Top News

Weeds are frustrating enough in a garden, but when they start pushing through your gravel driveway or paths, it can feel almost impossible to keep them under control. Gravel can create the perfect conditions for weeds to thrive, as it can trap moisture while the stones absorb heat from the sun, which will encourage these pesky plants to grow.

Summer is usually the worst time for gravel weeds, as the warm and wet environment can encourage their roots to grow and bury themselves incredibly deep beneath the ground. Long roots will be stronger and can also store a lot more energy, so even if you kill most of the weed it can quickly grow back so you end up with lots of weeds poking through the gravel. However, Alan Titchmarsh, the UK’s most famous gardener, known for presenting Gardeners’ World, has shared that right now is an easy time to kill the weed root, as all you really need is some sunlight.

On a video online, Alan said: “The more of the weed root you can expose to the drying rays of the sun, the quicker they will die.”

He added: “What you are trying to do with your Dutch hoe is to separate the little rosette from its roots. And that way, it will cook once it’s exposed to sunshine and will dry out.”

Gravel weeds are difficult to remove because they have easy access to water, allowing them to grow larger and reach deeper into the ground for nutrients, which keeps them strong.

Taking the time to hoe weeds up will take them out of their wet environment and expose them to a very dry surface, causing them to wither and die.

Cutting up the foliage and disturbing the roots will cause the weed to use up all its stored energy until it eventually cannot remove which will stop it from growing back.

August is one of the best times to use sunlight to kill weeds, thanks to the intense summer heat. Acting now can also help prevent weeds from becoming a bigger problem when the rainy weather of autumn arrives.

How to kill gravel weeds using Alan Titchmarsh’s sunlight method

To begin, choose a sunny day with low humidity and make sure it will not rain the next day. Though Alan uses a Dutch hoe, but a simple garden hoe or a weeding knife would work as well.

Then, all you need to do is locate the weed crown, which is the point where the leaves and stems meet the roots, usually at or just below the surface of the gravel. Use a hoe or knife to cut the weed at the crown to separate the plant from its root system.

Leave the uprooted weed foliage on the gravel surface so it is exposed to sunlight. Leave them for a few hours, and on a hot day, it should be enough to kill off the weed.

If you have a lot of persistent weeds, then you may need to do this a few more times in August, but it is one of the most effective ways to deal with gravel weeds without needing to spend any money at all.