How do you make stone pathways ?

[masterblaster]

G'day people .
My house surrounds area is about 2/3 ac and we want to put in allot of stone pathways and driveways .
The thing l can't figure out is - grass will grow on your head around here if you stop long enough how do you stop a stone path or drive/parking areas from becoming grass and weed again within a year or two. Even a big area over at the shed has about 300 ml of gravel/sand over it all but because we don't use it much where as the old owners hd machinery in and out of that area allot , so in just 9 mths it's almost grass again .
l was asking about rock garden beds here and followed everyones tips and the few we've done so far only get a few weeds coming through and going pretty good for our first attempt but paths / drives and parking areas . All that's will be a much bigger area with as little as possible TLC so .
l mean l watch the garden shows and they usually seem to dig down 70-100 ml and just chuck the stones over that and of they go but l can't see how that works in over a few years .
Wouldn't matter if l dug down a foot here grass and weeds would still grow in time .
So is it the same as the the rock garden beds , put down weedmat or something ?
Actually full instructions if anyone has some would be great . l'm on L plates !!!

Cheers . MB

[echnidna]

Once a year you go around with a residual weedkiller.
Nothing else works anywhere near as well.

[masterblaster]

Thanks for that .
You couldn't recommend something that does a good job could you and while l'm at it do you have any thistle problems and could you recommend anything for those.
l tried round up first but it kills so much grass around the thistle that it left an open show for more to grow back tripple .
Cheers.
MB

[masoth]

Well, there are pre-emergent treatments, but generally seeds will still be deposited by wind and birds so regular application is need for a couple of years. For thistles, and many oather pesty things you need to stop them from flowering and therefore broadcasting seed in every direction.
Cut tthe tops off too stop flowering, , the commercial knock-down products "paiinted" on to the weed will do the rest, then apply the pre-emergent.
Depending on how attactive you want the area, waste oil is an option, but certainly is frowned upon.
Be aware that pre-emergent will stop almost EVERYTHING,


soth

[johnc]

A broadleaf killer should knock out the thistles, without damaging the grass. Cutting them out with a hoe or mattock is the farmers method, providing you hit them before they seed.

John

[masterblaster]

Thanks for those tips . l'll give em hell next season . Actually still have another variety coming up right now but the grass is always wet so sprayings probly a waist of time anyway l guess .

Cheers.
MB