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I have some areas that I want to cover with gravel or whatever else I can to keep ANYTHING from growing there -- e.g., the perimeter of my house where the basement walls/windows are, the area around the propane tank, etc. Right now those places are a mix of weeds/grass (yuck). How do I get rid of everything so I can cover the area with gravel? (Sorry, I know this is a beginner's question, but that's what I am!!)
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Gravel is awfully hard to deal with a few years from now when it's mixed in with the soil and you decide to dig to build or plant something. I agree with landscape cloth (weedcloth) but would first lay several layers of old newspapers, if you have them. This helps hold in more heat to kill and decompose the weeds/grass faster under the weedcloth and gravel. It will decompose along with the plant matter. My preferred material for on top of the cloth is wood chips, because they will not break down as fast as mulch, you don't need the nutrient value of mulch since you have nothing growing there, and in many cases tree service people will drop off wood chips free of charge.
Get cardboard boxes from the supermarket or whatever, put those down and put down 4 or so inches of wood chips. You'll still have to pull the occasional weed. Even if you use landscape fabric. I know from experience. So do mother earth a favor and use something biodegradable.
Thanks for the replies! I am going to trim the weeds/grass as short as I can get them, then try the cardboard/landscape fabric/wood chips suggestions. After covering the very short weeds/grass with those things, about how long will it take for them to die?
(And I will rep you all for being helpful -- I appreciate it! )
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,585 posts, read 81,206,701 times
Reputation: 57821
It can take a year, depending on climate and weather but the material (even without the fabric) will keep any weeds from popping through during that time.
It can take a year, depending on climate and weather but the material (even without the fabric) will keep any weeds from popping through during that time.
OK, thanks. I am most concerned about keeping mice away from my basement walls, so the less I have for them to hide in, the better.
Landscape fabric is excellent in controlling weed-growth, but if you are truly after the ultimate, may I suggest Soil Solarization. Soil Solarization, is a process that utilizes black plastic (summer months) when the weather is the hottest.
Weed seeds and vegetative propagules, cannot withstand the heat and quickly die off. Simply cover any areas you wish to kill-off weeds, etc, and allow the black plastic to perform it's magic. I suggest 6-8 weeks. From there you can cover-off with landscape fabric, but whenever you have beds or areas right up against the house, avoid using any kind of mulch.
Mulch attracts ants and insects, and you don't want that.
Landscape fabric invariably tears. Some weeds will even grow right through it. Removing it after you realize you've made a mistake by using landascape fabric is very difficult. Avoid it like the plague.
And by the by -- mulch is just fine if you have a well built home. If you don't have a well built home, that's a much bigger problem than trying to kill vegetation.
Sow the soil with salt. The kind you use for sidewalks. It'll give you a barren patch quickly.
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