The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Growing => Vegetables => Topic started by: 2acresoflawn on January 24, 2011, 10:59:27 am
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:carrot: We're putting in raised beds, and are planning on pathways in between them. Any suggestions on what material we should use for the paths? We want something that will keep the weeds out, so we've got some weed control matting in place. Now we are unsure what to use to cover that. We're considering wood chippings (but could this be a hazard to the chickens when we let them in there? :chook:). Also on the list is gravel - but it seems expensive. Any other suggestions?
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I've used both, my chickens didn't bother with the bark after the first nosiness to see what it was. But it does scatter easily unless contained. I used the cheapest of gravel, and a ton goes a long way (about £75) if you have weed fabric down first. HTH
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We just have grass paths. Well, bare earth currently, but they will be grass.
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How about duck boards? Our chickens don't like walking on them and nor do the pigs.
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I have had scalpings down on mine for about 20 years, seems to work ok.. I put down some old polythene first with a few holes punched in it. :)
Sue
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We've got slate chips but I also really like mowed grass paths. One problem we've had is young foxes digging little holes in the slate chips. It seems to be just the young foxes, soon after they've left home for the first time, after a few weeks they stop but it does mean a bit of raking the chips back into place.
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I use straw for our paths, you can put a few inches down in a layer, it stops the weeds, and when its wet in the winter time you don't get all muddy, and then at the end of the season you then take up the straw and put it on your compost, then add new straw on the path. It depends if you can get hold of straw easily, but its a great system that utilises space and produces something for the ground.
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You can get "off cuts" or "remanents" of carpet Cut these to the width of our path and lay down, they can get wet they dont allow weeds to grow and if they are a green colour look like lawn without the work. YOu want a short pile or office pile something that is hard wearing.