Topic: What should I do with the paths??

[Bubbles26]

We have brambles, bindweed and couch grass roots all over our new allotment.  I'm not sure my plan is the best and would appreciate any advice with regards to the weeds under the paths. This is my plan at the moment:

Dig (with fork) the entire plot removing as many roots as I can by hand.
Mark out beds and paths
Cover over the path areas (which will have been dug, weed roots removed) with cardboard and walk on the cardboard to flatten the soil again.
Cover cardboard paths with wood chip
Re-dig beds incorporating compost

The reason behind digging the whole plot is to try and remove the weeds from the paths as well as the beds, as I do not want them spreading into the beds later.

But ... I'm pondering ... is this necessary? Will the brambles, couch, and bindweed die from being covered over or will they, as I'm assuming at the moment, grow under the cardboard and woodchip into our veg beds?

I don't mind doing the digging if it will have a positive effect but don't want to waste my time doing it when they would have died anyway?

[chriscross1966]

You will get some regrowth, but not much in the path itself, if they reappear in the beds keep pulling it out, it'll die eventually....

[Ninnyscrops.]

If the paths are on the outside of your plot and not inside, then my little tip would be to sink wide planks of wood down the outside of your plot to inhibit most of the growth from the outside . If the paths are inside your growing area then the only option is to dig the weed roots out  :( and be prepared for regrowth, sadly.

My option taken, many moons ago, was to clear my plots of deep rooted weed and not to have "set" paths but let them occur naturally when a crop/bed was sown/planted, then you can dig the natural paths over and incorporate them into the rotatation cycle.

Ninny

[goodlife]

Code: [Select]

bindweed and couch grass roots all over our new allotment Those were my worst enemy on lottie too (well still are in places) and I did exactly as you are planning to do with difference that I used weed membrane instead of cardboard underneath the wood chipping on paths...and guess what?!...after couple of years they were growing out on to beds like mad. I did keep digging them out, but as the source of new lot was under the paths...weeding didn't result much of difference.
So, having a constant battle with them for nearly 10 yrs, couple of years ago I gave up and dug the paths up and took raised beds down. So far so good..but you should have seen the bindweeds roots under the membrane..it was like spagetti factory  ::)...no wonder I was loosing a battle.
If you have lot of those two weeds..why don't you delay making permanent beds for a year or two. You won't get rid of them in one or two diggings..but if you keep at it for now and manage to make big difference to their appearance, perharps then start permanent beds. It will save you lot of tears and tantrums in future..

[shirlton]

We just dig all over because we don't have set paths on our plot. We just use straw to walk on while things are growing and it is dug in after the crop has been harvested. We do have slabs down the sides though.
I would try to dig the perennial weeds out before you set your paths other wise it will get into you beds. Bindweed and bramble  travel very quickly

[Ophi]

We decided not to have beds and paths too.  This was after we had done battle with the couch grass growing out from the paving stones our next door lottie had decided to put between our allotments.