Brick Walkways: How to Kill Weeds Naturally

Two and a half years ago Chris and I hired two outstanding stonemasons to lay a brick walkway along the side of our Craftsman Bungalow home as well as a brick landing leading to the front door. The traditional look and feel of brick was exactly what this bungalow begged for (instead of nasty ass asphalt that was here). The one downside? It’s cracks aren’t perfectly sealed like prefab pavers and stamped concrete. What does this mean? Every slit is potentially exposed to little green, grassy, weedy pests.

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Today, interweb friends, we will learn how to kill weeds naturally between bricks … with saltwater. It’s so simple and toxic-free, it hurts.

I’m very cautious about the products I utilize in the garden, so chemicals weren’t an option. I wanted to make a natural weed killer solution that was simple, without harm and could be easily replicated. Not only is this incredibly simple; by golly it works.

Homemade Weed Killer: What You’ll Need

I went to the grocery store and bought an inexpensive, 26-ounce container of salt. I filled an 8-quart stockpot with water to the brim, poured in half of the salt container, and brought the saltwater to a boil. Working quickly, I brought the boiling saltwater outside in the stockpot along with a glass measuring cup. You could pour the entire stockpot out on the bricks, but since our walkway is long and often sporadically covered in weeds, I used the measuring cup to isolate the areas  I needed it most. Make sure to apply this solution on a dry, sunny day.

how to kill weeds naturally, natural weed killer, homemade weed killer, organic gardening, jessica brigham blog

Immediately after pouring the boiling water, the weeds will start to wilt. Within a couple of days, they begin to whither and turn a dreary, light brown shade of dead. That’s when you break out in happy dance. To finish, I recommend taking a screwdriver and scraping out those sad suckers.

Bonus points: the saltwater leaves a temporary, but awesome, whitewash on the bricks as they dry until the next rainfall. Cool in my book. 👌🏻

My Walkway is BAD! For Out Control Situations

It’s imperative to stay on top of these green bastards before they grow in hoards and roots systems establish. In situations where the entire walkway is overrun, I suggest combining the strongest vinegar concentrate (20% acidity or higher) you can find with saltwater. Typical grocery store vinegar is 5% acidity. To be an effective natural herbicide in tough situations, I’m talking about something like Nature’s Wisdom 20% Vinegar Gallon. That and a good old rickety screwdriver should get’r done.

how to kill weeds naturally, natural weed killer, homemade weed killer, organic gardening, jessica brigham blog

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2 Comments

  1. Totally going to try this on our driveway. It’s not brick, it’s nasty ass asphalt (not my choice, haha) but definitely going to give it a go!

    1. Jessica Brigham says:

      Oh, awesome to hear it, Lizzie!! It’s done me wonders. Not hating on all the asphalt (our driveway and parking pad, too 😂), but ohhh lawdy was she a hot mess along the side and front. Let me know how it goes!!

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