Paths between raised beds

[NotPercyThrower]

Hi

I need to do something with the paths between my raised beds as having them grassed is proving a bit painful to strim. My mower is wide and won't fit down them. I was thinking of putting down weed supressing material and then bark chips on top.

Would you recommend this solution and if so should I remove the grass first? It's going to probably leave a gap under the beds which I will need to plug, but the turf is quite lumpy to use as a base for a path.

Advice welcome. Thanks.

[chris]

You can skim the turves off, turn them upside down then put the membrane on top.

Are your beds at home, or on an allotment? Allotment wise, I'd go with bark/wood chips from a tree surgeon or by asking your council/association if they can get hold of them for you. At home, I have pea gravel, and stone chippings around mine.

[Sanjo]

If the path is very lumpy could you perhaps just even it up a bit by removing the most sticky up bits first. I do have paths around my beds with cheap £1 shop weed suppressant underneath and home made chippings on top. It works very well and we just top up the chippings as we prune the trees.
However, we used a much better quality suppresent under our fruit trees and yesterday we were weeding it. The weed control is about 5-6 years old and had started to break up. I was able to remove it in largish strips but I can see that this is going to be a nightmare for who ever takes on my house and garden when I'm gone.
A better solution may be to Lay down newspaper and put the chippings on the top. Make sure you have plenty of paper, soaked first. This will biodegrade over time but will not be so harmful to your soil should you ever decide to reposition your beds. It can also be replenished much as before.
Hope that helps

[hollychap]

at the lottie we use old hessian backed carpet in the walkways

[Creemteez]

I laid down old newspapers - tabloid-size ones - as they are the exact same legnth as my paths are wide (does that make sense??) Left unopened and laid over lapping by half with the folded side showing, they pretty much stayed in place of their own accord - especially once I'd dampened them down with a watering can full of water. As I could afford it I bought weed suppressing membrane to go over the top of that and finally topped it off with a layer of Mescanthus (Elephant grass) which is sold as animal bedding and is generally cheaper than bark from a garden centre. It has worn quite well, though I am going to have to spot treat a few places where dandelions and docks have pushed through, and re-top with more Mescanthus.

[Kaiya]

I've put down landscaping fabric two weekends ago for my paths. I hemmed the edges with duct tape (tabs of it rather than a long line as it was my Dad's and he resented me misappropriating his tape ) to reduce the fraying, but in retrospect Dad had a better idea (after I'd made 7 4m by 40cm paths) of running it through my sewing machine, using some kinda of rot-proof thread. However I am not pulling it up to do that now.

I put it down directly over the weeds, grass, whatever happened to be there (most were patchy proto-paths rather than grass paths) and I skimped on pegs, not sure of how many I'd need and in this dry weather it means that the plants underneath are basically ignoring the membrane. So it's a bit lumpy. I also think I need to mulch it to protect it as well as weight it down as occasionally I swipe it with my hand tools. Mine are very narrow though - only about 40cm wide, so they don't really suppress weeds as they are basically just shaded. I would put cardboard or paper underneath if I had enough, but I don't even have enough for the beds so the paths aren't getting any.

So not much help, except to say I should probably remove the larger plants under the membrane or pin it down better so they aren't just draped in it but otherwise I'm pleased with the fact I have stuff to walk on and obvious beds to not walk on.

My attempt: On an egg and a banana | Kailyn

I would say, if you have grass paths and plastic pegs, you may well need something to do a pilot hole with, as my clay soil, drought and compacted grass paths meant no chance of getting the pegs in.

[Jimmy]

Carpet for me, not synthetic though.
Some one is usually throwing one out.
A wanted notice on you local shops board.
Watch out for skips they often have one on top.

Jimmy

[OverWyreGrower]

I did have weed membrane and woodchip, but it hasn't stopped the persistent stuff coming through (marestail, couch grass), so as we are having a change around in the allotment, I'm taking up the membrane and leaving the paths to grass over...

[Two_Sheds]

I got fed up of replenishing bark chips every other year (they rot eventually). At school we have dirt paths, on lotty I have sown clover as a grass alternative and source of green manure, but of course it doesn't grow where it's always walked on

[salome2001]

at the lottie we use old hessian backed carpet in the walkways

all carpet banned on our site

what can you use to peg the membrane down? I have hard clay and decking plank raised beds

[Two_Sheds]

^ pegs, those plastic ones that pierce the fabric and grip into the soil

[salome2001]

off to look at websites: considering I have a full plot to path, anyone know where I can get them cheaply

[Two_Sheds]

I have a dozen you'd be welcome to if you were closer

[Snadger]

all carpet banned on our site

what can you use to peg the membrane down? I have hard clay and decking plank raised beds

My membrane isn't pegged down. The weight of whatever you pile on top of it will usually keep it down.

[Creemteez]

My beds wooden edges were still quite moveable when I did my paths so I just tucked the membrane under them. You will still get the occasional bit working loose and flapping about - my moles didn't help last year!