The settlement of dandelions, grass and moss in the terrace joints can hardly be avoided. Despite the fact that weeds also have their right to exist in the home garden, since wild plants are ecologically very valuable, a paved area overgrown with green quickly looks unkempt. In this article you will find great tips on how to get weeds out of the cracks easily and permanently.

Scraping out the joints is time-consuming but efficient

You can use the wild growth on the terrace and driveway with:

  • joint scraper and wire brush,
  • weed burners,
  • the high-pressure cleaner,(119.90€)
  • boiling water,
  • pavement joint mortar,
  • dansand,
  • Biological weed killers

get to grips. However, some preparations that are passed on as tips under the hand are prohibited. Other methods work very well, but must be repeated regularly.

Floor scraper and wire brush

Removing the weeds in this way is effective as long as you work thoroughly and lift the weeds out of the cracks together with the roots. If this is not the case, the green quickly gets out of hand again.

If you prefer to use a telescopic floor scraper, you don't have to bend down and noticeably relieve your back. If the soil between the paving slabs is slightly damp, the wild plants can be removed more easily.

flaming devices

You can use heat to destroy weeds with a special flame weeding device that runs on electricity or gas. The high temperature causes the cells of the plants to burst, the plants dry up and can simply be swept away.

Handle the devices with care and pay attention to adjacent ornamental and useful plants so that they are not unintentionally damaged. Hold the device long enough over the plants, because this is the only way for the heat to reach the deep roots.

high pressure cleaner

Weeds can be removed very effectively with the high-pressure cleaner. The device used should work with at least 10 bar. If you hold the nozzle directly in the cracks, the shallow-rooted weeds are simply flushed out. You can then sweep off the plants.

However, the high-pressure cleaner also flushes gravel and sand out of the joints. This necessitates regular sweeping of fresh material. We recommend Dansand, which compacts heavily and thus deprives the weeds of their livelihood.

home remedies

Boiling water

This destroys the cell structure of the plants due to the high temperature and the plants die. Depending on the weed species, this takes between two and four days. For stubborn weeds like dandelions that have already reached a certain size, you may have to repeat the process several times. If you use the cooking water that accumulates in the kitchen, this method is inexpensive, environmentally friendly and very effective on small areas.

vinegar and salt

In the right mixing ratio, vinegar and salt are relatively effective against weeds. However, its use on paved areas is prohibited by law, since an environmental hazard cannot be ruled out due to the inability to biodegrade. According to §3 of the Plant Protection Act, the use is classified as illegal, since the agents violate “good professional practice” in plant protection. There are good reasons for this, because many products used in the home, such as vinegar essence, are more harmful to the environment than users think.

You should therefore refrain from using this home remedy to destroy wild plants growing in the driveway or on the patio.

pavement joint mortar

With this you can permanently get rid of weeds that keep spreading in the terrace joints. The resin-based material is simply placed in the joints between the panels. There, the frost-resistant agent hardens elastically, so there is no risk of cracks in the winter months or under load.

Weed-inhibiting joint sand

Swept well into the cracks, dansand creates desert-like conditions due to the high pH value. As a result, the seeds of the wild herbs have no chance to germinate.

Application:

  • Thoroughly stop into the dry cracks of the terrace stones.
  • If possible, go over the surface with a vibrating plate (€499.00) to compact the material.
  • You should only be able to press the sand a few millimeters into the joint with a spatula.
  • If this is not the case, fill in some more sand.

herbicides

In specialist shops you can get a variety of weed killers for a wide range of applications. As with the household remedy vinegar and salt, the use of many preparations on paved surfaces is prohibited. Therefore, do not indiscriminately reach for a remedy that you still have at home, but only use products that are approved for the planned use.

Please keep in mind that many herbicides contain glyphosate, which is suspected to be carcinogenic. These agents should no longer be used in ecologically managed gardens.

Biological weed killers are better for the environment when used as directed on the packaging. Dilute this with water according to the package insert and pour the preparation carefully into the cracks in the patio or driveway slabs.

tips

If root weeds have settled in your garden, you should remove them as soon as possible. As a result, the weeds cannot multiply in the first place. In addition, small plants are much easier to pull out of the joints than large ones, which have already formed deep roots.

Category:

Herbs