How Often Do You Have to Weed Your Driveway or Use Weed Killer?

Type of Driveway

• If you have a cement, concrete or blacktop driveway, weeds may surface in cracks or in areas around the perimeter of your driveway. If your driveway is constructed with gravel or dirt, you will likely have patches of weed growth across your entire driveway surface. With a concrete, cement or blacktop surface, you will probably need to treat weeds on a monthly or a quarterly basis depending on the potency of your herbicide. A dirt or gravel surface generally requires weed treatment on a weekly basis unless the entire surface is treated. Otherwise, new weeds pop up almost every day.

Herbicide Treatment

• The frequency of treatment with herbicides depends upon the potency of the chemical ingredients within the mixture. Some herbicides kill only certain types of weeds while others kill every living piece of plant life in their vicinity. Hardware stores and home improvement stores carry long-lasting herbicides that control weeds up to three months after application. Less-potent herbicides may require weekly or biweekly application.

Weed Burner

• You can use a flame thrower or a weed burner to eradicate driveway weeds If you have a gravel driveway or a concrete surface that can sustain high amounts of heat. This method is effective because it destroys the weed, the roots and any potential weed growth in the area. Avoid using this method if you don't want small scorch marks or visible heat stains on your driveway surface. This method of weed control usually requires you to burn the surface at least once during every season of growth. Use caution because this method can also destroy healthy grass that is exposed to the heat or flame.

Geographic Location

• Geographic location plays an important role in the frequency of weed-pulling or weed-killing treatment required for your driveway. If you live in an area that has a strong winter and your first freeze is early in the fall, you may only need to treat your driveway a few times during the warmer spring and summer months. If you live in a temperate zone and have mild winters, or no winter at all, you may need to treat or pull weeds on a regular basis. Potent three-month herbicides work best in regions that require year-round treatment.