Weeds don't stop at the joints between paving stones. Countless species find optimal conditions here in particular. Once a weed has grown, it usually doesn't take long before it multiplies, further weeds grow and spread so rapidly in the paving stone joints over many meters. Weed control is not one of the most popular activities, especially between paving stones. Here you will find out which methods are really effective faster or less quickly, what you shouldn't do under any circumstances and how you can intelligently prevent them.
Home remedies
If you don't want to rely on chemical products, you can get rid of the weeds in the joints of paving stones with simple household remedy tricks. But be careful, because weedkiller substances are also hidden here, the use of which is only permitted to a limited extent and, if ignored, can result in extremely expensive penalties.
Weeding
The gentlest, but probably also the most strenuous, weed killing is pulling it out by hand. Pulling a weed here and there in passing is certainly the most convenient method, but not the most effective, as remaining weeds keep multiplying. You will only have long-term success here if you meticulously pull out all the weeds in the stone joints within a short time frame.
Weeding can be made easier with a joint scraper, which was specially developed for weed control in narrow crevices. You are clearly sparing your fingers. So-called telescopic weed cutters, in which a joint scraper can also be inserted, are ideal. With this device, you no longer need to bend down, you protect your back and can reliably and completely remove roots that are firmly anchored in the ground with a narrow weeding cutter.
TIP: Roots can be completely removed from the paving stone joints more easily if the earth in the cracks is well soaked. The water should be allowed to go deep into the ground for about an hour before you start weeding.
Cooking water
With the help of boiling hot water, you can effectively kill weeds in the stone joints, if they are shallow-rooted and delicate species, such as:
- Common yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
- Young bear pod (Astragalus glycyphyllos)
- Canadian fleabane (Conyza canadensis)
For dandelions, thistles or the like, this method of weed killing is only suitable if the young plants are small, whose shoots are still thin and roots are not yet strengthened.
Boiling water destroys the fine plant structure and allows it to perish. This process usually takes between two and four days, depending on the type of weed. You may have to pour hot water several times, which ultimately also speeds up the process of death. Since the joints between paving stones are usually really narrow, a little skill is required to let the water run in sufficiently so that the roots can also be reached.
high pressure cleaner
With a high-pressure cleaner you will only achieve a promising result if you use it with at least 100 bar and hold it directly in the joints. Most types of weed are shallow-rooted and can usually be pushed out quite easily due to the high water pressure. However, you can also lift earth or gravel out of the joints with the high-pressure cleaner, which is not particularly advantageous with wider joints. Therefore, this method is only recommended for joints up to a maximum of three millimeters.
combustion
Burning is a very common way of killing weeds. This is less feasible with a conventional camping gas burner. There are special gas burners with integrated gas cartridges that are available from specialist retailers or hardware stores for this purpose. Here hold the flame on the weeds for a few seconds until it is burned down. Then aim well into the joints so that you can also reach the root with the flame. The root core is always in the upper area. If this is burned, the root can no longer grow and the rest can remain in the earth. Subsequent pulling out is therefore not necessary.
TIP: Always wear protective goggles when using a weed killer burner because small sparks can form and hot plant particles can fly around. If it gets into your eyes, it can cause serious damage.
Weed Killer Act
This is regulated by the Plant Protection Act, which states that vinegar and salt have a high level of weed killers Presuppose concentration and thereby an environmental hazard due to the inability to biodegrade comes. In short this means: You are not allowed to use these "home remedies" on your paved terrace, driveway or other places with ground access, otherwise you can be fined up to 50,000 euros threaten.
Chemical weed killing
The range of chemical weed killers is wide. The handle is quickly turned into an unsuitable product.
As with weed control with vinegar and / or salt, there are also chemical weed killers that work on wrong Locations of use have criminal consequences due to a violation of the Environmental and / or Plant Protection Act could. For example, there are numerous weed killers for lawns that are absolutely unsuitable for weeds in the joints of paved surfaces.
Even if a weed killer is suitable for joints between a paved area, it cannot automatically be used everywhere. For example, terraces surrounded by lawns offer different environmental conditions than sidewalks that connect directly to a pond. Here it is important to pay close attention to the areas of application of each weed killer.
There is a selection of products specifically designed for each different environmental condition for joints between paving stones. Among the most effective and therefore most widely used weed killers are those that contain glyphosate. However, we strongly advise against this! Glyphosate is controversial because it is suspected of being carcinogenic. Please protect yourself and those around you from the harmful effects of chemical agents.
Prevent
Bud cut
No matter where you see seed weeds in the area, you should act immediately and any buds that may be present Cut off before they reach seed maturity and the seeds are carried into paving stones by the wind or birds will. In this way you will at least prevent excessive spreading and prevent weed control to a high degree.
Root weed
There are root weeds in your garden or already in a joint of paving stones of course, this must be removed immediately or with the help of weed killers kill. Most weeds can still be pulled out of the crevice after they have died and are then usually disposed of in the compost. Failure! Not always that completely kills the root. If this is then disposed of on a compost heap, the roots, some of which are still alive, receive rich nutrients to stimulate root growth again. For this reason, you should never throw root weeds on the compost heap, but dispose of them in the garbage.
gravel
The best
However, there are also some types of weed that do not require soil, such as moss. This in turn forms an excellent basis for the growth of further weeds. But as a rule, with a correspondingly thick layer of gravel or crushed stone under the paving stones, you should have peace of mind from weeds in the joints for the first few years.
Weed control
In addition to the gravel, a special weed fleece promises permanent prevention against weeds in the joints. This is placed on top of the gravel or bulkhead layer before paving. High-quality fleeces last for decades and are so densely networked that roots or other parts of plants are almost impossible to get through. But it still allows moisture to seep through.
Joint closure
Mostly grit, earth or sandy mortar is used to close the joints in paving stones. However, this is less advisable for weed prevention. There are special paving joint mortars that seal the joints a lot more, but still retain water-permeable properties. If you want to be on the safe side, use a grout that is completely impermeable to water and therefore offers no attack surface for seeds or roots.
However, this has the disadvantage that rainwater can collect on the paving if the paving is not exactly on a level that allows the water to run off evenly. By the way, grout can also be applied afterwards.
Vinegar cleaning
While vinegar is forbidden as a herbicide on paved paths, a Vinegar cleaner or a vinegar-water mixture can be used in lower concentrations and the Serve weed prevention. Use vinegar for regular cleaning of the cobblestones to remove even the smallest weeds with the finest structure. It is ideal if you use a sturdy scrubber or hard broom when cleaning, so that you can, for example, safely loosen stuck seeds from the stones. During the summer months, cleaning with vinegar about every two weeks is recommended. But make sure that you only use as much vinegar cleaner as for normal cleaning.
sealing
When sealing, the paving stones are completely covered with a protective film. For this, however, sealed joints are necessary. The sealing not only makes the paving stones look like new in the long term, but also serves to prevent green plants from settling on them or in the joints.
Conclusion
Fighting weeds in the joints between paving stones is generally an unpopular occupation. There will probably not be general weed protection for eternity, but thanks to effective methods as described here, you can at least for yourself choose the more optimal option and, with some applications, weed-free paving for a whole summer and, depending on prevention, for many years cause. These advice and tips will save you time, money, and unnecessary effort.
