Removing Weeds in Your Concrete Sidewalk and Driveway

When you have a beautiful garden in your home, one of the problems you’ll encounter is pesky weeds. You need to constantly pull these unwanted plants to prevent them from overtaking your lawn and garden. Skipping pavement weed control will only cause them to sprout up again. Soon enough, these weeds will emerge from the cracks of your concrete driveway or sidewalk. Worst case scenario is they will ruin your landscape, kill your healthy plants, and widen the sidewalk cracks. 

How Do Weeds Grow Through Concrete?

Unwanted grass and weeds grow through concrete. The tiny cracks between pavements have abundant runoff water and nutrients. Little weeds take advantage of the cracks in the concrete, making them an ideal environment for growth. They squeeze through from the soil underneath and settle there for a long time.

When Should You Kill Pavement Weeds?

The ideal season to kill weeds in concrete surfaces depends on your chosen method. You can remove unwanted grass at any time of year. If you want to pluck weeds by hand, springtime is the best season because the soil is damp. On the other hand, chemical weed killers can be applied during late summer. We also recommend that you try different weed control methods to know which one works best for you! Follow our weed control tips and suggestions below.

Prep the Area

Before you start doing your weed control work, you need to clear your concrete sidewalk or driveway first. Remove any debris and dirt on the surface using a broom or power washer.

Use Traditional Weed Killer

For effortless weed control, try using chemicals and commercial weed killers. These products can stop weeds from growing in the cracks of your pavement. However, you need to be careful in using the chemical method.

Handpick All the Unwanted Grass

This method is time-consuming, but it is guaranteed to be safe and effective. Pulling weeds out by the root will prevent them from resprouting. First, water the soil for easier removal. The trick is to try and pull the weeds out by the entire plant. But manual weed removal is not a permanent solution. To minimize the chances of weed resprouting, fill the cracks with mortar or pavement caulk. 

Pour Some Boiling Water

Hot water will help kill weeds on your pavement. Simply pour boiling water into the cracks and crevices. The weeds cannot tolerate the intense heat from the steaming water. After a few boiling water treatments, the weeds will begin to die. Eventually, the boiling water will kill the unwanted grass from the root.

Sprinkle Baking Soda

If there is a cluster of weeds on the side of your concrete driveways, spread some baking soda around it. A teaspoon of baking soda can be applied directly to the weeds. It should coat the entire weed plant. To make this work effectively, push the baking soda into the cracks. Working as a natural weed killer, the baking soda will draw water from the weed and force the foliage to dry off. Soon, the unwanted grass will stop growing until they die eventually.

Burn the Weeds

A long-handled propane torch can kill weeds quickly. Remove loose combustible materials before you burn the weeds and unwanted grass. The flame from the torch will cause moisture to evaporate, which can kill the weed.

Don’t worry because burning is not invasive to the soil. The flame will not leave any dangerous substance that can harm both your plants and lawn.

Apply Horticultural Vinegar

Vinegar contains acetic acid, which sucks out the water from the weeds. Mix a portion of vinegar and dish soap, then put the solution in a spray bottle. Apply the mixture onto the concrete pavements with grass and weeds. You can use this method to get rid of weeds in a natural way.

Seal the Cracks

If you want a permanent solution, covering up the cracks is the answer. First, remove the remaining weeds and lay your concrete cracks with cement crack filler. This easy-to-apply material can block weed growth permanently. Other options for filling concrete cracks are epoxy and caulk. Sealing the cracks will keep your landscape looking pristine because weeds can’t return anymore.

At Midstate Concrete, we can seal cracks in concrete floors, foundations, and walls. Give us a call today to get started with your concrete project!