Topic: Paths

[franklynn]

Hi I have had a long strip of carpet used as a path for about 4 years. it`s a but tatty now and I want to replase it with a lovely new path. the problem is money, It would be easy to go to B&Q or whatever and spend, spend, spend, not an option for me though. so I wou;ld welcom sugestions. for a cheep and easy alternative, that works.
 Thanks in antissssssipation

[saddad]

If there are any "Block Paving" companies in your area ask them... they often lift and skip slabs to lay BP and will usually give you the nod to collect some... gratis...  :)

[chriscross1966]

You can stick a "wanted" ad on freecycle.... that's where I got all of mine from the issue I had was a lot of what I got was ultra-thick 2x2... now 2x2 is good cos a wheelbarrow fits on it (which it won't do on 18" or smaller) but the 2" thick slabs are expletive-deleted heavy....

The paths at home are made from broken roofing slates.... Once again I managed on Freecycle to pick up a load from a condemned outbuilding, the guy had tried to sell them to a reclaim yard but they weren't good enough to reuse as roofing and he wanted rid.... THey're decorative, but it'll be a while before you can walk on them without shoes :-)

[gavinjconway]

What about getting more carpeting for the shops as end of roll off cuts or from a house strip somewhere.. Skip jumps into my head... not that it's ever out of my mind - I love skips!!

[shirlton]

Some sites do not allow carpet because the dyes and chemicals leach out into the soil. I don't like it cos I am sick of digging it up. The nylon stuff is the worst cos its comes up in strings.

[Duke Ellington]

Whatever you do do not use carpet underlay!!!!!!!
When we took on our allotment the previous owner used underlay as paths. It was a nightmare to remove as the weeds had started to grow through it. as we pulled it up the underlay broke into pieces. I curse every time I find even the tiniest piece of underlay on my plot.  >:(

Duke

[cornykev]

They don't allow them in our borough, but peeps still use them, the two other probs with them is they can be very slippery when wet and blowing on other peeps plots when windy, which won't go down to well if you damage other plot holders plants.   :-\

[Unwashed]

Grass.  Costs nothing to lay as the seeds just seem to arrive, and looks great if it's well looked after, but you do need access to some kind of mower or strimmer.

[Kleftiwallah]

I've learnt my lesson about using carpet underlay, especially the stuff with green foam on the back.    Ditto nylon carpet.   I'm tired of unwinding the stuff from the head of my strimmer.    :o  Lessons learnt.    :o     Cheers,     Tony.

[manicscousers]

On plot 1, it's paving recycled from the council but on plot 2, it's thick cardboard, weed control then wood chips  :)

[donnythistle]

We have used carpet for our 1st year but now as we make our raised beds we are taking advantage of the free wood chippings that we can get from our local council depot.(which just happens to be right behind our allotments. we can pick up as much as we like on the last sunday of every month.

[Robert_Brenchley]

When I took my plot on, I had carpet bedded into couch grass, and it was a complete nightmare to clear it.

[katynewbie]

Strips of newspaper or cardboard with straw on top. Looks great and as it gets older you can take the straw and put in in the compost bin, the cardboard/paper stops weeds and you can move the path easily if you decide to change the plot layout.

 ;) Simples!

[Digeroo]

I have straw.  Once it starts rotting down I just  dig it in, and then put on another layer on top.. 

[elvis2003]

weed supressant topped with wood chip.also covered the rhubarb and all around the fruit trees,if you stand still long enough you'll get woodchipped at our plot this year...got cheesed off with weeding paths etc last year when could have been concentrating on the beds

[franklynn]

Thanks all
I have thought about woodchips on weed supresent. but how to stop it getting all over the beds?

I like the idea of cardboard but will it not get all soggy when wet?

Tryed raised beds. no thanks did not work for me.

[elvis2003]

Thanks all
I have thought about woodchips on weed supresent. but how to stop it getting all over the beds?

I like the idea of cardboard but will it not get all soggy when wet?

Tryed raised beds. no thanks did not work for me.

we use a variety of barriers to stop the chip spreading anywhere it has no business to be,inc slate standing on its edge,scaff boards,lumps of sandstone we unearthed during the big dig of 2007