Okay every year we have this problem and every year we loose. We have a brick sidewalk -- love the bricks but hate the weeds that always show up. We've tried all kinds of products including "Roundup" and it does work for a short while, but then in a couple of weeks, the weeds are back. A neighbor up the street actually found one thing -- gasoline -- he poured it all over and it did kill the weeds permanently but that summer we worried that someone walking by would throw a cigarette or hot match down and start an instant blaze.
Any ideas or products that you've tried? Would really appreciate any help and thanks.
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03-05-05, 06:14 AM
MommyTimesTwo
My sister also has a brick walkway and the only way she found to keep weeds down was by actually pulling it all up and laying a semipermeable layering cloth under it--it's like plastic or something, available at Lowes and Home Depot. But I don't know how big an area you have--may not be practical for you.

03-05-05, 10:49 AM
Tree
Kelleygirl, I don't know what your brick sidewalk actually is like, so am not too sure if this will work for you.

I use "rock salt" on weeds in my yard. I place some on the root of the weed. This way, it won't harm the water table, or my pets, etc. It kills weeds in a few days.

03-05-05, 09:09 PM
DvdGStwrt
No, no, no. You are looking at this the wrong way. Instead of finding ways to remove growth, find a low growing ground cover like Baby Tears, Diacrondra, or a nice smelling herb to seed in between the bricks. Have that take over the crack spaces and then just run the mower over the walk way when you mow the lawn to keep it short and even.

03-06-05, 05:15 AM
gizmogram
Big Grin Thank you David! When I was in Wisconsin I had exactly the same problems!

There, with the humidity and moisture, we had to mow at least twice a week! I absolutely gave up on trying to pull the growth between the bricks in our walk...and just started mowing them.

03-06-05, 08:37 PM
Kelleygirl
Thanks for your help, everybody! We were looking for something that we could apply to the brick area that would last for at least a month or two. We already mow what does grow through -- a lot of crab grass.
Tree, do you mean the salt that you throw on the sidewalk to melt ice in winter?

03-06-05, 08:50 PM
Tree
Kelley,

rock salt: used primarily to de-ice driveways and make ice cream.

LOL! Sounds like tasty ice cream! Wink

03-09-05, 08:32 PM
Kelleygirl
Hey Tree and everyone else --- I spoke with the lady who takes care of the plants in our offices today about this problem, and she said to try horticultural vinegar .
Anyone ever try and hear of this? Wonder if you can use regular vinegar?

03-10-05, 09:22 AM
Lydia
Kellygirl - I have the same problem and posted this question a couple of years back...nothing seems to do the trick. Rock Salt is messy and you end up tracking it in when it rains. Animals that walk on it get it on the peds of their paws and it's very drying. It didn't work well, neither did regular vinegar (although it suddenly smelled like a tossed salad!). The regular vinegar seemed to dry the small areas that were already grown, but didn't do anything for the actual roots. I tried what David mentioned - some areas did better than others. I've not heard of the horticultural vinegar, but sounds like it might be worth a try...although I do wonder what might happen to the shrubs and other plants that are on the edge of the brick walkway.

If you try it - let me know how it works.

03-10-05, 07:52 PM
Kelleygirl
Yeah, Lydia, I think I will order some of this stuff off the net. Every year this drives me crazier than I am already. Will let you know who wins.

03-10-05, 11:34 PM
Tree
ummmm Kelley... try the rock salt first and make up your own mind! I use it and 5 cats own me... they don't complain.

Fixes

03-26-05, 11:55 AM
MsSueM
Kelleygirl, I've used Ortho's Triox Vegetation Killer (it appears they've re-named it "GroundClear"). Being a salt-based herbicide, it probably works the same as rock salt, but comes in liquid form...prevents new weeds for up to a year. There's also another product I haven't tried called Scorcher Dry Pellets by Enforcer ...same idea, but the pellets may allow greater placement control.

03-26-05, 08:21 PM
Kelleygirl
Thanks, MsSueM! These both sound like something to check that might do the trick. Appreciate this!
You too, Tree --- even the boiling water thing sounds like the easiest and cheapest to try. Thanks, Girlfriend!

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