of these ingredients is always at hand. In addition, they do not harm the soil and crops growing next to the path.
Heat treatment
You can get rid of grass between the tiles using boiling water. You can water directly from the kettle. But the procedure must be carried out several times over 2-3 days. This is the cheapest and most environmentally friendly way to kill weeds.
The disadvantage of this method is low efficiency and the need to repeat the procedure.
Much better results are achieved when using a gas burner. But an open flame can destroy the tiles. Therefore, it is better to use other methods.
Use of biomaterial
One way to eliminate weeds is to use covering material. To block the access of oxygen to weeds, the paths are covered with rubber, dark film or mulch for several days. For several days you will have to endure some inconvenience when walking on the flooring, but the weeds will die.
It is necessary to start destroying weeds in early spring, as soon as the first shoots appear. Sometimes several methods are combined to make the result more effective.
With a little time and effort, you can extend the life of the coating and enjoy the well-groomed appearance of your garden paths.
