The Best Ways to Stop Weeds Between Pavers, According to Gardening Pros
Here’s your summer game plan.
It’s safe to say no one likes weeds in their gardens. When they pop up between pavers on a sidewalk or patio, they’re especially unattractive. A weedy walk just doesn’t have much curb appeal! Left untended, existing weeds just make more weeds because a plant’s job is always to produce the next generation.
With that in mind, it’s best to try to stop weeds before they start. “Don't let nearby weeds flower and go to seed, as the wind and birds will plant them exactly where you don’t want them,” says garden expert Stephanie Rose, author of The Regenerative Garden and The Wild & Free Garden. “As soon as you see weeds flowering, drop everything and get them out. They can go from flower to seed faster than you think.”
Unfortunately, some weed seeds can stay dormant in the soil for years—even decades!—until environmental conditions are right for sprouting. Do your best to be proactive, then try these expert tips for getting those pesky weeds out from in between pavers.
Dig them out by hand
It’s not the most fun you’ve ever done, but it does work. “Depending on the size of the joints between pavers you can use a hori-hori knife or even a flat head screwdriver to pry them out,” says landscape designer Katherine Aul Cervoni, founder of Staghorn NYC and The Cultivation by Kat
Weed often
Maybe that’s not what you want to hear, but it’s better to deal with tiny weeds, rather than waiting until your entire walk is covered. “You will always have to pull weeds, but if you stay on top of them and do not let them get out of hand, it becomes more manageable,” says Kristian Thiem, landscape and outdoor living designer with Tidal Creek Designs.
Don’t count on the boiling water method
This method is all over social media, with the weeds wilting when doused with hot water. But it’s not as effective as you think. For many weeds, it may kill what’s visible, but not the roots. “For very young weeds pouring boiling water over them may be sufficient to kill them entirely,” says Jeff Gillman, PhD, director of UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens. “But older, more established weeds with strong root systems will grow right back.”
Plus, it’s not as “safe” as you think, and it’s definitely not easy (or practical!) to carry a kettle of boiling water around your yard. Gilman says if you do choose to try this on small weeds, remember that water that’s hot enough to wilt weeds can burn you if you accidentally splash it on yourself.
Be wary of “natural” products
Some gardeners like the idea of using vinegar to kill weeds because they think it’s safer than chemicals. “There’s the idea that ‘natural’ means ‘safe,’ but vinegar isn’t harmless,” says Rose. “Vinegar also is an herbicide, just not a synthetic one.” Not to mention that vinegar can harm living organisms, such as worms or amphibians.
Don’t rely on DIY remedies
You’ll see all kinds of concoctions on social media, such as adding soap, salt, or baking soda to water. But mixing these things doesn’t somehow magically allow them to penetrate the soil to kill the weed’s roots, says Gilman. They will be back!
Replace the sand between joints
If you've got a persistent problem, the joints between pavers need to be redone. That means gently pressure-washing the joints to remove any old sand, then putting in all-new polymeric sand.
This material is a blend of coarse-grained sand and binding agents that harden to hold the pavers in place. It’s swept into joints, then activated with water.
Use a well-rated brand and closely follow the directions so that it sets up properly, says Cervoni.
Consider a reno
If the weed issue is so bad and the patio or walkway has ponding or is uneven, it may be time for a do-over.
“If your patio or walkway was installed directly on top of dirt first, I'm sorry to hear that because it's wrong. And second, you should strongly consider taking the patio up, then putting down proper compacted sublayers and then relaying the stone and polymeric sand,” says Cervoni. It’s not an easy or inexpensive fix, but it is a long-term solution.
Arricca Elin SanSone is a writer, editor, and content creator who specializes in lifestyle and gardening. With a background in health reporting, she applies these same research skills when writing about the science of growing things. She trials new plants in her expansive garden, and her houseplant collection consists of 60+ varieties. Arricca has written thousands of articles for publications such as Country Living, House Beautiful, Good Housekeeping, Prevention, VERANDA, Southern Living, and more. She’s happiest when digging in the dirt, baking, or spending time with the people and dogs she loves.
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