Eco-friendly way to get rid of these weeds please?

Has anyone tried using salt water on weeds? A neighbour asked a professional gardeners (at some big posh house around here) and they use salt on weeds in gravel driveway etc. Do you think a water/salt solution would work on weeds in gravelled areas?

 

I see that butane weed burners have been mentioned and wondered if anyone here has tried the electric version. Claims to kill weeds down to the root, but I'm sceptical about that.

Garden Gear Weed Burner | Thompson & Morgan

Nick

 

I read that to mean exactly what it says, down TO the root, therefore just the top growth and not INCLUDING the root.

 

@Scrungee Nah, that's just my terrible choice of words! XD Quoting them: "This innovative weed burner works by transmitting bursts of thermal heat which result in the plant cells dying from root to tip, without the use of dangerous flames."

Nick

 

T&M's own words only mean from root to tip, so again not including the root. For example 'from your front door to the street' means your front garden and doesn't include anything within your house, not even your front door. (I used to write Specifications)

 

@Scrungee So basically, it'll just make my patio look better for around a week, haha! Thanks, you've saved me from buying yet another useless gadget that takes up space. "Central England on heavy clay soil" sounds just like me, what ornamentals work well for you then, mate?

Nick

 

@Snorky85 ...I'm no where near an expert but I'd be inclined to think maybe just salt sprinkled neat on weeds but that's only on drives and nowhere near lawns or any plants or anywhere it could leach into the borders.

@Nikolaos ,worth a try but when you make a cup of tea or coffee any boiling water left in the kettle pour on said weeds...BUT...NOT if the weeds are anywhere near plants/lawns...I had bindweed in my greenhouse and did it a few times and it hasn't come back...the trouble is most weeds grow where plants are growing so it's a case of constantly hoeing to weaken them so that in the end they give up...

 

What about the danger from stones on the surface of the ground splitting?

I knew somebody who'd pour loads of brine solution used in the pre-smoking process on the driveway, but I'd be wary of it leaching into lower lying grass and planting.

 

Something else about 'heat guns'

Don't use them to kill weeds along the line of Rabbit proof fencing, as they burn off the galvanising and the mesh will immediately begin to rust.

 

That's the original chemical treatment from the Bible. The downside is it'll spread from the driveway to everywhere else. Better not really.