T i m wrote:

On Mon, 13 Jun 2005 10:04:18 +0100, Terry Pinnell
wrote:


I'm fighting an ongoing battle against weeds growing through the
sand-gaps in out brick paths and patio. I spent the weekend clearing
them, this time with a high pressure hose, and refilling with fine
sand. So now I want to do whatever I can to PREVENT their
reappearance. Or at least postpone it for a long time.

But I could find nothing that appeared suitable on the Homebase
shelves this morning. Products like PathClear seem to require the
weeds to be present and growing! So I am hoping someone here can
recommend a product that I can soak into the sand that will STOP the
weeds actually growing. Surely there must be something potent enough
to do this please?


I was looking for summat similar the other day and came to the
conclusion you are what you drink .. ie, there is a good chance that
anything strong enough to kill the soil could leech into the water
tabe and do the same to you (and the rest of us)? ;-(

I think one of the current solutions is to fit a membrane under the
paving (no use to you (or me) now I know) and that pretty well
prevents the problem (rather than looking for a cure).


Actually it doesn't.

It makes it worse.

You get wind blown seeds, rain, and mud dust blown into the cracks.

Fitting a membrane will hold the water in and encourage them to germinate.

It does discurage deep rooted stuff, but thats eldom an issue with block
paving.

Is there any way you could pressure wash all the sand out between the
blocks (again) and replace with a very weak, dry sand / cement mix and
let it go off on it's own (or gently water it in). Not sure if blocks
have to be 'live' or not ..?

I'm told diesel works pretty well .. if you can stand the smell and
keeping in mind all the above ...

yes, it does, but its probably nastier than chlorate in terms of poisoning.

All the best ..

T i m