Raised Beds and Paths

[Norfolk n Proud]

Hiya folks, I've had my lottie for nearly 6 months now, and I'm chuffed to bits that I've actually managed to grow potatoes, onions, shallots, fennel, carrots, runner beans, and savoy cabbage in progress, all in raised beds, when i say raised beds i mean soil with a 8' x 6' fence round it albeit 6" high, my next problem is that where do i get the soil from to fill the beds? Should i take it from between the beds to leave deep paths, or import it in ( one tonne bags ) and mix with brother in laws cows muck? Then, what do you reckon is the best type of path to make, soil, grass, slabs, gravel? or another genius idea.  please help, my head hurts!!!   :)

[Norfolk n Proud]

[saddad]

As much muck as you can get... except for the one you want roots in. Topsoil if it is good quality and you can afford it/shift it....  membrane paths covered with chippings if you can get a cheap source..
;D

[Norfolk n Proud]

Cheers Saddad, i better put in my bulk request for the muck.  Membrane and bark chippings should'nt be too hard to come by, i'm in the process of digging over 12 of these beds to try and get rid of millions of doc leaves and thistles, they're the stuff of nightmares!!! Thanks again. Andy

[saddad]

Nah... Docks are easy peasy... thistles can be akward... but bindweed and couch now there's a problem!
;D

[Norfolk n Proud]

I've got both!!! I spent a lot of spring and summer digging them up, but they are persistant little blighters.

[donlottie]

Andy, get in touch with your local council, they will have a recycling department. I contacted mine regarding chippings and they have quoted me £40 for a 5 cubic meter lot - very good price!!! Also they may be able to supply old carpet (saves on weed membrane) for free

[Norfolk n Proud]

Cheers  Donlottie, i have to say i had'nt thought of that? It's gotta be worth a try though. Andy

[donlottie]

Ask around for carpet though, you will be surprised how many people have it stuck away ready for the next trip to the skips. My allotment has more carpet laid than at allieds!!! Got these tips from our friends at All4u. Walking on carpet over uneven paths saves you from the odd twisted ankle as well as keeping back the weeds. Someone else also said cardboard ( again got some on my plot) but this blows all over the place and not so good wet. Good luck with your searching. tip from mum today liddles have bads of chippings for £1.99 not sure on size though.

[Norfolk n Proud]

I'll add Lidl's to the list of places to go then.

[posie]

How much for chippings?! Our council provides em for nowt last sunday of every month!  You might want to join your local freecycle group online if you're not a member already, always people wanting rid of carpets, could have covered my lottie twice with amount I've been offered so far  ;D

[Norfolk n Proud]

After reading Donlotties advice, i looked on localCouncils website, and i can't find anything on mulch of any sort to buy, aaaaargh. I'm in Norfolk by the way.  Brickwall and head springs to mind!!!

[posie]

This might be useful for you, for carpet n bits n pieces.     

http://uk.freecycle.org/groups/norfolk

[Esre]

The bark in Lidl is a 40 Litre bag.

[donlottie]

Hi Andy, on your councils website will be a recycling number - call that and ask about wood chippings thats how I got some, granted went through several people before I got the right one. To all of you out there who's councils supply it free - CONGRATS  on being the lucky ones - wish ours did (Doncaster)

[flytrapman]

Try any tree surgeon as most are glad to tip the woodchip for free. Most councills have tree gangs and will tip if in your area. I asked my local church if I could take the leaves away & was shown a large heap of old leafmould at the rear and told to help myself.

[cornykev]

We have a tree surgeon company who tip on our site for free  it costs a fortune for them to tip it so we get it for nothing so I have most of my paths sorted.  ;D ;D ;D

[cacran]

I have had my lottie for just a year now. As soon as I got it I pegged it out into 10 separate beds with the intentions of putting paths between. At that point I was not sure what I would use. Well, after tidying up I managed to fins loads of bricks. I made some paths of these, linking them together parquet style. Didn't bother to sink them in or anything. I made some paths with broken flags, like crazy paving. Just layed them down in a strip with willy nilly pattern. Others I made from some strips of stair carpet. I cut it along the middle so each strip was just wide ehough for a path. As this year has got on, I have dug over the beds and added bits of compost and stuff, the paths are now looking less proud, more sunken. the beds seem to be raising themselves. I did inted putting boards around them to make proper raised beds but don't sem to need to bother. I am pleased with how it has turned out. If I get more bricks I will eventually do all the paths with those and save carpets for covering empty beds.