Gravel Drive Maintenance

[LarryBud]

My gravel drive is growing grass and weeds at a disturbing rate. I spray it down with Glypho ( hand sprayer ) and as soon as I kill off a round of them the next batch comes through. The drive is fine other than the weeds. What must be done to clean up this mess? I have a rear blade and a bucket for equipment. Thanks.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

The late farmer across the road dragged a heavy bar with tire chains behind, after church, before brunch and his 1,000' long driveway was PERFECT. Only took 3-4 passes. I copied him ,used my riding mower and smaller setup, has worked GREAT for past 20+ years.

 

[Motion]

If the road is crowned and has no ruts, you may want to keep spraying on a regular basis, consider adding a preemergence herbicide to the mix. Also consider a tank sprayer with a boom, either three-point, four-wheeler or ATV. With the tank you can add valves to either hand spray or boom. I use a golf cart with a 26-gallon tank and different sprayers with quick disconnects to spray 155 pecan trees and other areas. And another tank for Malathion for pests.

 

[Elliott in GA]

This should work immediately and for a long time - glyphosate plus imazapyr. Unfortunately, I cannot use it as my weeds are above/near the roots of desirable plants.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/rm43-glyphosate-plus-weed-preventer-tvc-32-oz-1110595?crmid=1315477789&utm_source=google&utm_medium=pmax&utm_campaign=tsc0_tsc_tsc_prm_search_sch_us_cvr&utm_content=sku_na&adtype=pla&campaignid=20387647901&device=c&product_channel=local&product_id=1110595&store_code=2545&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20382437754&gbraid=0AAAAADnTm21-goQe7rHtLjfM_cYBYti7K&gclid=CjwKCAjwsfzSBhB5EiwAOGyqSWY4nzoS8R3qqWt5cAG4xPdeTgZaa7DBxOxWbrFhBfvhRH-sMnLUYxoC1BQQAvD_BwE

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Land plane!

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Land plane!

Exactly, by far safer (no poisons) and probably faster. Up and down the road every other week and your drive always looks good.
I have 2 of them, a 5-footer for smaller areas and a 7-footer for the main drive.

 

[Caden]

I would agree with land plane, over using your blade.
I use a blade quite a bit, and for it to be effective you have to cut some material, to then go back and smooth out. If the drive is already in good shape, the plane I think will be faster and easier, while requiring less alteration of your driveway gravel.

 

[LarryBud]

This should work immediately and for a long time - glyphosate plus imazapyr. Unfortunately, I cannot use it as my weeds are above/near the roots of desirable plants.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/rm43-glyphosate-plus-weed-preventer-tvc-32-oz-1110595?crmid=1315477789&utm_source=google&utm_medium=pmax&utm_campaign=tsc0_tsc_tsc_prm_search_sch_us_cvr&utm_content=sku_na&adtype=pla&campaignid=20387647901&device=c&product_channel=local&product_id=1110595&store_code=2545&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20382437754&gbraid=0AAAAADnTm21-goQe7rHtLjfM_cYBYti7K&gclid=CjwKCAjwsfzSBhB5EiwAOGyqSWY4nzoS8R3qqWt5cAG4xPdeTgZaa7DBxOxWbrFhBfvhRH-sMnLUYxoC1BQQAvD_BwE

After reading the label on this and other pre emergent herbicides, it looks like they are out. My drive slopes downward and I have trees I'd hate to lose living at the bottom of the hill. The runoff will likely be a problem. Looks like straight Glypho and mechanical solutions unless I can find a better way.

 

[LarryBud]

I would agree with land plane, over using your blade.
I use a blade quite a bit, and for it to be effective you have to cut some material, to then go back and smooth out. If the drive is already in good shape, the plane I think will be faster and easier, while requiring less alteration of your driveway gravel.

Thanks for the post. I do have a blade in stock. I'd have to go out and purchase, and then store a plane. My attempt to use the blade in the past have not gone well. I admit that it's operator skill at the core and I will need to up my skill set to use it effectively. Or, just go out and buy a land plane. It's only money, time and space holding me back. My guess is that there will be a learning curve there as well.

 

[Bearcatrp]

Round up in a large tank sprayer to spray the entire road. Nasty stuff but it kills fast when used at max strength.

 

[trikepilot]

I have a 0.6mi gravel driveway that I maintain with my Kubota. I have a box and regular back blade for the heavy lifting work of filling in ruts or re-crowning. But for the regular maintenance of the driveway to keep it looking nice and weed free - I have a very inexpensive chain drag harrow that works very well behind the UTV or the tractor. A drag or two up and down with the tines facing down to dig into the compacted gravel followed by another pass or two with the times up to smooth it over and all is well.



If herbicides are your chosen path - you could also look at Barrier from Gordons for a more 'permanent" option to RoundUp

 

[hedgerow]

You don't need to spend a bunch of money on a land plane get on Facebook or Craig's list and buy a five or six foot old harrow section off a big harrow and hook a chain to each side and to your draw bar and harrow the weeds and grass out of your drive. You can buy them for hundred bucks. I harrow my drives and gravel lots all the time were chemical run off is a problem.

 

[TheOldHokie]

My gravel drive is growing grass and weeds at a disturbing rate. I spray it down with Glypho ( hand sprayer ) and as soon as I kill off a round of them the next batch comes through. The drive is fine other than the weeds. What must be done to clean up this mess? I have a rear blade and a bucket for equipment. Thanks.

Asphalt. No weeds or washouts for 35 years now...

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Landplane takes about 5 min to set it properly then it's just a matter of go go go.
Not much of a learning curve.

 

[Blue2Orange]

Land plane!

One of mechanics at the Kubota dealer noted about an additional benefit of why he uses a land plane to keep his gravel driveway smooth. Weed control! Still don't own a land plane. Something always pops up or buckles when I build up funds. Almost scared to look at what the current prices are. My steel roofing price increase from earlier this year to purchasing a month or so ago would have paid for a LP GS1548.

Driveway has heavy dense tree canopy shading it. Weeds don't seem to thrive. Upper end around the garage is open to sunlight. Even driving over the now crunch dry weeds hasn't killed them. Usually use a propane weed torch to deal with them if they start bugging me. But it has been too dry and dangerous for an open flame. There are "commercial" grade propane "torches" for prepping soil. They look a bit like push power lawn mowers. Another option. Takes a bit of time with my hand propane weed killer. Plus lugging around a 20# propane canister gets old. Wish I had a land plane.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

One of mechanics at the Kubota dealer noted about an additional benefit of why he uses a land plane to keep his gravel driveway smooth. Weed control! Still don't own a land plane. Something always pops up or buckles when I build up funds. Almost scared to look at what the current prices are. My steel roofing price increase from earlier this year to purchasing a month or so ago would have paid for a LP GS1548.

Driveway has heavy dense tree canopy shading it. Weeds don't seem to thrive. Upper end around the garage is open to sunlight. Even driving over the now crunch dry weeds hasn't killed them. Usually use a propane weed torch to deal with them if they start bugging me. But it has been too dry and dangerous for an open flame. There are "commercial" grade propane "torches" for prepping soil. They look a bit like push power lawn mowers. Another option. Takes a bit of time with my hand propane weed killer. Plus lugging around a 20# propane canister gets old. Wish I had a land plane.

I built mine many a year ago and it's still going strong.
I think it cost me less then $50 for the 2 blade sections that are AR500 steel, the rest was old steel that was hanging around.