Where do the weeds in your pavers come from?
You put a great deal of time and effort into your home’s outdoor landscaping, including an expansive paver patio, fire pit, outdoor kitchen, and other integrated hardscapes. You even built an arbor in a wooded corner of the property. Everything looked fabulous until one day you noticed intruding greenery appear in random locations on your lovely patio.
Weeds. Arguably the most determined and resilient of flora, weeds will find purchase and grow nearly anywhere and once established they gain a formidable level of invincibility. Where do they come from and how can you mount a defense at your Rock Valley, Iowa home?
The weed plague
The popular belief is that weeds somehow germinate in the soil below pavers and then work their way through gaps in the pavers and proliferate as weeds do. This is not the case. Weed populations actually originate in the air. The wind carries weed seeds all over the land and eventually, a few of them will drop to the surface of your patio. Another puff of wind or wash of rain helps the seeds find the tiniest crack or crevice and the seeds nestle in to commence producing offspring. Soon the initial brood inspires more and before you know it; your Sioux Center, Iowa patio is infested.
Weeds not only lend an unsightly appearance to hardscaping, but they are also very adept at causing all manner of structural damage to a patio, walkway, or driveway. What to do? Your best defense is proactive maintenance to prevent weeds from growing in the first place. To that end, you have a few proven strategies at your disposal.
Polymeric and mason sand is your friend
Today’s industry standard for fighting weeds in patios is polymeric joint sand. The sand between pavers is, of course, the critical element in the entire structure. Sand creates an interlocking strength and keeps the pavers from shifting location. With tight joints, there is no place for weeds to grow.
Homeowners have two reliable options: polymeric and mason sand. The former is a mix of sand with polymer (plastic) particles that harden like cement with the application of water. This creates an extremely strong bond that defends against weeds and erosion for years.
Mason sand is that which contains particles of uniform size and shape. The sand is then treated with a join stabilizer that bonds the whole works together and hardens in the joints.
Vigilance prevails
Keep an eye on your patio’s joints. If the sand between is soft or morphing into organic matter or missing altogether, replace it. Weeds will always win if they have a place to take root. If you only have an occasional rogue weed, you can blast it with an herbicide or even better, use a natural mix of salt and vinegar. Be sure to address weeds as soon as you see them. Cleaning and sealing pavers is another proven strategy, giving your patio an added layer of defense.
For more information on controlling pesky weeds in your pavers, contact Outdoor Elements at (712) 476-5299 or outdoorelements.com.