paths in the allotment.

[gayle]

 :-\
Im digging out the couch in my lottie and ive to to a point where i think i might have a path to break up the lottie in beds.
But do i leave a path of couch grass or put down somthing or even sow or lay turff?
Any sugestions :-* welcome.

[gayle]

[Merry Tiller]

Do anything but don't leave the couch

[busy_lizzie]

Agree with Merry Tiller, I would advise getting out as much couch grass as possible, it is horrible stuff.  I made paths at my lottie by clearing as many weeds as possible and then laying down a weed supressing fabric and covering it with bark.  I always edge my beds with wood as it looks neater and defines it better. Here is a pic of my lottie a few months ago which is done in this way, though I laid some paving stones at the top towards my shed.  Good luck with what you decide. :) busy_lizzie

[wardy]

I you cover with black sheet mulch why do you need to get the couch out?

[RosieM]

Wardy,


Personally, I would still get the couch out, I expect if it is thick plastic it might be ok, although it would still run along and come up in the beds. If you use the membrane type stuff then those horrible white spikes on the couch can get through it after a month or so.

Only the bindweed is worse!   >:(

RosieM

[wardy]

I've had a big sheet of black plastic mulch down at home for about 6 years on a piece of ground I've not got round to doing anything with yet and nothing has come up through it at all. 

I'm not digging my lotty so am not disturbing the couch which can stay where it is.  The bits of my plot where I've had bonfires seems to have put paid to couch and I've been planting in these without digging and so far so good (using a bulb planter)

It's just my back saving approach to lottying, eg not bringing any weeds up to the surface.  It's a bit early to say yet but early results are promising  :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

When I took my plot on, it had a grass path down the middle, which soon turned out to be nothing but a reservoir of couch. Most of it has now been eliminated. I'm building a brick path to replace it, but it's a Herculean task which is taking years as they all have to be salvaged from the stream at the back. Get rid of the horrible stuff!

[wardy]

My allotment is massive and if I was to get all the couch out I would get nothing else done and it would take me the rest of my life, and what is left of my life I don't want to waste eliminating couch.  It can stay buried where it is  ;D

[bupster]

The prospect of digging up the paths is just too terrifying when you're only just coping with digging over new beds. Mine can stay where it is for a few months before I decide what to do about it; perhaps a winter job, when I'm not desperately trying to hoik out perennials and prepare enough beds for autumn planting  :)

[Icyberjunkie]

 ;D ;D  I've gone the other way and am planning to dig my paths up this winter!

Two reasons...
1.   The bindweed hides under the fabric and grows out the sides causing me lots of headaches.   Rasberry canes did likewise along with some other weeds so I ended u premoving the fabric and redoing it all!
2.  Loss of growing space.  Having taken on the lottie I thought it was big and wondered how I was going to fill it.   A few months later it was where on earth can i fit some more plants in....now got a second plot but the paths have to go.......

[gayle]

OK ive decided to not have a couch path. Ive got some bricks hanging around so i'll use them instead. Another job to do! :-\

[bupster]

Icy, I wish I could do the same. Perhaps the magic paving stone monkey will come and make it all better. Must remember to take it a bit at a time... :P

[growmore]

Dirt paths or grass paths are better than brick ones i have found, as brick ones harbour slugs and other nasties. cheers .Jim

[wardy]

Icy    if you use soil paths you can rotate them and plant sprouts in the bits you've walked on which is what the Poles do on our lotties

[Robert_Brenchley]

I'm not sure whether brick paths harbour slugs or just make them easierto find, as most of them actually live in the soil. I like them since my plot can get very muddy in a wet winter.

[growmore]

Well  I suggest you lift a brick or 2 up and see what lurks beneath them.
I am sure they harbour slugs. cheers. Jim

[Robert_Brenchley]

I know the slugs are there; what I'm, wondering is whether the presence of bricks increases the number of slugs per square metre, or whether it just makes them easier to find. I get worms under the bricks too, but I don't think bricks means extra worms!

[Icyberjunkie]

Icy if you use soil paths you can rotate them and plant sprouts in the bits you've walked on which is what the Poles do on our lotties

Thats probably how I'll end up wardy because in principle my first plot will be split in 4 (ish) for veggies while the new one will be mainly fruit and a permanent bean bed so paths are bound to develop.  Never though of planting them though so thanks for the tip.