But the plastic has disintegrated, it does after a couple of years, so it has no impact other than to leave you with a mass of annoying plastic shreds under the gravel. It would not take long to scrape the gravel off, clear away the plastic, dig out the weeds and then put down another barrier (if you wanted to) and replace the gravel on top. You’ll probably need another couple of bags of gravel.
The best weed suppressing membrane you can get is Terram. Ask on a local Facebook or Nextdoor site and somebody might give you an offcut for nothing.
I have a similar small gravelled area with a plastic sheet underneath I find usually the weeds can just be lifted off if the roots haven't penetrated the plastic. Otherwise a general purpose weedkiller - glyphosphate - Resolva/Roundup etc they all contain the same thing - glyphosphate. A quick squirt on the leaves will do it, but it does take a couple of weeks to work through the weed so be patient.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
If it’s gravel on plastic the roots can’t be deep. More weeds willappear from time to time courtesy of the breeze and passing birds doing what birds do, but unless you have a physical impairment grasping each one firmly at the base and pulling steadily will have them up easily.
I’m heading for 69 with a gammy knee and shoulder impingement and I’d have them out in under 5 minutes. I’ve just spent 20 minutes hand weeding the chickweed in my spinach and lettuces.
If you have physical impairments that prevent you doing that, then a squirt of Roundup will do the job ... but you have to leave them to go brown ... it can take up to 3 weeks and they don’t look attractive so I would just pull them up if you can 👍
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
“So Spray, pull up and repeat?” No, spray and leave them alone until they are dead. If you have a variety called Lazarus spray it again after three weeks. And three weeks more.
Dandelions have deep tap roots. If you don't get out the entire thing it will just regrow. Seeds can hand around for years and germinate when conditions are right so, as it is likely the plastic underneath has disintegrated and is no longer doing it's job I would suggest you paint the dandelions and larger leaved weeds with weedkiller on a dry day as it needs 6 hours with no rain and some sunlight to be fully absorbed.
Another day and then you can scrape off the gravel, remove as much of the plastic as possible and then, when the bigger weeds have turned brow, remove the dead foliage, rake the soil level and lay a proper weed membrane and cover with fresh or washed gravel. After that a gentle hoeing whenever you spot a bit of green shoot will keep on top of it.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
I don't think using salt, vinegar or olive oil is good practice gardening. You or someone else might want to plant something there in the future. Salt might knock out all the mycorrhizae in the soil.
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The best weed suppressing membrane you can get is Terram. Ask on a local Facebook or Nextdoor site and somebody might give you an offcut for nothing.
Otherwise a general purpose weedkiller - glyphosphate - Resolva/Roundup etc they all contain the same thing - glyphosphate.
A quick squirt on the leaves will do it, but it does take a couple of weeks to work through the weed so be patient.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
No, spray and leave them alone until they are dead. If you have a variety called Lazarus spray it again after three weeks. And three weeks more.
Another day and then you can scrape off the gravel, remove as much of the plastic as possible and then, when the bigger weeds have turned brow, remove the dead foliage, rake the soil level and lay a proper weed membrane and cover with fresh or washed gravel. After that a gentle hoeing whenever you spot a bit of green shoot will keep on top of it.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.