What do you think? Will work?

[Meadowlark]

I'm rationalizing. When the Amish guy warned about the salt and a tree 40 feet away. They had been dumping salt along the base of that fence row for many many years. Probably from before your Grandfather was born.

Well, that might make a LITTLE difference. I believe what I see and try to write only from hands on experience and I've never seen 40 ft... nor have I seen years of persistence of salt.

 

[dirty hands]

My point was that what worked for you may not work for everyone in all situations. It did say if your soil drains well and you get a lot of rain its not a problem on the surface. But that salt goes somewhere. Probably not doing any harm though.

 

[Martin Mikulcik]

Agree, but I will use salt every day of the week over those herbicides. My climate normally gets a lot of rain and that rain will usually completely wash out the salt in a couple of months. I have never had it kill unwanted stuff. For difficult fencerow spots, salt is my best friend.

Would you recommend it for weeding non salt tolerant plants out of say asparagus, cabbage, new Zealand spinach, other salt tolerant plants?

I've always been too scared to try salting the earth

If it washes away too fast it'll be a waste of time

How sandy is your soil?

 

[Meadowlark]

Would you recommend it for weeding non salt tolerant plants out of say asparagus, cabbage, new Zealand spinach, other salt tolerant plants?

No, I would not. I'm aware of the practice of weeding asparagus beds with salt, but that is not a practice for me....and certainly not on other plants.

No, I think it is most effective when used to target a specific plant for elimination...such as in the tree example I showed where a chain saw was not an option for me. Salt can be a tremendous tool when used judiciously.

I've always been too scared to try salting the earth

Nothing more natural than salt....as in salt of the Earth.

If it washes away too fast it'll be a waste of time

Depends completely on how you sue it. Use to target a specific plant, all that matters is killing only that plant not how fast it washes away. I don't use it as a long-term barrier, only a short-term specific killer...and it is highly effective in that limited role. Highly.

How sandy is your soil?

Varies, but in general would be described as sandy loam.

 

[Meadowlark]

My point was that what worked for you may not work for everyone in all situations. It did say if your soil drains well and you get a lot of rain its not a problem on the surface. But that salt goes somewhere. Probably not doing any harm though.

I never did nor would I ever recommend it for everyone in all situations. My use is very much specific situational, and certainly not all situations.

I could care less what "it" says...I know what works for me in what situation. In the right situation, it is terrific.

 

[dirty hands]

I have sandy loam also and we get a lot of rain and snow. I was salting my sidewalk for about 7 or 8 years before i put boxwoods in. I stopped using salt but the boxwoods still suffer from it 3 years later. At least thats what I think is causing the browning in spring.
I have other boxwoods in another area that never brown like that.
My experience says the salt takes awhile to rinse away. Its not effecting the weeds or other plants though just the boxwoods.

I could be wrong about my observation though.

Ive tried using it for weeds in the cracks of the driveway and to kill sprouts from tree trunks but I wasnt impressed with the results so I went back to glyphosphate.

 

[dirty hands]

From what ive read salt sticks around longer than chemical weed and vegetation killers.

It caused browning on my junioers near the driveway too. At least thats what I blame.

 

[Martin Mikulcik]

If there's no soil underneath, many of those seeds may struggle to establish, so adding a thin layer of soil or compost first could improve your chances. Before trying another weed control product, I’d also suggest checking Scotts reviews to see what has worked well for people dealing with similar rocky areas.

This guy is a bot

 

[roadrunner]

I have a parkway between my sidewalk and the street. It's filled with 4 inches of rocks and nothing underneath. No ground cover. Keep getting weeds growing out of it. It's a constant battle. Some people here have just let the weeds and grass grow there and they mow it.
I'm considering throwing some seeds out there. See if they grow. Overtake the weeds from growing.
I have Buckwheat, Lacy Phacelia, Learned those two work out great together. Moss Rose, Purple Creeping Thyme. Strongly considering getting Russian Sage, Blanket Flowers, Black Eyed Susan, Cone Flowers, Walkers Low Catmint, Hens and Chicks. Just throw all those seeds into the rocks. Water some to get them going. Then see?
I'm sick and tired of the weeds. Ground killer doesn't stop them.

How much area are you talking about? I ask because I also have a common area outside my yard that I must maintain, some call it an easement. The part that is from the curb to about 5 feet inward is filled in with rocks, followed by soil, but I can hit rocks just using a small hand shovel -- it's where the city's sewage line runs.

However, I'm still able to grow stuff there, I allow many weeds to grow, because they actually look nice. The only thing I don't allow to grow there is turf grass and various types of clumping grasses that look weedy, such as Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum).

Most of these plants are not cultivated, I've found them along roadsides and in my yard and allowed them to take over my common area. Many of them die back in the winter, so then I plant a lot of brassicas, but also allow my winter weeds to grow, because they look nice once they flower, especially the Spiderwort.

The Blanket Flowers are the ones I dug up from along roadways and the native bees love them, not so much the honeybees, which is fine by me, since I get so many every year, I'm glad to have something just for the natives.

 

[Black Hills Gardener]

Yes it's about 5 ft. You can see it in one of my pictures in Indoor Plants/ferns.
I'm running short on ability. Along with all else I deal with on my health. Changing/cleaning up inside. Outside a bunch.
I'm in the middle of straightening out a patch in front of my house. Cat's used it as a litter box. Have dug out the ground. Put much in bags. But found the bags go bad. From the bad dirt? or sun? Slowly throwing them away. 3 bags at a time in trash. Still had to fill a plastic gardening cart with a bunch to get to next step. Right now pouring much water on it. Have put lime on it. Trying to soak it down. When I get past this. Will build up the area with different dirt, aged (10 years) manure, sand, and Perlite. Putting three Lavender plants there. To keep cats away. This means it has to be a dry garden. Got a bunch of different seeds I want to try there first.
Got other areas I want to try seeds.
Then the parkway last.

 

[milevaa]

I'd be tempted to try creeping thyme or moss rose first since they're both pretty tough once established. Just keep in mind that with only a few inches of rock and no real soil underneath, a lot of those seeds may struggle to get started. If it were me, I'd rake a little compost or topsoil into a few spots before sowing.

 

[Black Hills Gardener]

I'd be tempted to try creeping thyme or moss rose first since they're both pretty tough once established. Just keep in mind that with only a few inches of rock and no real soil underneath, a lot of those seeds may struggle to get started. If it were me, I'd rake a little compost or topsoil into a few spots before sowing.

That's a good idea. In the less deep or even dirt showing. I get most weeds. In the deeper rocks, less.
You make me think of just waiting till fall. Spread the seed in some top soil. Let the winter and snow work it into the rocks. Good idea?