Killing grass in gravel drive

[OH Boy]

Here's one really off the sawmill topic but seeing what your ideas might be. We have goats we let free range around the yard every day, really spoiled animals around here. So I have about 600 feet of gravel drive I've battled the grass in, usually end up mowing the driveway through the summer, just raise the deck a notch and try not to throw too much rock. Anyway, I don't want to use regular herbicides like roundup because for sure they would eat the dead grasses. Wife is kind of particular about the thought of them eating dead sprayed grass. So, what natural kind of ideas would kill off the grass before I put down another layer of gravel.? I've tried white vinegar and salt mix, works for a while but doesn't seem to get to the roots.  Any other natural grass killer options you might have tried 

[sprucebunny]

Fire !!

I don't know how long it lasts but it's easy with one of those flame thrower sticks. Hardest part is moving the tank around.

[Walnut Beast]

SALT

[Don P]

Fire doesn't get it, we've tried in the garden. It will take out a row of lavender like it was a trail of gasoline  :D

[Southside]

Open a dairy, it will stop raining and all your grass will die.

Option two. Grade out the existing roots right before you are ready to re gravel the drive, put down two layers of weed barrier, then a layer of Geo Tek, grass won't come back up and your gravel won't disappear into the sub material.

[Ljohnsaw]

Do like the goats-for-hire guys do out here.  They set up hot wire lanes to contain the goats to munch particular areas.  Line your driveway and "lock them up" for a day or two (depending on how long your drive is and how many goats you have) and you should be good for a month or so.

[mike_belben]

Fabric is the only long term cure. I deep ripped and respread a grassy gravel drive for a buddy and it came right back the following summer like i was never there. 

[Wudman]

Harley rake or grader blade every few weeks during the summer will keep it in check.  Other than that, Roundup is the best option.  Anything that is soil active may cause non-target damage.

[moodnacreek]

??  I want grass in my gravel driveway, it holds it together tight, lasts a long time.

[HemlockKing]

I was thinking the same about the grass I noticed it helps. And I don't mind the look of a driveway with the middle of it grass grown in

[YellowHammer]

We have the same problem with our gravel driveway.  It's real long and grass is not allowed.    

I know you said you didn't want to spray Roundup, but you might simply adjust your application strategy.

I would assume right now you can burn off the dead grass, using a little diesel as an accelerant, and clean the driveway back to gravel.  Or a couple drags with the box, and it should be clean.  As soon are you see the first hint of grass starting to green up anywhere in the spring, spray the bare gravel, and repeat consistently during the growing season, about once a month.  If the grass gets 1/8" high, spray it.  If it gets 1/4" high, you're late.  You won't have any green or dead grass on the driveway for the goats to eat.  It will start the season as bare ground and will end the season the same.

Then, after a few sprayings, all the seeds have sprouted and there will be a definite lack of germinating plants.  It will be bone dead gravel, no green.

We have a little 25 gallon 12V sprayer this that we put in the 4 four wheeler, and it only takes a few minutes to spray it.  We do the same with 3.5 miles of fencing and cross fencing this technique keeps everything dead clean.
   
Thats how we do it, it works.  

[Don P]

The answer is probably obvious since Kentucky grows bluegrass. If the aggregate and fines are all limestone, will it support grass and weeds?

Real backburner wonderings, what would happen if I made and worked in quicklime or hydrated lime with our washed aggregate. Would it bond it all together into redneck roman concrete. It would also be pretty basic, I don't think it would be inviting on its own, later accumulated dirt and seed would, leaching lime might make it more inviting? That is also a huge step up from just ground lime.

To the question though, what happens if you plaster the drive with ag lime and burn the grass?

[HemlockKing]

Grass is not "allowed"? Is that some kind of HOA thing? Good grief

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

Plant black walnut trees bordering the driveway.  The juglone will kill off the grass...

[beenthere]

Plant black walnut trees bordering the driveway.  The juglone will kill off the grass...

Juglone does not kill grass under my walnut trees. It does however have a serious effect on broad-leaved plants.

[OH Boy]

Open a dairy, it will stop raining and all your grass will die.

That's some farm humor right there. 😝
Taking up the whole drive is beyond the effort I'm willing to go, but understand that's the real solution. If it would all stay short and I didn't have to mow and throw the occasional rock it wouldn't bother me much. I'm kind of liking the fire ideas just because it sounds fun. Thanks for the comments 

[Don P]

Fire creates prairie, don't invest much