Papier mache paths or membrane?

[Curlykale]

I am fed up spending more time weeding my paths than actually growing veg, so have decided to cover the paths as much as possible.

I remember reading about how to make a "papier mache" path with layers of folded newspapers which are then soaked with water.

I was also thinking of putting some weed suppressing membrane on some of the paths.

I have pulled up/snapped as many of the weeds as possible but the ground has been so hard lately I couldn't dig the roots out.

My questions are:-

1. Will it be ok to just put the membrane /newspaper over the weeds? I am hoping it will smother them - or should I remove all traces of the weeds and roots first?

2. Can anyone suggest anything cheap that would be good to cover the membrane with (would love bark or gravel but beyond my budget)

3. Has anyone else made a "papier mache" path and if so was it successful?

Thanks in advance.

[Sanjo]

I have used newspaper on a couple of my paths. However, before laying it I soaked it in a bucket (did it while I was preparing the path so it was ready soaked when I needed it.)
A good thick layer of wet newspaper was then topped off with home made wood shreddings. I didn't have much in the way of perennial weeds to contend with and annuals just got covered. Personally I would dig out thistles and suchlike.
Another path was levelled, I laid cheap (£1 shop) groundcover folded a couple of times to make it more opaque, and again topped it with garden tree shreddings. Be warned though, this particular way is a bit slippery if you do not top it with something.
If you have a local tree surgeon you could approach them to see if they are trying to get rid of their shredded trees but again I personally would make sure that I didn't lay an un-known element anywhere near my own trees in case the shreddings contained things like honey fungus.
Worth a thought though if the paths are straight through your beds and not affecting anything crucial like your own fruit trees.

[Two_Sheds]

Has anyone else made a "papier mache" path and if so was it successful?

I do it, and yes it does smother weeds. You do need to top it though, or it just dries out, rips and blows away.

My old paths were topped with bark chippings (which rot and need topping every year) and are now topped with stones. The weeds still grow through the stones when the newspaper eventually decomposes, so bark chippings were better (we got them free from local landscape gardeners)

[SMT]

I have used heavy duty weed suppressing membrane for my paths without any edging or top dressing eg, bark or gravel.

Basically, I measured the width of the path and dug a 1ft deep trench either side of the path for the full length. Then draped the membrane over the path and enough membrane either side so that when the trenches are back filled with soil it holds the membrane in place.

The good thing about this is

-it totally stops the weeds,
-no need for bark or gravel
-when it rains it washes any soil back into the beds.

[Shadylane]

I used cardboard or newspaper topped with straw as, like you, I got sick of constantly weeding paths that were dry hard and compacted. It's helped a lot. The odd dandelion still comes through and they need topping up as the straw rots. I get the straw from a farm and it costs me a quid a bale. If you have a slug problem though it will probably get worse as they'll have somewhere to hide. We get a few munchers but it's not a big problem.

[weekendwellies]

i put some cardboard sheets down on a path last year to help suppress weeds, got free from work.
It worked up to a point.
It does wear out/rots down over time (it has all totally gone now) and the weeds still come round the edges, and a few come through in between overlaps. But it does help a lot. The path is nowhere near as bad as other parts that had no covering.

[roitelet]

Like Shadylane I have used cardboard topped with straw and it has worked a treat. If you want to grow over the path just dig it all in in the winter. I have 3m wide beds and put the path down the middle except for the spud bed which is when I dig the path in.

No more muddy boots either, that is when/if we ever get any rain!!!!

[Curlykale]

Thanks everyone - some good ideas to try here