Topic: Path making

[amanda21]

When I took my plot over in January it had been cultivated but probably not for a year or so.  It was dug but very weedy and uneven.  Most of the weeds at the moment seem to be dandilions and I am pulling them out as I dig my beds.  I haven't edged my beds yet and am not sure if I will or not.

My neighbour asked me today if I was going to dig the weeds out from around my beds. (Beds don't seem too popular on this site - most just dig over the whole plot and plant in rows).  He also mentioned that some are escaping into his plot.  Of course I don't want this but I am also aware that I can't do everything at once!

I'm not sure therefore what to do with the paths around my beds.  The paths down the edge of each plot are well trodden and are just compacted earth.  How long would it take my paths to become like this?

Should I cover them with black weed surpressant?  If so do I need to dig off the top layer first to even it out and get rid of some of the dandilions? 

I don't think my funds will run to nice paving stones or even woodchippings and I don't fancy having to mow grass!

[busy_lizzie]

Hi Amanda,  If you do  a search there is quite a few topics on paths. I found the easiest way to make a path is to cover the area between the  beds with weed supressent fabric and cover with bark chippings (we have our beds framed by wooden strips).  Get in touch with your local authority as we got a load from them for free, they just delivered them outside our lottie gate.  I just keep piling more on top of the path if any weeds do manage to get through.  For more flexible beds we have a few walkways made with wood from some pallets.  We just move these around if we want to have a smaller or larger bed.  busy_lizzie

[Hyacinth]

Amanda, if you've not the funds now for path covering, compressed dirt ones are easy to do.....I've got them in my 'garden lottie' & have had for years. Because it's my garden, so don't have the expanse of a lottie to play with,  it gives me the flexibility of digging them up to enlarge a growing bed if I want.

You decide where you want them, rake firmly, then put on heavy boots and sort of shuffle-stamp - hard  Then to keep them weed-free, you only need to scrape them (I've got a metal hand shovel for this) then re-stamp if necessary.

Doesn't take long to do, either. Hope this helps. Cheers! Lishka

[supersprout]

This is spooky Lish, I do EXACTLY the same with the paths between beds :o :o. Can imagine you doing the shuffle-dance as in the Victorian Kitchen Garden DVD lol ;) Dirt paths work fine, they're flexible and they are easy to keep clean (I use a draw hoe for weed scraping).

This year I'm going to put newspaper and (free) spent straw atop the paths to keep the bed edges cool, and they shouldn't need weeding at all. In the autumn the whole lot will get scraped up and composted. If I end up tripping over straw or encouraging slugs, I'll go back to dirt paths and scraping!

The three long paths up the lottie (between the ends of the beds) are covered with 1m wide woven plastic and (when budget allows or Council pulls finger out) wood chippings, like busy lizzie.

Pay no heed to grumpy codgers Amanda, once they've seen what you can do in a season with your beds they'll be kissing your patooties and asking you for tips ;D ;D ;D

[Hyacinth]

And Amanda, try the flutter-the-eyelashes, me-little-know-nothing-on-my-owneo-gal, him-know-all(!?)-macho-expert-type-male.......and get him to come 'help' you with the offending weeds.......then leave him to it ;D

[adam04]

recently i rotavated all my paths i wasnt happy with the lay out of them. Once rotavted i got a big board and laid it out along the ground then walked along it a few times til the ground was preety hard. Repeated it all until the path was all done and even and then put down some weed sheeting over the top to stop the weeds.

You can do this still with the weeds there, just try hacking them down to the ground first so you can get the path a bit more even.

[amanda21]

Thanks - I think I will flatten as much as I can with my feet and then lay down the black weed fabric.  I don't like to see that much black stuff all over the plot but at least then I can get on with digging and planting the beds without worrying about dandelions escaping to the other side!!  Maybe when I have got going and have more time - next winter(!) I can do something a bit more permanent.

He's not a bad old chap really and gave me some parsnips and leeks again and showed me his 3 year asparagus bed he was top dressing with salt.

[cowellen]

And Amanda, try the flutter-the-eyelashes, me-little-know-nothing-on-my-owneo-gal, him-know-all(!?)-macho-expert-type-male.......and get him to come 'help' you with the offending weeds.......then leave him to it ;D

i like ur style Alishka;)