I would personally pass on that job being that I’m a solo guy. That would not be worth my time at all.

 

I wouldn't even think about action hoe'ing that bed or anything by hand/rake.

In theory, a weed torch would be amazing for this scenario but torching is extremely sketchy IMHO. You wouldn't think so by the youtube examples of people doing burn piles etc around their rural properties as if it's nothing to worry about but one gust of wind and something could travel down the road, but I'm extremely safe with mine and only use it around the house, with a garden hose nearby and a fire extinguisher and for small tasks or to shou sugi ban lumber for a natural preservative for garden stakes etc. Is also great for ice removal too without chems/stains of ice melts and with snow on the ground don't have to really worry.


Torching would both burn the weeds away to nothing (compared to roundup you'll end up with a bunch of brown dead weeds still there) plus heat will kill any more seeds in those rocks like a pre emergent (prodiamine) app would, and it's all chemical free which I really like.

No matter what you do, it'll likely still end up all weedy in a couple years, so I would consider removing all those rocks and planting something like a creeping juniper groundcover you may often see around commercial properties. But do expect the edge to get driven on and messed up because I could see a lot of people taking that turn like an idiot and driving over that curb.

I'm not suggesting you torch it but after a heavy rain , and thus some extra torch time to dry your area, in theory it would work well.

 

I would spray everything dead. Wait a couple weeks until everything disintegrates and blows away , then throw on your top dressing of rock.

 

And this is why I hate rocks for "mulch." I say rip it all out rather than perpetuate the maintenance nightmare that it presents.

 

Whats the difference between a rock bed and a rocks for mulch bed?

 

I'm with the property owner.
Going in take it away . & Bring in new.
It would be too time consuming to clean out by hand. Then bring in new.
To spread by hand. A skid steer would remove and replace the rocks. Faster.
Cutting labor hours. That by the time the second day rolls around. That money could of went toward renting a skid steer. For the day. Gravel is no joke. It will work you. Doing this by wheelbarrow .
Being this is along the roadside.
There is no way to keep dirt out.
It will be a problem again.
It may be best. If doing this by hand .
To use your hoe . Pull back all around the edge. Using the stones in the edge to build up the center. As if. it is the sub soil. That the owner wants you to dig down too. Once the edges are clean out. With a hump in the center of bed. Lay down Plastic weed barrier. Bring in the new stone. When it rains. It should wash the dirt off gravel down into the edges. That comes off the pavement. So you should only have to treat along the edges. Then again this should last long enough. to not be your problem.

 

I love experimenting to find the easiest (less labor) way to make areas like this look good. However, as a solo guy I just don't think it makes sense to take on such a job. To rake and then hoe this area would take a long ass time and be VERY laborious.

If labor and time aren't a top priority, I like the idea of spraying with round-up and then come back in a month with a torch to finish things off. Bring in a new layer or rocks to spread and be done.

 

Yes this is similar to what I suggested to spray it dead and let most of those weeds decompose and blow away all on their own

 

Spray with roundup. 2-3 weeks later come back and blow out dead stuff. Cover with new rock. Put down pre emergent if you are qualified. No way I'm raking that.

 

If any dirt is in the gravel. Weeds will be back . Even if it is killed and torched.

 

Seems like pre-emergent and a top dressing of a few inches of rock ought to take care of that

 

Customers are good at turning cheap solutions into expensive problems.

If you have an applicators license just spray the area with a pre and post emergent weed control (don't just use straight glyphosate or the weeds will come right back). If some areas need some stone add more.

 

Round up has no residual component and as stated weeds will be back within 4-6 weeks.
If your qualified, a sterliant such as imyzpyr or esplende ez will keep it controlled from 6 months to a year, but my have to be reapplied.

not an easy job and difficult to guarantee any complete weed/grass control due to location.

 

Perfect. Have your laborers come by every month and hand pull the weeds. A hundred dollars a month should do it. Continuing source of income.
Or...maybe...cover with black plastic and a solar pool cover--let the sun kill the weeds.
Install black plastic weed barrier fabric under the rocks. This after you removed rocks and washed out all their soil and dirt. Increase the rock layer to 6 inches deep (15 cm).
Or maybe...cover with plastic artificial turf. Charge the business to vacuum or wash out the dirt once a month.
Maybe install a sump pump to remove all possible water--so it is too dry to support weeds. If possible, slope the area so it drains fast and no moisture accumulates.

 

The OP lists his location as Canada which severely limits the use of pesticides.

https://www.wrightsfeeds.ca/killing-dandelions-and-weeds-in-your-lawn/

 

spectracide in a backpack sprayer, 2apps. then monthly to spot spray.

ooops. canada?

 

Spray with roundup. 2-3 weeks later come back and blow out dead stuff. Cover with new rock. Put down pre emergent if you are qualified. No way I'm raking that.

Thanks guys!
Update:
Spraying & waiting, then blowing (and torching if needed) seems like the way to go.
Not done yet only a
half day into it. Hacked away like a madman and got the weeds in this area under control in a couple hours. Plus got the edges scraped back so i can remove a bit of soil on the edge to retain the rock better.

Virtually nothing left but I sprayed the hell out of everything so I can get every last piece. Got a few yards of fresh rock coming and a powered wheelbarrow ready to go for next visit!

My only regret is I wish I had the foresight to insist on spraying and WAITING 2 weeks. With the heat and no rain lately those weeds would have been dead and crispy just perfect. But now I know.

 

Based on your photo, the topography is such that the weeds will return irrespective of how much rock you put down.
As you can see by your photo, the grass and weeds in a line down the road. You may want to advise the owner that he may have a continuous problem with this rocky area and strike some kind of maintenance deal with him as @RigglePLC mentioned. If not, be thick skinned enough when he calls you back when he has weeds again.

 

What non-selective herbicide is legal to use in Canada?

 

Yes, they always get dirt and debris in the crevices and end up looking like that. They look great at first...

Yep. That's what I said in another thread recently about the use of stone vs mulch.
Dirt/dust/organic debris slowly gets into the gaps and eventually, it can sustain plant life.
What a nightmare.

 

Vinegar kills some weeds. (Full strength.)
Horticultural vinegar is better--stronger.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Natural-Armor-128-oz-All-Natural-Weed-Killer-Refill-NAWK-4/316312753

https://www.amleo.com/horticultural-vinegar-acidifying-agent-1-gallon/p/BVG

And...

https://www.instructables.com/Saving-the-World-with-a-Giant-Solar-Death-Ray/

 

I used to get to play with glacial (full strength) acetic acid. It's pretty foul smelling and It fumes similar to pure hydrochloric acid.

 

That bed is a mess, I would indeed strip the whole thing, put down a commercial filter fabric, like nursery ground fabric, hit the surface with a -re-emerge to, install new stone. Just price it right. The client will have a better project/property, and you will have a nice job to do. Don’t worry about cost, just propose it right, and explain it the right thing to do for his satisfaction in the long run.

 

View attachment 449213 View attachment 449214

My first post here!
I have a client who wants the weeds removed from these rocks...
My solution is to rake aside as much as possible to expose the weeds better, hit the area with a stirrup hoe and/or dutch hoe, rake it again, and repeat. A spraying of roundup then a topping of a few yards of fresh rock.

My client somehow was under the impression I was going to bring in a skid steer and scrape away everything and remove the entire top layer of soil (I never said that!). To me this doesn't make sense to go to that extreme! (The cost would be HUGE, I'd have to replace ALL THE ROCK and take the same amount of time, only to have weeds return if they never maintain it.)
I'd do this in 1.5-2 days easy with a hoe and rake.

Aside from the stirrup style hoe and a good hard rake do you think there is a better way of weed removal that I am just not seeing here?

View attachment 449215

Spray (roundup quikpro + surfactant) and come back later to pull or whip dead weeds. If they can't wait then whip and spray heavily. Then treat with preemergent like snapshot or to prevent regrowth for up to 1yr treat with Mojave (if nothing will be planted here within 12 months). Contrary to another post it will not "disintegrate and blow away" so you either pull/spray or spray/pull.

 

I like the idea of spraying it dead, and then coming back in 2 weeks and raking and/or burning the dead weeds away. That is the cheapest, and least labor intensive. Talk up your services by saying you will keep the weeds away by coming back in the fall and applying Casoron or if no other plants around, Diuron. Then it will be weed free the next spring.

 

If you have a utility such as an REMC call then and see what herbicide they apply to the gravel within the fenced area of their sub station. I drove by one near my home one day and there was a purple granular material covering the stone. You never see a weed within an electrical sub station . Also there is a company in Billings Montana that makes vinegar that has a 75% active ingredient as opposed to the 5% available in stores. Vinegar is a great herbicide. If you remove the rock, place thick layers of cardboard on the ground before replacing the stone, They call this lasagna gardening

 

I spray right of ways and substations and use either Hyvar/gly mixture or diuron to sanitize the areas. This may be an option, but as previously stated, the location makes it susceptible to more weed activity.

 

it looks like a strip club.

but anyway, no matter what you do it'll always just turn to shjt again.

Some rock beds get lucky but bet that one on the side of the road will get weedy again even if you pre emergent the hell out of it every year it might wash out.

I suggest best option is to remove all those stones and plant low growing shrubs or creeping junipers etc. You might even be able to get rid of the stones for free on craigslist, I've done that and it was gone quick.

I'd torch/spray it.
Remove rocks, can leaves some,
call 811 make sure nothing buried over there. till in good new compost.
Plants and 3" mulch, let the plants overtake the mulch.

 

Use an edgeit pro cover the weed, goose it. Spray it, blow off, pre emergent fresh top dress